How Rare is Amethyst? Not very rare, it is plentiful, but with all gemstones, the better the color the more rare it is.
The price of amethyst can range anywhere between $20 to $50 per carat, depending on various factors. It's important to note that the color is the most important feature that greatly influences the price of this gem.
Amethyst was removed from the list when massive deposits of this beautiful gemstone were discovered in South America at the turn of the eighteenth century. Suddenly, amethyst had become more readily available than ever before, and as such, was no longer classed as a rare type of gem.
Amethyst is quite common and is found on all continents, with the larger deposits currently being mined in South America, Africa and North America. The largest global producer is Brazil with an annual production of around two to three thousand tons followed by Zambia producing about a thousand tons per year.
In Western Australia, the Ashburton River area provides fine amethyst for gemstones and mineral specimens. Chrysoprase is found at several localities and silicified rocks, such as jaspilite and tiger iron are used for ornamental purposes.
Painite : Not just the rarest gemstone, but also the rarest mineral on earth, Painite holds the Guinness World Record for it. After its discovery in the year 1951, there existed only 2 specimens of Painite for the next many decades. By the year 2004, there were less than 2 dozens known gemstones.
While the Amethyst is a valuable gemstone, it's also relatively affordable. There's several factors that determine if it is more or less expensive. These determining factors are the 4 C's: color, clarity, carat, and cut.
The highest-grade amethyst (called "Deep Russian") is exceptionally rare. When one is found, its value is dependent on the demand of collectors. The highest-grade sapphires or rubies are still orders of magnitude more expensive than amethyst.
Black Amethyst is actual Amethyst, with some hematite inclusions, which give the amethyst a black tint, but when looked at through light, you can actually just see that it is violet.
Amethyst is crystalline quartz in colors ranging from pale lilac to deep reddish purple. With a relatively high hardness of 7, the February birthstone is a fine facetable jewelry gem for all purposes. Lower grades of material can be cabbed, carved, and made into a great variety of beads and other ornamental objects.
Amethyst vs Purple Sapphire
But purple sapphire is more expensive than amethyst too because its much more rare. Fine large examples can be thousands of dollars per carat.
What makes pink amethyst so very special – aside from its beautiful splendour – is that it's a fairly recent discovery in the world of crystals and gemstones. It was discovered very recently in Patagonia, Argentina, and draws its pink colouring from the inclusions of Hematite within the structure of its crystal.
Though an amethyst is no diamond, it is still a beautiful gem and looks great combined with colored or white diamonds. The amethyst is a type of quartz with a violet hue.
Luckily, Amethyst is neither soft nor porous. While not the highest rating in the crystal kingdom, Amethyst is water safe. It's a type of coarse-grain Quartz. All members of the Quartz and Calcite family of minerals are safe to put in water.
However, anyone can wear this gemstone and channel positive energy in their lives. People who have a strong Saturn (Shani) in their horoscope can gain the maximum benefit from Amethyst as it saves you from the extreme adverse situations in your life.
Look for imperfections or inconsistencies.
A gem that is one particular shade of purple throughout is likely a fake. You should also look for things like bubbles and cracks within the amethyst. A real gem will have some slight wear or tear accrued over time. Examine your amethyst closely for inconsistencies.
Amethyst scores 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness, which means it is a relatively hard gemstone and can be worn every day. However, care must be taken while wearing amethyst jewelry to prevent the gemstone's color from fading or its surface getting scratched.
Sugilite
A new addition to the world of gemstones, sugilite is an extremely rare silicate mineral that's found in only a couple of places in the world. Its rich purple coloration and mottled appearance are attractive, and the rarity of the stone has created a serious market for it with sky-high prices.
You might have a rare and expensive Amethyst if it doesn't have any color zoning (other than colors like blue or white with purple). If not, you have a fake. Moreover, Fake Amethysts often show bubbles and/or zero color zoning. A telltale sign of fake Amethyst is its name.
Compared to traditional mined Diamonds, Amethysts are a tiny fraction of the price per carat. Amethysts cost about $20 – $50 per carat compared to mined Diamonds starting at $2,000 per carat.
The type of gemstone – Precious gemstones like ruby or emerald will be more valuable and expensive than quartz or amethyst.
The Rarest Birthstones
For example, April's diamond, though pricey, is less rare than rubies, emeralds, and alexandrite. While on the topic of alexandrite, this is currently the rarest gemstone on the birthstone list and can come at quite a cost. Black opals are also incredibly rare.
Diamond (April) is the rarest birthstone in a total of six states, while topaz (November) is the rarest birthstone in Montana, Wyoming, and Rhode Island. Emerald (May), sapphire (September), and pearl (June) are the rarest birthstones in Texas, Washington, and Utah, respectively.
Tanzanite is a shocking 1000 times more rare than a diamond. Discovered for the first time in 1967 and only found in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, these gemstones go for about $1,500 per carat. Tanzanite has the ability to change color depending on the angle of light it is in.