Amythist

[Niel]

Can someone show me/explain the difference between good and great amythist.

Not so much good vs bad, but good vs exceptional

 

[chrono]

http://www.atggems.com/Photos_Quartz.htm
The first 8 or so are exceptional - well saturated, not overly dark, with blue / red flashes.
The other purple ones later down the page are good - medium to well saturated but straight purple.

 

[GregS]

What Chrono said, and Amethyst is notorious for color zoning, so little to no color zoning in top material.

 

[PrecisionGem]

You have to be careful with those dark stones from Uruguay, unless they have a lot of light they are very very dark. I would guess those first 8 stones, in the hand in normal room lighting are going to be almost black.
About 10 years ago I bought some of the 'top color' or EXTRA color amethyst from Uruguay, the most expensive stuff they have. To me, they all cut way to dark.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I like Zambian Amethyst. I have one that shows both red and blue flashes. It is not as dark as those first eight from Uraquay, but its very nice.


Annette

 

[chrono]

I have both Namibian and Uruguay amethyst but these were purchased a while back. It seems that the newer ones tend to be too dark? I am also very partial to JXR amethysts.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/4-6-ct-concave-cut-brandberg-amethyst.192371/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/4-6-ct-concave-cut-brandberg-amethyst.192371/[/URL]

Old thread with really nice looking amethysts
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/value-of-amethyst.117307/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/value-of-amethyst.117307/[/URL]

 

[Niel]

I have both Namibian and Uruguay amethyst but these were purchased a while back. It seems that the newer ones tend to be too dark? I am also very partial to JXR amethysts.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/4-6-ct-concave-cut-brandberg-amethyst.192371/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/4-6-ct-concave-cut-brandberg-amethyst.192371/[/URL]

Old thread with really nice looking amethysts
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/value-of-amethyst.117307/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/value-of-amethyst.117307/[/URL]

Ok, I think I'm getting it. The photos you first linked me to seemed very dark, the flashes obviously not but the base color seemed very dark.

 

[theredspinel]

I dont know what level my amythiest would be considered but i do have a Uruguay amytheist that's not overly dark. It's very saturated (to my eye anyway) and a deep purple with the hot pink and blue flashes. However it does have colour zoning... (otherwise it'd be perfect)!

Sorry for rubbish pics I've cropped these from another picture I had...
To lazy to take proper ones. The last pic where it's the bluest shows the colour zoning the clearest.

 

[Siameseroo]

Do you have any amethysts Niel? I have a pair from Jeff Davies and while the colour is nice and cutting precision they just don't wow me. I much much prefer my blue sapphires which are also from Jeff. I don't know if it's the lower refraction that makes me go 'meh'. Or perhaps if they were a deeper, more royal purple I'd like them more. I don't know. Will try to post a photo tomorrow.

 

[Niel]

No I don't have any. I was considering some but I don't know enough about it. And the ones that seem to be "high end" to me always seem very dark so I wasn't sure exactly what to look for

 

[PrecisionGem]

I have both Namibian and Uruguay amethyst but these were purchased a while back. It seems that the newer ones tend to be too dark? I am also very partial to JXR amethysts.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/4-6-ct-concave-cut-brandberg-amethyst.192371/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/4-6-ct-concave-cut-brandberg-amethyst.192371/[/URL]

Old thread with really nice looking amethysts
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/value-of-amethyst.117307/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/value-of-amethyst.117307/[/URL]

That's a pretty color in those earrings. I don't think it has anything to do with when the amethyst was mined, as there is always lots of material available. There are always a few guys from Uruguay selling tubs and tubs of rough at Tucson. They have it broken down by color and tone. The most expensive is always called EXTRA color. To me it's too dark. They will have material ranging from Rose d'France to this very dark EXTRA color, and the price goes from light to dark with maybe 4 or 5 classifications. I find one or two down from the darkest cuts the prettiest stones. For very small stones, then you can go with the darkest material, but as the size goes up, these become too dark. At least in my opinion, but then again, I cut very little quartz, maybe 2 or 3 pieces a year lately.

 

[marymm]

For me, an exceptional Amethyst is a well-cut medium purple with red or blue flash ... yum

 

[niter]

For me, an exceptional Amethyst is a well-cut medium purple with red or blue flash ... yum

I agree! My amethyst (Bolivian) does all of this in different lights. I love it!

 

[dk168]

My RH Amethyst ring should be ready soon, can't wait!

DK

 

[Siameseroo]

Here are some comparison shots with my sapphires. Like I said, I like the colour but they just don't 'wow' me the way my sapphires do. I never wear them.

 

[arkieb1]

I think you should aim for what your eye prefers, some top coloured Amethysts are very dark, others are dark but still a vivid rich purple. People like the dark ones, people like the mid coloured ones, some like paler ones, some people like ones that flash red and other colours, others like a pure purple. I don't think there is a right and a wrong answer, it's what your own eye likes that matters.

 

[Niel]

I think you should aim for what your eye prefers, some top coloured Amethysts are very dark, others are dark but still a vivid rich purple. People like the dark ones, people like the mid coloured ones, some like paler ones, some people like ones that flash red and other colours, others like a pure purple. I don't think there is a right and a wrong answer, it's what your own eye likes that matters.

