How To Identify If Amethyst Is Real Or Fake?

• Updated On Jun 13, 2024

Amethyst is a beautiful gemstone that has been valued for centuries. Its purple hue makes it popular in jewelry, but how can you tell if your amethyst is real or fake? In this article, we'll take a closer look at the characteristics of real amethyst and explore some common methods for identifying a fake. By the end of this article, you'll be able to confidently determine whether your amethyst is the real deal or a cheap imitation.

What is amethyst?

Amethyst is a purple variety of the mineral quartz, and is one of the most popular and valuable gemstones in the world. The color of amethyst can range from pale lavender to deep violet, depending on the presence of trace elements and radiation exposure during formation.

Before we dive into identifying real amethyst, it's important to understand what this gemstone is. Amethyst is a type of quartz mineral that gets its purple hue from iron and other trace elements in its crystal structure. The intensity of the purple color can vary depending on the amount of iron present, and natural amethyst can have other color variations, such as reddish-brown or green.

Amethyst is formed in geodes, which are hollow cavities in rocks that are lined with crystals. The crystals grow inward from the walls of the geode and meet in the center, forming a cluster. Amethyst crystals can also form as individual crystals or in druzy clusters.

Amethyst has been prized for its beauty and symbolism for thousands of years and has been used in jewelry, decorative objects, and religious artifacts. It is also believed to have healing properties and is associated with spirituality, meditation, and calmness. Amethyst is found in many locations around the world, including Brazil, Uruguay, Zambia, and Madagascar.

If you love the purple color, then Amethyst is an excellent choice.  Amethyst is a violet variety of natural quartz. A natural Amethyst is a gorgeous gem. So when you compare this gemstone with expensive gems like diamond, emerald, topaz, etc. The Amethyst stone will come on the top and first choice.

What are the benefits of wearing real amethyst?

Original Amethyst gemstone has unique benefits, like being the best healer out of financial troubles and increasing prosperity, success, happiness, and love. In addition, this gemstone is highly effective in away from tear-jerking addictions such as smoking, alcohol, drugs, etc. Some of the potential benefits of wearing real amethyst include:

1. Stress relief: Amethyst is often associated with calmness and tranquility, and wearing it may help to reduce stress and anxiety.
    
2. Improved sleep: Amethyst is said to have a soothing effect on the mind and body, and wearing it may help to promote better sleep and alleviate insomnia.
    
3. Enhanced intuition: Amethyst is sometimes referred to as the "intuition stone," and wearing it may help to enhance intuition, psychic abilities, and spiritual awareness.
    
4. Physical healing: Amethyst is believed to have healing properties and may help to relieve physical ailments such as headaches, pain, and inflammation.
    
5. Improved mental clarity: Amethyst is said to promote mental clarity, focus, and concentration, making it a popular choice for those who need help with studying or work.

Also Read:- What Are The Benefits Of Wearing Amethyst Stone?
 

Describe whether the Amethyst Gemstone is natural or not.

It’s said that whenever you buy crystals, you always want to receive real amethyst crystals and not something that has been artificially made in a lab or factory. Unfortunately, there are a large number of fake crystals, and a lot of them are so brilliantly copied that even the professional can’t tell the difference at first glimpse. As a result, one should be cautious about fake amethyst gemstones. 

So how can non-expert acquaint themselves if their amethyst crystals are real or not? Reading the instructions before buying an Amethyst is recommended to distinguish between artificial and real amethyst easily.

The color of this gemstone will not be steady throughout its structure. It will have some changeability which will prove that the gemstone is real. On the other hand, if you come across a stone with a consistent color all over its structure, it can be considered a fake amethyst stone. These genuine stones will be crystal clear and will have almost no inclusions. On the other hand, if you come across a stone with impurities or bubbles traced inside its structure, they are probably fake or artificial.

While buying gemstones, it is essential to know if it is genuine or imitation. Nobody wants to end up paying more for a fake amethyst gemstone rather than having a genuine one. Like a pearl, you can recognize if amethyst is genuine or not by holding it in your hand. Ensure it has been sitting untouched for a while before picking it up. When you pick it up, it is supposed to be cool to touch and should be cool for a few seconds before warming up according to your body temperature. It is probably fake if it doesn’t happen like this with the stone.

