SiO₂
Amethyst
It is February’s stone: quartz that learned the colour of a late chapel and was once cut into cups against drunkenness.
- Formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 7
- Crystal system
- trigonal
- Colour
- violet
- Element
- water
- Chakra (tradition)
- third eye
- Zodiac
- Pisces, Aquarius
- Month
- February
- Where the earth keeps it
- Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina
What it actually is
Amethyst is SiO₂ before it is a story. The lattice is trigonal, Mohs 7, and the eye meets violet.
The better pieces still come out of the ground in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina. It is February’s stone: quartz that learned the colour of a late chapel and was once cut into cups against drunkenness.
What the old tradition whispers
The parlour tradition ties Amethyst to water and to the third eye centre. The old site stood it near: Pisces, Aquarius. Old tables sit it beside February.
How not to turn it to ash
Quartz will take lukewarm water and a cloth. Long sun fades amethyst and rose quartz. Perfume is a worse neighbour than dust.