Collection: Amethyst

For thousands of years, amethyst has been widely used in goldsmithing. This stone goes very well with gold. Moreover, for many years, amethyst had the same value as diamonds. Then, a very large quantity of amethysts were discovered in South America, which greatly reduced their value.
In ancient Egypt, this stone was used to carve seals and amulets. The soldiers wore them so as not to be afraid. She also had the power to make rain fall during droughts.
But the name of this fine stone is of Greek origin. Methystos means drunkenness and the prefix “a” indicates suppression. Amethyst is therefore linked to sobriety. Several legends tell of the origin of amethyst, but the best known are those of Amethystos.
In Greek mythology, Dionysus, god of wine and drunkenness, is a god renowned for his excess and madness. One day, he fell madly in love with Amethystos, a young nymph. He strongly desired her and began to court her. But Amethystos wanted to remain chaste and refused Dionysus' advances. Amethystos turned to Artemis, goddess of the hunt, for help. Artemis decided to protect her and transformed her into a white crystal statue. Mad with rage and humiliation, Dionysus threw wine on the precious statue and it began to take on an intense and pure purple color.
Another version of this legend says that Dionysus, following several humiliations at the hands of humans, decided to take revenge. He threw tigers at humans. The first meeting was with Amethystos, a beautiful and sweet young woman. Then Artemis, goddess of the hunt, transformed her into a statue of white quartz in order to protect her from the wrath of Dionysus. Regretting his outburst of violence, he poured wine on the statue as a sign of offering. The statue then took on a magnificent purple hue.
In Christianity, amethyst was the symbol of purity and humility, because Joseph gave one to Mary. This stone also represents love. Indeed, Saint Valentine, the priest at the origin of the lovers' festival, always wore a magnificent amethyst around his neck. Among Christians, amethyst also represents the symbol of fidelity. Indeed, the Vatican Bishops all wear a ring with an amethyst, signifying their dedication to the Church.
At the time of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci used it to suppress his negative thoughts and allow him to boost his creative intelligence. He noted this use of amethyst in one of his precious notebooks.
In the past, among nobles, amethyst chalices were used to combat attempted poisoning at banquets. Or it happened that the wine was poured into amethyst cups. This accentuated the color of the wine and allowed the guest to replace the wine with water as the guest became drunk. This explanation helps to understand why amethyst is known to fight against drunkenness.

In lithotherapy, amethyst helps to control irrational passions and drives away obsessive thoughts. Amethyst soothes anxiety and anger and allows mental rebalancing.
Amethyst is the stone of wisdom and humility. It promotes spiritual elevation, concentration and meditation. It stimulates imagination, creativity, clarity of mind and serenity.