Amethyst

Amethyst is a variation of quartz that gains its purple coloration from an impurity of iron. It has been loved since antiquity, with more than one culture endowing it with mystical powers. For the Greeks, it was believed it would prevent drinkers from becoming intoxicated. In Medieval Europe, soldiers would wear it as a protective amulet that they believed would keep them level-headed and heal them in battle. In ancient Egypt, it was used in intaglio engraved gems. Today it is still one of the most widely collected and best-known species in the entire mineral kingdom.

While amethyst is an abundant mineral, only certain localities produce truly exceptional examples and there is a great deal of diversity among them. This piece is wonderful example of amethyst from the Goboboseb Mountains in Namibia featuring a rich, swirling purple phantom zone that sits directly in the center of the crystal. It is aesthetically positioned, as though it intended to form in a deliberate pattern. Beside the primary crystal is its matrix of calcite that gives it a perfect aesthetic balance. The faces exhibit incredible glassy luster that is set off by the texture formed by the smaller crystals of its matrix.