Its not so much to choose what I would buy, its more so Id like to learn and understand which color is more of a trade ideal. I would always choose whats best to my eye, but im just looking for knowledge

 

[dk168]

My RH Amethyst ring should be ready soon, can't wait!

DK

As posted in my other thread, here are the glamour pics of my RH Amethyst with Sky Blue Trillions with corners from Doug, 14K WG and diamonds:




Can't wait to see it in person next week when it arrives, woo hoo!

DK

 

[Niel]

My RH Amethyst ring should be ready soon, can't wait!

DK

As posted in my other thread, here are the glamour pics of my RH Amethyst with Sky Blue Trillions with corners from Doug, 14K WG and diamonds:




Can't wait to see it in person next week when it arrives, woo hoo!

DK

 

[dk168]

Thank you!

My first CS ring since joining PS that does not belong to the "Under 1250 USD" thread!

DK

 

[Arcadian]

I love good ammy. Its one of the first stone types I collected (I was 14)

These I got some years ago but never set. Yeah I need to get on that....lol






IMO I don't really think location matters. I think as long as you like it, then cool. I got the JXR mainly based on how pretty it was, but location did play a part in it too.

 

[T L]

Good amethysts are a flat purple, no other color.

Fine amethysts are not super dark, but not super light either. They are probably medium dark, and have flashes of red and purple. This is old mine Zambian material.



vs

flat color (but similar tone)

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

TL- What are your thoughts on the Jackson Crossroad Amethysts that can be intense but have flashes of purple and blue?

 

[Niel]

Good amethysts are a flat purple, no other color.

Fine amethysts are not super dark, but not super light either. They are probably medium dark, and have flashes of red and purple. This is old mine Zambian material.



vs

flat color (but similar tone)

This was very clear to me, thank you for posting it.

 

[T L]

TL- What are your thoughts on the Jackson Crossroad Amethysts that can be intense but have flashes of purple and blue?

Not as nice as old mine Zambian, but pretty material nonetheless. To be fair, I've only seen it in photos, so maybe its nicer in person. The old Four Peaks Arizona material is supposedly very nice as well, lots of red. African, in particular Zambian, has lots of blue and red in it. Some Uruguayan material is nice as well, if you can find it without being too dark in tone. It is often very dark. You can find exceptional amethyst in every location it seems, but more often than not, Brazilian material is sub par in color. I'm sure there are very beautiful pieces however. I've never seen any of the true famed "Siberian" location amethyst that I thought was so spectacular. I've seen pieces in pictures in old jewels, and I was unimpressed. They were pale and flat in color. Maybe I just never saw a nice Siberian, as the mine went extinct so long ago, and there's not much material on the market. I have an Afghani amethyst, but it's super dark, although it has a lot of red in it. I don't enjoy it because it's way too dark.

It's important to note that in recent times, there is a lot of synthetic amethyst on the market that has the look of fine material with flashes of blue and red. Be very careful and only buy from reputable sources who know their own sources very well. Synthetic material is almost impossible to determine from natural.

 

[Acinom]

Mine is from Acstones and according to the description it's 'Siberian material from Uruguay'
It's a beautiful reddish purple and I love the color play.

 

[ilovegemstones]

This is old Zambian material from Dana. It is a bit sleepy. What do you think, TL? Is this stuff hard to get now? I was actually considering parting with it since I have not set it yet. I do like the flashes of blue/pink and the glow though.

ETA - Specs. Looking at it makes me want to keep it so I will!
1994 stock
3.92 ct
9.9 x 11.9 mm
VS1
Blue Flash
Siberian color
Hilmar Bosch

 

[T L]

This is old Zambian material from Dana. It is a bit sleepy. What do you think, TL? Is this stuff hard to get now? I was actually considering parting with it since I have not set it yet. I do like the flashes of blue/pink and the glow though.

ETA - Specs. Looking at it makes me want to keep it so I will!
1994 stock
3.92 ct
9.9 x 11.9 mm
VS1
Blue Flash
Siberian color
Hilmar Bosch

I think it's pretty, but a bit too silky for my taste. Maybe it looks better in person as far as sparkle goes.

That kind of material might have been better off being cut as a cabochon like Acinom's beautiful stone above.

 

[Gloria27]

This is old Zambian material from Dana. It is a bit sleepy. What do you think, TL? Is this stuff hard to get now? I was actually considering parting with it since I have not set it yet. I do like the flashes of blue/pink and the glow though.

ETA - Specs. Looking at it makes me want to keep it so I will!
1994 stock
3.92 ct
9.9 x 11.9 mm
VS1
Blue Flash
Siberian color
Hilmar Bosch

I like it, it's different.
I think this would look very nice in a gothic style setting, with a lot of oxidized/blackened silver and swirly details.

 

[ilovegemstones]

Thanks TL and Gloria. I like it too but I love glowy stones (that is why I picked it). Oxidized silver and gold would look awesome with it! I was thinking a Baba Yaga ring by Sally.

I hope more people post their ammys!