This February is all about the Glorious Green Amethyst

As a jeweller, I always take a keen interest in the Gemstone Calendar which highlights our individual birthstones.

What I love is that while there are the well-known Diamond, Ruby, Pearl birthstones, there are the also slightly more obscure and lesser-known stones that still hold meaning for the months and us as individuals.

February is typically represented by the vibrant, lavender hues of the Amethyst. However, Amethysts come in an array of colours, from pale to dark purple to the multi-coloured Ametrine where Amethyst and Citrine are combined.

The Amethyst I have fallen in love with this season though…. Is Green Amethyst.

Faceted Green Amethyst Pear – ethically sourced by Gemstones Brazil

This glorious, moss coloured, luminous stone has a subtle approach in comparison to its more vivacious, purple Amethyst sibling. It has a softer hue, yet it exudes luxurious qualities. I love how it reveals its icy, crisp, coolness when paired with silver or how it displays exotic, luscious, verdant tones when teamed with gold.

Where does it come from?

Firstly, I should explain that Green Amethyst isn’t the stone’s actual name, it is in fact Prasiolite, however it does derive directly from Purple Amethyst. The purple colour of amethyst we are all so familiar with is actually caused by trace amounts of iron within the quartz. This purple colour is stable under most conditions at Earth’s surface.

However, if it is heated to high temperatures, the colour can change and can turn yellow, to even a dark reddish brown. In some rare cases, a small number of amethysts will turn a yellowish green or green colour, creating the Green Amethysts I have now incorporated into my designs!

New to the Spring Collection:

Those that know my work well now will be aware of the story of why I illustrate my designs with swooping and perching magpies. You can click here to learn more about how magpies came to feature in my work.

One area that resonates with me is that much like the magpie, I am drawn to all things that sparkle! I am continuously looking for inspiration from nature, from design work as well as being inspired by new stones that compel creativity.

Green Amethyst stood out to me instantly as a stone that would bring a new layer of intrigue to my magpie designs, particularly within the Impact range.

IMPACT is a collection intended to truly set you apart from the crowd, with its bold, linear lines and strong, statement style.  Adding Green Amethyst to this collection was intuitive, the strong silver design with the oceanic, Spring-tide tones of the stone complimented each other perfectly.

And Fairly Sourced too!

As I previously touched upon, Green Amethyst is extremely rare. It used to be mined in Brazil, Poland, and Canada, but, as of February 2019, the only remaining natural mine is in Brazil.

In line with my ethical practice, I use gemstone companies who operate with as minimal environmental disruption as possible and recognise the health and safety of miners as a top priority. All the Green Amethyst featured in my work can be traced back to the stone cutter and to family owned mines Minas Gerais, something that is hugely important to me and my work

So, feel strong and empowered when you adorn yourself with one of these new collection pieces, you are not only decorating yourself with armour for the soul, but you are also buying jewellery which has recycling, Fairtrade and the ethical practice at its very heart.

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