Due to its beautiful coloring, amethyst is one of the most prized members of the quartz family. The ancient Greeks believed that drinking wine from a vessel made from amethyst would make the drinker immune to intoxication (nice try!). In fact, the word “amethyst” is derived from the ancient Greek word “amethystos”, which means “not drunk”. This amethyst gemstone beads are a deep, rich violet color.
Traces of iron in the quartz give amethyst gemstones their distinctive hue, which ranges from pale lavender to deep violet. Amethyst deposits can be found in Brazil, Madagascar, Zambia, Uruguay, Burma, India, Canada, Mexico, Namibia, Russia, Sri Lanka, and The United States (Arizona).