WHAT IS LUSAKA AMETHYST GEMSTONE?
A purple member of the quartz family, forming inside volcanic rock geodes, Lusaka amethyst is appreciated for its rich purple and blue-violet hues. Flickers of red and indigo adds to the beauty of this exceptional specimen. One of the most popular stones of all time, amethyst is used for beads, cabochons, faceted gems, tumbled stones and many other jewelry items.
As when said turquoise brings the picture of teal blue color, similarly, amethyst is now the secondary name of the purple color as well as the gemstone.
Determining Lusaka Amethyst Stone Value
Is Lusaka amethyst valuable? The value of colored stones is typically determined by a combination of its color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. This is no different when determining what Lusaka amethyst is worth. These guidelines will help you choose amethyst stones for your collection.
- Lusaka Amethyst Color
The value of amethyst is majorly determined by its color. Lusaka amethyst with well-concentrated purple and blue-violet hues and flickers of red and indigo is typically considered the most desirable. An amethyst with a 75-80-percent darker purple color and up to 20-percent of secondary blue hue adds to its depth. Flickers of red indicates a truly extraordinary amethyst specimen.
- Lusaka Amethyst Clarity
Faceted amethyst in market today is eye-clean and lacks noticeable inclusions. African amethyst, especially from Zambia, often has more inclusions than Brazilian amethyst.
Lusaka amethyst possess remarkable clarity compared to other varieties. It is a gemstone displaying pleochroism meaning additional tones of red and blue can appear depending on the direction at which light strikes the gem.
- Lusaka Amethyst Cut
At Shop LC, Lusaka amethyst is obtainable in standard calibrated shapes and cuts. Shapes includes baguette, cushion, heart, marquise, oval, round, pear, trillion and others. Brilliant cuts, step cuts and mixed cuts are some common cutting styles popular for faceted amethyst.
- Lusaka Amethyst Carat
As amethyst is readily available in larger sizes, but its price per carat remains steady. Since this gemstone is abundant, it’s a great choice for anyone desiring a larger stone.
At Shop LC, Lusaka amethyst typically ranges in size from 1.5mm to 18mm.
Lusaka Amethyst Treatment
Lusaka amethyst may occasionally undergo heat treatment. This treatment method improves existing color in the stone. The enhancement is stable, and requires no additional special care.
Caring for Lusaka Amethyst
With a hardness of seven on Mohs scale, amethyst is an excellent choice for all jewelry types. With a good toughness, amethyst is a durable gemstone if proper measures are taken to prevent scratches or abrasions. Sudden temperature changes can result in fractures to amethyst. Even prolonged exposure to strong light can cause fading. Hydrofluoric acid, alkaline solutions and ammonium fluoride can damage the gemstone.
Soapy water is safe for cleaning amethyst. Ultrasonic cleaners are usually safe, but sonic cleaners should be avoided. A lined jewelry box is the perfect place for storing amethyst jewelry.
Who Can Wear Lusaka Amethyst?
The color of royalty, Lusaka amethyst is a versatile gemstone, perfect for any jewelry style from rings, earrings, bracelets to pendants. From Ancient Egypt to the twentieth century, there are many significant amethyst jewelry pieces. The most appreciated trend today are necklaces with big amethyst stones.
This gemstone owns gorgeous blue-violet sparkles that pairs perfectly with glistering yellow, radiating red or even calming whites. Someone looking for a contemporary twist on a traditional look can opt for amethyst jewelry complementing black or green clothing.
How Does Lusaka Amethyst Compare to Other Blue-Violet Stones?
Lusaka amethyst portrays a gorgeous blue-violet shade. In comparison to other amethyst varieties, such as Bahia, Moroccan, Rose De France, and Uruguayan, amethyst from Lusaka displays strong purples tones with the flickers of red and indigo.
Consider Lusaka amethyst if you love iolite, rhodolite garnet, sapphire, spinel, tanzanite, topaz, tourmaline and other bright blue or violet gems!
Where Does Lusaka Amethyst Come From?
Brazil, Uruguay and South America are few of the countries exporting amethyst today. However, Zambia in South Africa the same country where Shop LC gets our supply of premium quality amethyst in desirable dark purple. In our quest to procure only high-quality amethyst, it takes sorting of multiple parcels sourced from the Lusaka amethyst miners.
How is Lusaka Amethyst Mined?
Amethyst crystallization in Zambia progresses as the cooling hydrothermal fluids gets filled in cracks in marbles and granitic gneisses. The growth of amethyst crystals takes form in a wide interconnected grid of cavities, occurring when the host rock was uncovered due to great stress and movement.
Amethyst has been mined here since its discovery in the late 1950s. At present, there are about 60 registered mining plots but only about 10 can be considered active producers. Mining is accomplished in open pits. Excavators and bulldozers are used to strip, dig and expose the amethyst veins followed by mining with pick and shovel.
Processing is very labor intensive and includes washing, sorting, cobbing, sawing and final sizing and grading of large amounts of material. A skilled workforce handles the sorting operations, and there is a strong emphasis on quality control.
Politically, Zambia has maintained amicable relations with its neighboring countries, resulting in continued stability. This ensures smooth supply of rough from Zambia.
Lusaka Amethyst Properties
What Does Lusaka Amethyst Mean?
Gemstones are believed to possess the ability to protect, heal or comfort the person who wears or own them. Amethyst is one of the most appreciated healing stones today. It has been used by crystal healers to help with addiction, insomnia, pain relief, immune deficiencies, circulatory issues, reproductive health, and general healing.
Due to its wine-like hue, amethyst was associated with Dionysus by the early Greek legends. The god of wine and revelry murdered a maiden named Amethyst while in a drunken rage. As a pair of ferocious wild tigers devoured her, she prayed to Artemis with her dying breath. In return, Artemis transformed her into a majestic quartz statue. When Dionysus realized what he had done, he wept into his wine goblet and collapsed at the foot of the statue, spilling the goblet's contents. Amethyst's crystal figure became stained with tears and wine. From this mythological tale the gem amethyst has becomes a symbol of sobriety. Ancient wine chalices were sometimes carved from amethyst to stop heavy drinking.
Leonardo Da Vinci believed amethyst could dispel malice and hasten sound thinking. In addition, people believed it was beneficial for money and legal troubles and helped develop business acumen. Other legends suggested that wearing amethyst clears the head, making one sharp in business affairs and battles.
Being associated with wine, it is said that wearing amethyst can prevent drunkenness!
Disclaimer: For informational purposes only. These remedies, approaches, and techniques are not a substitute for professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat any ailment without prior consultation with a qualified health care professional.
Is Lusaka Amethyst a Birthstone?
Lusaka Amethyst is recognized as a modern birthstone for the month of February. From a historical viewpoint, amethyst can trace its use as a birthstone to as early as the 15th century. Someone looking for a rich purple color can add this captivating piece to their collection.
Lusaka Amethyst Facts
- Ranks seven on the Mohs scale of hardness.
- A concentrated purple color with bluish-violet tones is preferred.
- Sourced from Lusaka, in the Republic of Zambia.
- Stones may occasionally be heat-treated to improve color.
- Also known as Zambian amethyst.