Are these siberian coloured amethysts?

[JewelledEscalators]

I bought these antique earrings a while back and wondered what colour these amethysts are- would you say these amethysts (more the rounds at the top) are like siberian amethysts in colour? Or just deep purple amethysts?

The first two are vendor photos, the rest are mine. I’d say in real life it can look like any of the photos, though my cheap camera phone and poor lighting struggles to capture the deep purple of the stones and flashes of colour. Having bought them after seeing the vendor photos, I wasn't dissapointed and they were not described as siberian amethysts.

P.S. I might delete this thread later depending on what I choose to do with the earrings

 

[marymm]

They look like nice quality Amethyst!

To my knowledge, Siberian Amethyst are a medium dark saturated purple with flashes of red (or turning red purple) in incandescent lighting. I think fine African Amethyst also may have this quality, and Uruguayan Amethyst though lighter in saturation may have red or blue flashes...

It would be difficult to impossible to assess whether your Amethysts are Siberian based on photos/images, but you could send to AGL Gem Lab for origin report -- Siberian Amethyst are pretty rare.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

They look like nice quality Amethyst!

To my knowledge, Siberian Amethyst are a medium dark saturated purple with flashes of red (or turning red purple) in incandescent lighting. I think fine African Amethyst also may have this quality, and Uruguayan Amethyst though lighter in saturation may have red or blue flashes...

It would be difficult to impossible to assess whether your Amethysts are Siberian based on photos/images, but you could send to AGL Gem Lab for origin report -- Siberian Amethyst are pretty rare.

Thanks yes, I was just looking at some Uruguayan Amethysts on a website and thinking the same.

Can a lab tell if an amethyst is siberian? I don't think I will send it to a lab as it's too expensive and I'm not super fussed about the origin.

 

[T L]

Thanks yes, I was just looking at some Uruguayan Amethysts on a website and thinking the same.

Can a lab tell if an amethyst is siberian? I don't think I will send it to a lab as it's too expensive and I'm not super fussed about the origin.

Honestly, these days the term “Siberian,” in regards to amethyst, refers to a saturation of amethyst, denoting high quality.

The best amethyst have a medium dark tone, with red flashes, and they can color shift from blue purple to grape purple. Some medium dark amethyst do not have these qualities and just look like a flat purple.

Many amethyst from the original Russian deposits, set in royal jewels, are honestly not as rich in color as some African or Uruguayan stones, so I wouldn’t care much about origin.

There’s also lab material that looks like top quality amethyst, and it looks natural to the untrained eye.

 

[Karl_K]

These days the terms refer to type and color more than origin other than 4 peaks.
Siberian Amethyst= dark deep purple with blue or red and blue flashes.
4 peaks = deep to med deep purple with very strong red flashes and almost always zoning from the sides.
4 peaks secondary type, reddish purple with strong red flashes.
Brazil = generally light to med purple without red or blue flashes. Best material is often labeled as something else.
Uruguayan = the best mimics the Siberian and much of what gets called Siberian is Uruguayan.
African - runs the entire range, the best if it has red or blue flashes sold as Siberian. The lower end often sold as Braziil.
There are exceptions and crossovers for example Brazil at times has produced top material but its sold under other names.

4 peaks is the most unique of the different material.

 

[T L]

Here’s a fine example of exemplary color, lots of red flashes.

Here’s another, old mine Zambian material showing a bluish tint in sunlight.


Note how flat in color this below stone is, although it’s a similar tone. It’s flat, no red or blue. It’s just grape purple.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

Honestly, these days the term “Siberian,” in regards to amethyst, refers to a saturation of amethyst, denoting high quality.

The best amethyst have a medium dark tone, with red flashes, and they can color shift from blue purple to grape purple. Some medium dark amethyst do not have these qualities and just look like a flat purple.

Many amethyst from the original Russian deposits, set in royal jewels, are honestly not as rich in color as some African or Uruguayan stones, so I wouldn’t care much about origin.

There’s also lab material that looks like top quality amethyst, and it looks natural to the untrained eye.

Yes perhas these days the term Siberian is probably used more for colour than origin. Hmm, I hadn't thought of looking at crown jewels - I guess they would've been from times where amethysts were precious stones.

