So you’ve made the decision to look for an engagement ring. Congratulations ! And is your heart set on an amethyst engagement ring, of all things ? Then you’re likely going to want to know the meaning behind this beautiful purple gem, and what it may bring into the relationship. Engagement rings are highly symbolic, and they have many meanings tied into one. So what does an amethyst engagement ring mean ? Let’s find out.
Amethyst engagement ring meaning
Amethyst engagement rings are meant to symbolize the couple’s purity, their devotion to spiritualism, their faith, and their level-headedness. For centuries religious figures have worn amethyst in their rings and rosaries as a sign of faith and as a show of their devotion to their god.
So an amethyst engagement ring may have a significant religious meaning. There is also the various shades of purple of the amethyst to consider. They have always been associated with royalty, purity, and in some legends with the calming effects of lavender (the especially light ones).
The was an old Greek belief that amethyst would keep one sober, cool headed, pure of mind. Amethysts are also used extensively as alternative healing crystal, and for those who delve into mysticism it holds a very special place. It is often the very first crystal a person may decide to bring into their home.
Can you wear amethyst every day ?
No, amethyst cannot be worn every single day. It is a fairly brittle stone, prone to chipping and scratching. Amethyst are often highly included and have tiny, needle-like fractures within the crystals, which make their everyday wear somewhat dangerous.
Read also: Silver VS Sterling Silver
Amethysts score a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness. For context, a diamond is a perfect 10, sapphires and rubies are a 9, while pearls are 2.5-3. The higher the number, the more scratch and chip resistant the gemstone. All gemstones above 7 are considered safe to wear in jewelry, meaning they won’t immediately break or shatter.
But we strongly discourage wearing amethyst every single day, if it is to be your engagement ring that you wear to bed, shower with, take the kids to the park, walk the dog, do the dishes, and work with. We say this simply to spare you the heartache of your amethyst losing its sparkle, because it will do so in time if you subject it to daily wear and tear. Amethyst is a softer gemstone, it may chip and shatter, and it will lose its color when exposed to constant sunlight.
Amethyst’s color may fade in direct sunlight
Another reason to not wear your amethyst ring every day is that it will fade in direct sunlight. The color of the amethyst is due to the trace amount of iron in it and how it was irradiated within the earth’s crust. Sunlight is also a form of radiation, only this one bleaches or whitens everything. You know how old curtains have a bleached look due to their sun exposure, or any colored material for that matter.
An amethyst’s color cannot be easily brought back once it’s faded. So it’s best to restrict the amethyst to evening wear, and not every evening at that. Over time the facets may dull with scratches and the entire gem will lose its shine.
What metal goes best with amethyst ?
Amethyst goes best with white gold, or any white metal you may want the engagement ring to be. Examples are silver, platinum, anything with a rhodium coating, anything with a palladium coating.
Yellow gold may work with amethyst too, but it can easily overpower the purple of the amethyst. Yellow gold works better with deeply colored amethyst, and only as long as the yellow is not prominent. So something like a lighter yellow would work best.
Rose gold is a very difficult choice, since the pink will contrast with the purple too much. If you go for rose gold, make sure there is a color barrier between the purple and the pink, like white or black diamonds or other neutral colored gemstones.
How much is a 2 carat amethyst ?
Amethysts are actually very affordable, much more than other gemstones. A very large deposit was found in Brazil over a century ago and the price has remained very low ever since.
For example this 2.06 carats oval cut amethyst is worth about $17 on Gempundit. It has a deep violet color, and seems to have good clarity, with slight pink flashes.
So why is amethyst so affordable ? In the end, this is a type of quartz, which is a very common crystal. It forms between rock crevices underground, wherever the water may seep through and deposit minerals as it goes. Geodes are the way amethysts grow, and the more iron traces there are in the water forming them, the more purple there will be. The root of a amethyst is always white.
More durable amethyst alternatives (purple)
Spinel comes in various shades, including purple. This gemstone has often been confused with rubies and sapphires, as it looks very similar and it’s a tough stone as well. Ranking a 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, spinel ends up more durable than amethyst.
Another advantage over amethyst is that spinel manages to keep its color, regardless of sun exposure. So if you’re looking for a fairly affordable purple gemstone with good wear and color, a purple spinel is a perfect choice.
Purple diamonds are not the most common ones out there, but they can be found if you’re tenacious enough. The purple in the diamond is usually of a paler kind, not as saturated as an amethyst. However the brilliance and fire of a diamond is very much present, even in its purple form.
So while a purple diamond will be far more expensive than an amethyst, you’re also getting extra sparkle and indefinite wear on this gemstone. Or, you could opt for purple cubic zirconia, which is much cheaper and can easily fool the eye.
Purple sapphires are also a rare treat, but you can find them a little easier than purple diamonds. They’re more affordable than purple diamonds and almost as durable. While a diamond ranks a 10 on the Mohs scale, sapphires score a 9 on the same scale. For comparison amethyst is a 7.
Purple topaz is much more affordable than diamonds or sapphires, but not as durable. A topaz ranks an 8 on the Mohs scale, still more durable than an amethyst. Topaz comes in various shades of purple, and it, too, retains its color when exposed to sunlight.
So there you have it. If you’re like to present your loved one with an amethyst engagement ring, or you’d like one such ring for yourself three are plenty to choose from. This is a much loved gemstone and it’s easy to get a hold of, though it may not be a good option for daily wear. If you’d like to wear the engagement ring every day, be sure to look for a very strong gemstone instead.
I’m the main author for jewelrymaterialguide.com. I started this site after we did tons of research before our wedding and noticed that there is information about rings, jewelry, and so on that is really hard to find on the internet.