Also Read:- How To Identify If Opal Is Real Or Fake

Top 6 Easy Ways on How to Tell if Amethyst is Real

1. Turn to an Amethyst jewelry evaluation for assistance

If you've got loose amethyst stone, the best and finest way to find out if it is real or not is to have it identified by an expert and qualified gemstone jewelry appraisal who is a specialist in this field. Please keep in mind that the specialist may charge high. So to avoid that extra cost, buying a fine amethyst from an identified and genuine dealer would be better.

2. See the color

If you are buying an amethyst, you need to know and be familiar with the different colors of the stone. The stone's natural color is violet due to minerals such as manganese and iron. The universal colors of amethyst are lavender, deep violet, light lilac, crimson, mauve, blue-violet, bright red, and so on. The finest quality of amethyst is in the color of deep violet and bright red. While buying amethysts, you should always choose those stones that have a saturated division of color all over the surface. Overall this stone is clean and clear. The clearer the stone, the more precious it is.

3. Touch and Feel the amethyst

When you touch the stone, you will find that a genuine one feels cold even in summer, and a fake one will not have that feature. If you place the amethyst on your forehead, you will feel that a real one is cold, but a fake one will heat up according to your forehead temperature. So check it while feeling, whether it is cold or not.

4. Test its hardness

Amethyst can even scratch glass and leave a mark on it; the stone will not be damaged. Amethysts are comparatively tough and can scrape some solid surfaces. Try a ceramic tile, which has the same stiffness as an amethyst, if the stone can scrape the tile, then you can say it is real. Another way is to scrape the amethyst on a glass surface, if you do this, it will leave a white streak behind.

5. Examine the Amethyst Gems Gravity

One of the best tests you can do with your gemstone, but it would be slightly longer. When you want to identify whether your Amethyst is real or not, this test is very worthwhile. When you are testing for the gem's specific gravity, determine whether the gem's density is the correct number or not. According to the standard ratio, a natural Amethyst stone has a particular gravity number of around 2.65. To measure your gem's specific gravity, you'll need a scale, a beaker, and water.

6. Check out the Amethyst Cut

Yes, this is another factor you can analyze whether your Amethyst is real or fake. You need to check the gem's cuts because a natural Amethyst shows in various cuts. The shapes consist of hearts, squares, and round and pear shapes. It is easy to cut Amethyst. Sometimes jewelers cut the gems due to their imperfection look. So when you examine the gems cut into these shapes, check their polish and flatness. You need to check Amethyst more carefully. You can ask the jeweler if you can look at the gem with a magnifying glass.

1. Weight: Amethyst is a relatively heavy stone, and if the crystal you're examining feels light or insubstantial, it may be a fake.
    
2. Thermal Conductivity: If you have access to thermal conductivity equipment, you can test the amethyst's conductivity to determine if it's real or not. Natural amethyst will have lower conductivity compared to synthetic or glass imitations.
    
3. Clarity: Real amethyst often contains some inclusions or natural imperfections, but it should not be cloudy or have visible bubbles or fractures. If the crystal is perfectly clear, it may be a synthetic crystal.

7. The Different Grades Of Amethyst

The grade category helps customers and buyers to identify the good quality of the gemstone. There are three categories, and these give clarity to the buyer. 

Natural AA - You will find this gemstone quality almost at every small jeweler. This is the biggest range of amethyst, and 75% of gemstone comes in this category. Stones which fall into the category are quite heavy, and the color is light purple or medium inclusion.

Natural AAA - The second variety of this gemstone is the AAA quality which is around 20-30% accessibility in the market. This category of gemstone has a medium purple color. 

NaturalAAAA - The best quality of natural amethyst gemstone is AAAA grade. These kinds of gemstones rarely have 10% of availability in the market. Totally transparent, has a shade of dark purple color with a beautiful cut, and is available at a high price in the market.

Overall, the best way to determine if an amethyst is real is to buy it from a reputable dealer and ask for a certificate of authenticity or take it to a gemologist for professional testing.
 

Also Read:- How Can You Tell If Loose Gemstones Are Real Or Not?

These methods are very easy and practical. The most trustworthy way of having an amethyst is buying it from an authorized dealer, giving you a marked stamp of “925” on your Amethyst silver jewelry, or getting it identified by a jewelry expert.

FAQs about Identifying Real or Fake Amethyst

1. FAQ 1: How much does genuine amethyst cost?

1. FAQ 2: Are all amethyst gemstones treated?

1. FAQ 3: Can fake amethyst be made from glass?

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• Amethyst Jewelry
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• Amethyst Silver Jewelry
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