Lab amethyst seems like an odd one given that amethyst is not rare and prices are not that high but I guess there's incentive if the colour is very good.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

These days the terms refer to type and color more than origin other than 4 peaks.
Siberian Amethyst= dark deep purple with blue or red and blue flashes.
4 peaks = deep to med deep purple with very strong red flashes and almost always zoning from the sides.
4 peaks secondary type, reddish purple with strong red flashes.
Brazil = generally light to med purple without red or blue flashes. Best material is often labeled as something else.
Uruguayan = the best mimics the Siberian and much of what gets called Siberian is Uruguayan.
African - runs the entire range, the best if it has red or blue flashes sold as Siberian. The lower end often sold as Braziil.
There are exceptions and crossovers for example Brazil at times has produced top material but its sold under other names.

4 peaks is the most unique of the different material.

Thanks for the info, very useful. I've never heard of 4 peaks amethysts untilnow. I've googled it but can't seem to find great pics.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

Here’s a fine example of exemplary color, lots of red flashes.

Here’s another, old mine Zambian material showing a bluish tint in sunlight.


Note how flat in color this below stone is, although it’s a similar tone. It’s flat, no red or blue. It’s just grape purple.

I really like the second one, I think it belongs to a PS'er?

 

[T L]

Last I heard, and I could be incorrect, the 4 Peaks location was mined out, and all that’s left are less prized in color.

African material in finer quality can still be had. I’m not sure about Uruguayan, but that’s worth looking into as well.

Ther term “Siberian” is thrown around by vendors a great deal to describe amethyst. I’ve seen tepid pale amethyst described as Siberian quality. It’s a loosely based term that has no oversight. Anyone can get away with using it.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

Last I heard, and I could be incorrect, the 4 Peaks location was mined out, and all that’s left are less prized in color.

African material in finer quality can still be had. I’m not sure about Uruguayan, but that’s worth looking into as well.

Yes, I couldn't find examples of nice 4 peaks amethysts. African amethysts are nice - I plan to get my hands on one at some point.

 

[T L]

I really like the second one, I think it belongs to a PS'er?

It’s mine. I bought it 30 years ago from an exotic gem dealer who sent me a paper catalogue, before the advent of the internet.

 

[T L]

Yes, I couldn't find examples of nice 4 peaks amethysts. African amethysts are nice - I plan to get my hands on one at some point.

Just be careful of lab synthetics. Purchase from a reputable dealer.

 

[T L]

I bought this stone about 25 years ago. It has no zoning, which is typical of amethyst,so I suspect it’s a lab stone. It could be natural but I have no way of finding out because I don’t think the gem labs can definitively tell. Note the fine color.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

Wow that's gorgeous

 

[T L]

There’s also the Jackson Crossroads location in the United States thst touts beautiful stones. Unfortunately, I personally haven’t seen anything from that mine that can compete with the finest African stones. They also tend to be expensive compared to African material.

 

[T L]

Wow that's gorgeous

Synthetic material usually is really perfect.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

Synthetic material usually is really perfect.

Speaking of synthetic, I am waiting for my new antique synthetic blue sapphire ring to arrive in the post tomorrow. Have never bought a synthetic stone but liked the setting and the cut of the stone.

 

[JewelledEscalators]

I bought this stone about 25 years ago. It has no zoning, which is typical of amethyst,so I suspect it’s a lab stone. It could be natural but I have no way of finding out because I don’t think the gem labs can definitively tell. Note the fine color.

Do amethysts usually have zoning? I've only seen one that has noticeable zoning.

 

[T L]

Do amethysts usually have zoning? I've only seen one that has noticeable zoning.

Yes, zoning is common in amethyst. It is easier to see the zoning if you put them face down in water. See below picture.

I would be highly suspect of gems with no zoning.

 

[T L]

Speaking of synthetic, I am waiting for my new antique synthetic blue sapphire ring to arrive in the post tomorrow. Have never bought a synthetic stone but liked the setting and the cut of the stone.

Nothing wrong with synthetic stones as long as you know it’s a synthetic. The problem arises when dealers pass off synthetics as natural.

 

[Karl_K]

Last I heard, and I could be incorrect, the 4 Peaks location was mined out, and all that’s left are less prized in color.

I'm going to cry if that is true.
Last I heard they shut down for covid but were going to resume production.
It never has been super common.