Amethyst (Quartz)

Color: Purple, violet to red-violet, blue/purple
Moh’s Hardness: 7
Refractive Index: 1.544-1.553
Critical Angle: 40.49°
Specific Gravity: 2.63-2.65
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Conchoidal
Dispersion: Medium (.013)
Heat Sensitivity: Can be... but is usually not a problem
Dichroism: very weak
Birefringence (double refraction): Weak (.009)
Crystal structure: Hexagonal

Treatments: Generally none.

What I prefer to polishing with: Cerium oxide with a Spectra Ultralap.

Jeff's Comments: Cuts and polishes like any other Quartz, usually no problems... I like to use a 1200 Nu Bond lap for pre-polish, it makes the polishing stage faster and easier. Orientating on the "c" is slightly better.

It has been estimated by the GIA and other groups that a significant portion of all commercial cut amethyst is man-made. Synthetic Citrine and Ametrine are also being sold cut as natural stones by some dealers. In most cases the man-made material is being sold as cut stones, but occasionally there is some mixed in with natural parcels of rough. However this is not common. Blue colored quartz is available as a synthetic.

I have an article on this subject
Is all of that Citrine and Amethyst real?

Design Notes: About any Quartz design will work well. As the rough gets more saturated, I prefer checker boards and bar cuts.

Design Links:
4-Way Stop - This is great for saturated rough if you have a piece that will work in the shape...
Be Still My Heart - Good in about any Quartz
CheckMate - Neat in medium color Quartz
Light House - Nice in any Quartz
Utopia - Classic Barion pear

Rough Links:
Quartz - Index of Quartz Rough
Amethyst -Maraba Amethyst from Brazilian, Bolivian Amethyst, Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Siberian Color" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Extra" & "Extra Fine" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points
Amethyst2 - Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Siberian Color" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Extra" & "Extra Fine" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points
Amethyst 3 - Large Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Siberian Color" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points, "Extra" & "Extra Fine" Uruguayan Amethyst crystal points
Ametrine - Bolivian Ametrine, Bolivian Ametrine preforms, Bolivian Ametrine sawed clean (large rough), Ametrine parcels
Citrine - Maraba Citrine crystal points, light gold Citrine, parcels of light gold Citrine, Madagascar Oxblood Citrine
Citrine2 - "Extra" Uruguayan Citrine crystal points (Uruguayan Irai)
Clear Quartz - Large Clear Quartz from Madagascar
Rose Quartz - Whispering Pines Rose Quartz from Newry (Maine, USA), Rose Quartz from Madagascar
Rose de France - Rose de France Amethyst, sawed Bolivian Rose de France Amethyst (huge Pieces)
Smokey Quartz - Smokey Citrine Quartz native cut crystals from Brazil, Smokey Citrine Quartz from Brazil

Bargain Links:
Amethyst Bargains

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E-mail to inquire or order: jeff@faceters.com