FEBRUARY BIRTHSTONE: AMETHYST

 FEBRUARY BIRTHSTONE: AMETHYST

    For those who are born in the month of February, they have been graced with amethyst as their birthstone. Amethyst belongs to the quartz category and is easily distinguished by its pale light plum shade to deep dark purple hues. The name “Amethyst” was derived from the Greek term ‘amethustos’, meaning “sober,” and was once believed to clear the mind of the person wearing it. Greek myth also frequently associated Amethyst with Dionysus, the God of wine and festivity, which could have prompted the notion that wearing amethyst would cure drunkenness. Along with Greeks, ancient Egyptians used the gemstone Amethyst to signify the zodiac sign of the goat, which was also said to be the enemy of wines, once again connecting this gemstone as an antidote for wine.

    While the benefits and myths tend to change over time, amethyst gemstones importance continued to remain in the hearts and minds of higher-order and royal society. The dark purple gemstone graced the British Crown Jewels and stood for humility and modesty during the Renaissance period. It was a personal favorite of Queen Catherine the Great of Russia, and therefore, amethyst was a central stone in many of her jewels worn as headdresses, amulets and even crowns.

    Until the beginning of the 19th century, these purple to violet gemstones were commonly found on the hands and chests of the royal family members due to its rareness. But with large deposits of amethyst have been found because of huge demands, this made this gemstones more affordable and widely available.

    With all the above facts, it is undeniable that amethyst has played a important role in many cultures and time periods. Even today amethyst is preferred and recommended by many psychics and spiritual practitioners as a stone of peace and clarity, and can provide safe passage to various other metaphysical dimensions.

    Although it is 7 on the Moh’s scale for hardness, not hard enough like Rubies & Sapphires, amethyst is a relatively strong stone and can hold up under regular wear and tear. It may require a bit of polishing over a period of time, to preserve its luster and sparkle, but otherwise it is a sturdy purple gemstone which can be recommended for earrings, rings & necklaces. 

    One can even take care of the amethyst at home and avoid taking it to a professional jeweler for re-polishing, by just cleaning it with a ultrasonic jewelry cleaner or cleaning it with the help of soft toothbrush and mild dish soap. Be aware do not expose amethyst to steam cleaning, as this may harm your gemstone, as excessive heat can result fading the color of your amethyst. Hence one should also avoid wearing amethyst, if they are suppose to be exposed too much in sunlight like sunbathing on beach, trekking, etc.

    Normally Amethyst is also bought as gift for the loved ones born in the month of February, or as sixth wedding anniversary, one may come across lab created amethyst gemstones. Although the look of any Imitation, Lab Created or Natural Amethyst may be really identical but their cost differs a lot. It’s always the obligation of the seller, Jeweler or the merchant to reveal whether your amethyst is natural or synthetic, hence always prefer a genuine and authenticated jeweler/supplier who is equally knowledgeable (Qualified Gemologist) and also offers a certificate of authenticity along with their gemstones.

   Author:- Kaushik Sanghvi, D.Gem, F.F.I.G.

Picture Courtesy : Mahavir Gems

Website: www.mahavirgems.in

Guide to buying gemstones & jewellery online.

 

Guide to buying gemstones & jewellery online.

When it comes to buying any gemstones, most of the people today prefer to take their search online. With the option of endless leads and competitive prices offered, it becomes convenient for the customer to buy online. But many of the online purchase had some or the other bitter experiences.

We spoke to Kaushik Sanghvi (Graduate Gemologist, F.F.I.G) from Mahavir Gems, who is a third generation jeweler and has been training & educating students from last 25 years in various subjects in gems & jewellery field. Mahavir Gems is one of the top gemstone retailers online from Mumbai (India) on major search engines. Kaushik Sanghvi gave us some expert guidelines on how one can safely buy gemstone jewelry online and avoid any bitter experience.

So the first question is, why should one buy gemstones online?

Basically while searching online, one is exposed to a option of wide variety of gemstones & jewellery designs and fusions, from various suppliers while sitting at your convenient location and time which is normally a limited choice in the shops. This adds to time saving as one does not need to visit various shops. At the same time online stores saves on various operational costs like sales staff, rent, display light bills etc. compared to shops, hence they can offer competitive prices as well.

