Siberian Amethyst

Russia as a whole, and Siberia in particular, is home to a very rich source of mineral deposits including a stunning array of precious stones. As we’ve seen before, Siberia produces an incredible selection of Russian diamonds but for many, the Siberian Amethyst is the most beautiful stone of all.

A land of contrasts

Siberia’s popular image as an uninhabited, frozen wasteland is unfair to a great degree when you consider what a rich supply of minerals lays beneath its surface. Oil, gold, diamonds and timber are amongst the most popular industries here but other precious stones are mined too.

A mark of quality

Although the majority of Siberian amethyst is mined in this region, this type of stone doesn’t have to come from Siberia to be given the name.

This is because, the term Siberian Amethyst is also used to grade the precious stone and the best quality items are known as ‘deep Siberian’ in keeping with their dark purple hue. This is the most sought after version of the stone so if you see the term ‘Siberian Amethyst’ it is your guarantee of supreme quality.

A brief history

Amethyst has a long history and it is believed to offer many health benefits to those who wear one as an item of jewellery or for those just have a fine piece sitting in their homes. In its raw state it is typically a six sided prism which rises to a six sided pyramid and many observers feel that this is when an amethyst is at its most beautiful.

Amethyst is essentially a variety of quartz and it is given its purple hue by a tiny iron impurity. As a precious stone it is visually very attractive and different to other types of quartz and that is one of the reasons why it is associated with health giving powers.

Some surprising health benefits

The name ‘amethyst’ is derived from the ancient Greeks and when they discovered the stone, they believed that it would prevent drunkenness.

As a result, the stone was worn as pendants round their necks during long drinking bouts but reports of its effectiveness in this respect are unknown!

In the modern day, amethyst is believed to heal both physically and mentally and it is also thought to restore calm and relieve stress in any household.

Buying amethyst

As with all precious stones, you should be careful of basic forgeries – synthetic amethyst is easily made and if you’re not experienced enough to spot it you can leave yourself open to fakes.

Therefore, always look for an authorised dealer and in the case of really expensive jewellery, you may want to look for a certificate of authenticity.

The fact that Siberian Amethyst doesn’t have to come from Siberia can be an issue if you really want to buy a stone that originates from this region so look carefully and be specific with any retailer if that’s what you’re looking for.

Having sourced the right item for you, genuine Siberian Amethyst is a beautiful stone that will be a treasured item for many years to come.