The Meaning Behind The February Amethyst Birthstone

Amethyst is a purple quartz used in jewelry and crystal healing for thousands of years (via Geology.com). Deposits of the gem are found in abundance in South America and Africa. They can either be cut as a faceted stone to be used in jewelry like rings, earrings and pendants or kept in their natural form to be used as healing crystals or as stunning pieces of home decor.

Described by Pure Wow as "the most regal of birthstones," amethyst was once only worn by royalty. According to Brilliant Earth, this regal connotation was due to how expensive purple dye was to source and make (via Live Science). Therefore, only those with an excessive amount of money, i.e., royalty, were seen in the color. Those who could afford the dye would often match their clothes with the gemstone, leading to amethyst being considered as important as diamonds for a time (via the American Gem Society).