As a member of the quartz family, amethyst is one of the most common, hence under-appreciated, gemstones on the market. Yet, its affordable beauty due to abundant availability also make amethyst extremely popular. A transparent rich lavender with flashes of red and pink at its finest, this birthstone for the month of February, and 6th wedding anniversary stone, will normally cost less than $100 per carat. Top quality specimens are found in Brazil and Zambia and will display an intense, deep-purple that is uniform throughout the stone. Color zoning and flaws that render a stone less than "eye-clean," greatly reduce value. It is estimated that over half of all amethyst on today's market is man-made, or a natural/man-made blend called "salted" amethyst. Amethyst can lose its color if heat treated, and care should be taken not to expose it to sudden temperature changes or overexposure to sunlight.

There are actually a number of gem quality quartz varieties available, of which amethyst is the crowned prince. Citrine, a yellow or orange quartz, is also quite popular. Partly because it is often sold as topaz, but also due to its marketability as the 13th wedding anniversary stone as well as being November's alternate birthstone. Almost all citrine is actually amethyst or smoky quartz (a brown or black variety) that has been heat-treated to produce its unique citrus glow.

Ametrine, the baby of the quartz gem family, appeared on the market just over a decade ago. Instantly a favorite, this purple and yellow zoned stone blends its colors in exotic patterns of breathtaking beauty.

Other varieties include the famous Rose quartz (pink) rock crystal (the colorless type that is seen everywhere) prasiolite (amethyst heated to yellowish green) drusy (small, shiny layers of crystals found in rock cavities) as well as opaque, satiny cat's and tiger's eye varieties, to name a few.

The name "quartz" comes from the Slavic "kwardy" for hard and has been used by humans since prehistoric times (evidenced by archeological finds of quartz tools and jewelry dating to 20,000 B.C.) Quartz has been revered for its magical powers for thousands of years, probably due to its electroconductitivy (squeeze one and it becomes charged, run a current through it and it vibrates with a frequency so stable, its synthesis is used to keep time in quartz watches.)

Amethyst and other quartz gemstones deserve a second look. At their finest, they can offer years of enjoyment, pleasure and compliments at very affordable prices.