What should one be aware of when buying gemstones online

Knowing from whom you are buying and making sure that the seller is trustworthy is most important. It’s always advised to read customer reviews from a reliable search engines, that will help you to get better insight into the quality of the jewellery /gemstones sold. In addition to this, don’t forget to go through the vendor’s return policies that even help you in understanding whether the gemstones you end up buying are recycled or new and check if the item comes with an authenticity report and relevant certification on your name.

What should one expect from the retailer to make the purchase?

Clear images with normally white background from multiple angles, a surround 360-degree videos and in-depth product details will all help you to make an informed purchase decision. One can even request the seller to send a actual image/Video (without enhancement) on mobile before finalizing the selected gemstone. An online jeweler who offers specific customization options goes the extra mile to make sure 100% customer satisfactions.

The website should also be user-friendly and facilitate the experience with excellent customer service.

How does one know that a gemstone is genuine and not fake?

It is practically impossible for the customer to judge whether the gemstone is natural, synthetic (lab grown) or an imitation (fake) by just looking at it. A gemmologist with his knowledge & experience is the one who can actually differentiate between the three. Hence choose a supplier who is either himself or has employed experience gemmologist at his end.

 

Natural gemstones evolve in nature, and can be achieved by mining or exploration, whereas lab-created gemstones are the one that are constructed in controlled environments in the laboratory. Fake or imitation stones are usually any stimulant made of plastic or glass. As natural gemstones are formed naturally, they are bound to have imperfections or inclusions. Lab created gemstones, on the other hand, will almost always be perfect until and unless there are some imperfection intentionally created. A key for reference could be used in such case, “Too Good To Be True”. If someone offers at very cheap rates, as Natural Gemstones are always costlier than its counterfeits & stimulants.

Do gemstones come with a lab report just like diamond?

All gemstones just like diamonds come with a lab report. A certificate of authenticity and third-party appraisals for both diamond and colored gemstone jewellery is supplied by reputed jeweler like Mahavir Gems. This gives an extra confidence and surety to make your purchase online acknowledging you the authenticity of your gemstone and its value.

How does gemstone report impact the value of a gemstone?

Gemstones, just like diamonds, are also graded on the basis of its color, clarity, cut and carat weight, but obvious, higher the grade of the gemstone, the higher will its value be.

The prices are totally based on these factors hence; one can decide the purchase of the quality of the gemstones depending on the budget.

Should I be able to return my gemstone, if it doesn’t meet the details mentioned?

Yes, you should absolutely be allowed to return your gemstone jewellery if you are not given the things as per the details mentioned in the listing.

One should buy from jeweler who allows to return the item for a full refund if they fail to meet the details mentioned in the listing. The period for returns differs from vendor to vendor and can range somewhere between 3 to 10 days.

What gemstones should I buy in 2021?

Peridot is one gemstone most of the woman would prefer in this 2021. Apart from this, citrine, sapphire, tanzanite, opals, aquamarine, onyx, garnet, emeralds, topaz, tourmaline, amethyst, morganite and ruby are sure to appeal the customers. These gemstones have been trending for a while and with gemstone jewellery set to be a massive trend in 2021, it’s the perfect time to add some to your collection.

About Mahavirgems.in:

Founded by Kaushik Sanghvi, Mahavir Gems is a INDIA-based Gemstones & fine jewellery ecommerce retailer that specializes in customized colored gemstone & jewellery. He is himself a gemmologist and has been training & educating students from last 25 years in various subjects in gems & jewellery field. He is the third generation jeweler and has his roots deep in the gem & jewelry cutting, polishing and customized designing. They have primarily catered to larger wholesalers’, specializing in sapphires, rubies, emeralds, spinel, tourmaline, diamonds and other precious and semi-precious gemstones. In 2010, Kaushik decided to bring their family heritage directly to the public with the launch of Mahavirgems.in. To check out their extensive gemstones & jewellery collections visit their website today.

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those collected from the industry and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house. Unless otherwise noted, the author is writing in his/her personal capacity. They are not intended and should not be thought to represent official ideas, attitudes, or policies of any agency or institution.