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Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz.The name comes from the Koine Greek αμέθυστος amethystos from α - a-, "not" and μεθύσκω (Ancient Greek) methysko / μεθώ metho (Modern Greek), "intoxicate", a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness. [1]
After color follows clarity: similar to diamonds, a clear stone will command a premium, but a ruby without any needle-like rutile inclusions may indicate that the stone has been treated. Ruby is the traditional birthstone for July and is usually pinker than garnet , although some rhodolite garnets have a similar pinkish hue to most rubies.
The five cardinal gems. Clockwise from top: sapphire, ruby, emerald, amethyst, diamond. Cardinal gems are gemstones which have traditionally been considered precious above all others. The classification of the cardinal gems dates back to antiquity, and was largely determined by ceremonial or religious use as well as rarity. [1]
Group of precious and semiprecious stones—both uncut and faceted—including (clockwise from top left) diamond, uncut synthetic sapphire, ruby, uncut emerald, and amethyst crystal cluster. A gemstone (also called a fine gem , jewel , precious stone , semiprecious stone , or simply gem ) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or ...
Diamond also has a very high refractive index and a relatively high optical dispersion. Most natural diamonds have ages between 1 billion and 3.5 billion years. Most were formed at depths between 150 and 250 kilometres (93 and 155 mi) in the Earth's mantle , although a few have come from as deep as 800 kilometres (500 mi).
This is a partial list of the largest non-synthetic diamonds with a rough stone (uncut) weight of over 200 carats (40 grams). [1] The list is not intended to be complete—e.g., the Cullinan (formerly Premier) mine alone has produced 135 diamonds larger than 200 carats since mining commenced.
Prasiolite (also known as green quartz, green amethyst or vermarine) is a green variety of quartz. Since 1950, almost all natural prasiolite has come from a small Brazilian mine, [ citation needed ] but it has also been mined in the Lower Silesia region of Poland .
Painite is a very rare borate mineral.It was first found in Myanmar by British mineralogist and gem dealer Arthur C.D. Pain who misidentified it as ruby, until it was discovered as a new gemstone in the 1950s.