Color: Agate comes in most colors. Agates range from transparent to opaque in a variety of beautiful colors. Agate presents various tints in the same specimen.

Description: SiO₂ Agate is a semipellucid crystallized quartz, consisting of banded or with branching inclusions chalcedony. Physical properties of agate are in general those of quartz.
Agate has irregular, sometimes circular bands of color and often replaces fossil wood. Many fossils are agatized material where the original organic substance has been replaced by agate while retaining the original structure. Agates are identical in chemical structure to jasper, flint, bloodstone, and tiger-eye, and are often found in association with opal.
The colorful, banded rocks are used as a semiprecious gemstone and for making mortars and pestles. One will often see these in beads, agate pendants and necklaces.

The name's origin: Agate derives its name from the Greek "Agateес" - happy.
According to another theory the word Agate comes from the Greek name of a stone found in the Achates River in Sicily, now known as the Drillo River, which still remains a major source of this stone.

Birthstone: Agate is the birthstone of Taurus (Bull): April 20 - May 20.

Wedding anniversary: Agate is the anniversary gemstone for the 12th year of marriage. Moss Agate is the anniversary gemstone for the 14th year of marriage.

Varieties: There are several types of agate. Varieties include Blue Agate, Blue Lace Agate, Crazy Lace Agate, Green Agate, Indian Agate, Moss Agate, Tree Agate and Wood Agate. The Moss agate or mocha stone contains visible impurities in the form that resemble moss.

Care and treatment: Agate will chip and crack rather easily though it has a hardness rating of 7. As with all gems, protect agate from scratches and sharp blows. Avoid sudden temperature changes and household chemicals.

From the stone history: Agate was discovered with the Stone Age man in France 20,000-16,000 BC. The Egyptians used it prior to 3000 BC. Agate was highly valued by ancient civilizations. Said by the ancients to render the wearer invisible.
The agate-working industry grew up centuries ago in the Idar-Oberstein district of Germany, where agates were abundant.
Cameos are cut from stones, such as onyx or agate, where different colors occur in layers. The background material is cut away, leaving the cameo design in relief.
Agate is one of the gemstones, that used in commesso, also called florentine mosaic.

Healing ability: Agate is cooling stone, it reduces fever, quenches thirst, beneficial in stomach area. Agate quiets the pulse and heart throbs and insures good health and a long and prosperous life.
Botswana Agate: Use with high-pressure oxygen therapy.
Fire Agate: Master healer with color therapy, enhances all essences. It grounds and balances, binds sexual & heart chakra, burns energy.
Moss Agate: Emotional priorities, mental priorities; circulatory, pancreas & pulses, blood sugar balance, agriculture.

Mystical power: Agate guards against danger. Wearers become temperate, continent and cautious. Agate helps one view themselves with more clarity and see the world through a broader viewpoint. Wearing Agate is believed to cure insomnia and to insure pleasant dreams.

Deposits: Important sources of agate are Russia (Ural mountains), Brazil, Eygpt, Germany, India, Italy, Madagascar, Mexico, Uruguay and the USA (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana)

Summary Agate:
Stabilizing, balancing, enhances self-esteem, calms body and mind, promotes inner peace, assists physical and emotional security.

Color: Found in abundance, in its purest form, Amethyst is colorless. The finest quality Amethyst is medium to medium dark in tone, vivid in intensity, and purple, reddish purple to bluish purple in hue.
Heating removes the color from amethyst or changes it to the yellow of citrine. Most commercial citrine is made in this manner.

Description: SiO₂ Amethyst is the most valuable transparent, coarse-grained variety of the silica mineral quartz that is valued as a semiprecious gem for its violet color. It contains more iron oxide Fe₂O₃ than any other variety of quartz, and experts believe that its color arises from its iron content. Other theories attribute the color to contained manganese or hydrocarbons.
All forms of quartz (including amethyst) are piezoelectric, making for important applications in electronics. Tourmaline is the only other gemstone that possesses this property.

The name's origin: Amethyst derives its name from Middle English amatist, from Old French, from Latin amethystus, from Greek amethustos, not drunk or intoxicating.

Birthstone: Amethyst is the birthstone of Aquarius (Water Bearer): Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

Wedding anniversary: Amethyst is anniversary gemstone for the 4th and 6th year of marriage.

Varieties: Oriental amethyst, or purple sapphire, is not quartz but a variety of corundum, a much harder and rarer stone.

Care and treatment: Amethyst often becomes paler if kept out in the sun. Clean your Amethyst in ultrasonic jewelry cleaner or with warm, soapy water and a soft bristle brush. Keep away from strong chemicals and avoid sudden temperature changes. Remember that in any type of repair involving heat, Amethyst must be removed from the setting.

From the stone history:
Purple color has long been considered a royal color so it is not surprising that amethyst has been so popular through the history. Fine amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels and were also a favorite of Catherine the Great and Egyptian royalty. There are evidences that around 3,000 B. C. in Egypt and in anterior Asia were made jewels of Amethyst.
The Amethyst is perhaps as popular today as it was in ancient time.

Healing ability: Ametyst magnifies psychic abilities and right-brain activity. It strengthens immunity, while energizing and purifying the blood. Ametyst relieves headaches, improves blood sugar imbalance.

Mystical power: The Greek work "amethystos" basically can be translated as "not drunken" , expresses the ancient folk belief that the stone protects its owner against drunkenness. As the myth goes, drinking wine from an Amethyst goblet would prevent one from becoming inebriated. The gemstone still symbolizes sobriety.
Amethyst was thought to encourage celibacy. Because of that, amethyst was very important in the ornamentation of churches in the Middle Ages. Bishops still often wear amethyst rings.
Amethyst is associated with a number of superstitions, being regarded as a love charm, and as a protection against thieves.
In Tibet, amethyst is considered to be sacred to Buddha and rosaries are often fashioned from it.
Placed under the pillow at night, the beautiful amethyst is believed to produce a calm and peaceful sleep.
Amethyst is given as a symbol of sincerity, security, and peace of mind.

Deposits: Amethyst is mined in Brazil, Uruguay, Sri Lanka, Siberia, Canada, India, Bolivia, and Argentina and some African countries. Zambia being a significant source for Amethyst. Generally, amethyst from South America tends to be available in larger sizes than African amethyst but amethyst from Africa has the reputation for having better, more saturated, color in small sizes. Very dark amethyst, mostly in small sizes, is also mined in Australia.

One of the Earth's beautiful stones