C&S-Amethyst-Genuine

Purple passion. From refreshing lilac to ripe plum, Amethyst reflects the drama and excitement of purple. Perhaps because of its depth and richness, Amethyst has always been associated with intense emotion. It is fitting, then, that the legend of its origin is a tale of revenge, devotion, and immortal remorse. Legend tells the story of Dionysus, the Greek God of wine. He was insulted one day by a mortal. Enraged, he called forth vicious tigers to exact revenge on the next mortal who would cross his path. Unfortunately, the maiden Amethyst, on her way to pay tribute to the Goddess Diana, was the next mortal to cross paths with Dionysus. The innocent girl suddenly found herself face-to-face with the tigers of the vengeful God. To save her from the beasts, Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of pure crystalline quartz. So beautiful was the maiden that Dionysus, in sorrow and remorse, wept tears of rich wine over the statue. His tears stained the quartz purple, thus creating the poetic gem that still bears her name. While the origins of the name are sadly beautiful, Amethyst has happier connotations in modern society. It is the gem used to celebrate February birthdays, as well as the fourth, sixth, and ninth, anniversaries. Fashion conscious consumers find the perfect purple hue of Amethyst appealing, especially in larger sizes. The plum hues of Amethyst make it an ideal accessory for fall and winter phantasmagorical clothing. With a hardness of 7, Amethyst is a good choice for dress and special occasion wear and with proper care makes a great everyday accessory.