My new amethyst ring

[gemnut]

This is probably not the best amethyst money can buy - not that I know a whole lot about amethysts - but I iked the setting and I WAS missing an amethyst from my coloed stones ring collection, so bought it... maybe even paid too much for it. It''s 27.10 cts set on an 18K gold frame (size 11), with 6 brilliants .29 cts. Even I can tell that the diamonds are not of the best quality.

I do like the ring, but I would appreciate your learned opinion regarding its worth.

Gemnut

 

[gemnut]

Here is a side view, showing the setting.

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Hi Gemnut:

Amethyst is such a beautiful color. Personally I like the darker richer colors of purple versus the lighter colors. . Amethyst is a transparent purple variety of Quartz which comes in colors of light (lilac) to dark purple. Highly prized pieces of this quartz come in shades of purplish-red to purple red.
Regions where amethyst are sourced include Brazil, Uruguay, & the Ural Mountains. Other areas where the gem is sourced include Sri-Lanka, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, the United States (Arizona), Madagascar & Iran. Some of the worlds finest stones came from Siberian mines which are now no longer being worked. Siberian stones possess the highly prized reddish glow accompanying blue highlights which command the highest prices. Since the availability of the gem is abundant a perspective buyer should insist on purchasing a stone with good cutting and exceptional clarity.

Amethyst is gorgeous when the depth of color, cut and transparency is evident. Amethyst is dichroic and Doubly refractive. The Jacobina Mine in Brazil is famous as the best source. Characteristic reddish flashes of light when viewing the gem in natural daylight is one of the aspects of a superior Amethyst. These reddish flashes of light in the deep bluish purple body color of amethyst can change color in different lighting environments. But you should look for an amethyst that has red flashes as you rotate the stone. The finest will have a deep purple color and flash red when rotated. These can run as high as $100.00 per carat and up.

Your stone is huge and has a beautiful dark color. Depth of color is important, but not too strong to where it darkens the stone too much . It is impossible to evaluate your stone from the picture, but it seems to have some nice flash with a good depth of color. The stone seems to suit you and you seem happy with this honker! I have tried to describe some of the characteristics of fine stones and premier sources along with some pricing of top quality specimens to give you a ball park idea of what to go off of. All in all I think you have a beautiful stone with nice flash in a very pretty setting..

For your viewing pleasure I attached a picture of a 7 + carat Amethyst cut by Richard homer which has some of the finest color available. The depth and saturate color of this amethyst is gorgeous along with superior brilliance. Color of this stone is very fine, but the cutting puts it over the edge...

Hope this Helps..

 

[gemnut]

Hi Josh!

Thank you for all the wonderful information on amethysts. It makes me feel prouder of my stone - it is a nice dark purple as you describe and flashes red on both sides of the round part of the drop shape when moved or when the light hits it. It''s quite transparent and you can see all the way to the bottom point of the stone (I know there is a special name for that but I can''t remember).

I like BIG colored stones because I happen to have BIG fingers A 27 ct amethyst looks perfectly normal on my hand. A smaller one would get lost.

There is NO COMPARISON, nevertheless with the stone you posted... What a cut!!!!! I''m soooo jealous!!

Gemnut

 

[imperial Jewels]

Hi there,

Many Amethysts show a color-shift from deep purple to hot pink. Here is a stunning 4.85 Carat IF/VVS1 Hot Blueberry To Neon Pink Color Shifting Fantasy-Vortex Cut Concave Amethyst that shows the color shift quite well on the second picture. The internal ridges of the concave cut seems to accentuate and intensify the effect.

 

[gemnut]

All I can say Simon is WOW! I spent over an hour going over your website absoloutely entranced!
I signed up and placed myself on a wish-list for a blue star saphire. If you find a nice one, please notify me. Wonderful job!

gemnut

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

It's quite transparent and you can see all the way to the bottom point of the stone (I know there is a special name for that but I can't remember).

Hey Gemnut:

Glad you found the information useful. The bottom point of the stone as you describe is called the cutlet.

Simon:

Really interesting amethyst with unusually pronounced pink flash.

Could this be due to the lighting environment in which you photographed the stone in?

 

[chrono]

The transparency whereby you can see all the way throught the culet is called a "window", if I remember correctly.

 

[DiamondExpert]

Chrono - not exactly - neither of the concave faceted stones above shows a window, as you can see reflected light coming back all the way to the culet in both cases.

When windowing occurs you can see completely through the stone (such that you could see the print if the stone were resting on a piece of newspaper), and is usually associated with shallow cutting resulting in light hitting the pavilion facets inside the critical angle (relative to the normal) of the material and thus escaping.