| Do you love both the purple of
amethyst and the sunny gold of citrine? Are you a rabid
Minnesota Vikings fan? I have the perfect gem for you!
Sometimes amethyst and citrine colors are found in the same
crystal of quartz. These bicolor yellow and purple quartz
gemstones are called Ametrine.
With Ametrine, you can have both gem colors for the price
of one! Ametrine is especially inexpensive when you consider
that it comes from only one mine in the world.
The Anahi Mine in Bolivia is the major world producer of
Ametrine. The mine first became famous in the seventeenth
century when a Spanish conquistador received it as a dowry
when he married a princess from the Ayoreos tribe named Anahi.
Ametrine was introduced to Europe through the conquistador's
gifts to the Spanish queen.
Ametrine is most typically faceted in a rectangular shape
with a 50/50 pairing of amethyst and citrine. Sometimes a
checkerboard pattern of facets is added to the top to increase
light reflection. Ametrine can also be cut to blend the two
colors so that the resulting stone is a mix of yellow, purple,
and peach tones throughout the stone. Ametrine is also popular
among artistic cutters and carvers who play with the colors,
creating landscapes in the stone.
Ametrine is a very durable gemstone suited for a variety of
jewelry uses. Most sizes and shapes are available but the
color contrast is most pronounced in sizes over seven carats.
So why compromise when you can have two varieties of quartz
for the price of one!
Composition: Quarts Hardness: 7 Specific
Gravity: 2.65 Refractive Index: 1.54 – 1.55
Enhancements: Quench-crackling (heating & then
cooling quickly) to produce iridescent effects or allow dyes
to penetrate. Irradiation, Heat Treatment, Coating or foil
backs, Dyeing, Bleaching.
Stability: Reaction to Heat - Stones may fracture when
subjected to abrupt changes in temperature, strong heat may
alter or destroy color. Reaction to Chemicals: Soluble
in hydrofluoric acid and ammonium fluoride
Cleaning Methods: Ultrasonic - Usually safe Steam -
Risky Warm Soapy Water - Safe |
