Purple gemstones are very much in trend in 2015 as they were in 2014 (Radiant Orchid was the color of the year) as they lend a fresh perspective in jewelry when combined with the reddish violet Marsala offering an analogous color harmony in hues that weren’t common before. Thus as the last post in my Gemstones in color series, here is a list of Gemstones in Purple.
Gemstones in Purple
1. Tanzanite – is a variety of zoisite, discovered in Tanzania, in 1967.The stone is a yellowish-brown “bug juice” color when it is mined, but when heated to between 800-900 deg Fahrenheit, it becomes that gorgeous violet blue that is used in jewelry. It is a somewhat soft stone with depleting resources.
2.Garnet is a group of minerals, with similar chemical composition and will occur in many colors including red, purple, orange, yellow, green, brown.As the Birthstone of January, Garnet is said to promote courage, honor and nobility. During the Middle Ages, garnet was regarded as a gem of faith, truth and constancy. They have also been associated with remedies for hemorrhages. Purple garnets can be found in Rhodolite or almandine varities and these have been trademarked under different names by different brands. Trigem’s Grape garnet comes from Orissa (India). Sometimes purple garnets are called Royal Rhodolite.
3. Amethyst
Amethyst belongs to the quartz family and occurs in all intensities of the color purple from a light pastel to a deep royal color. Once considered expensive, it is very accessible and affordable today. I have a very personal and strong bond with Amethyst and it has always been linked to the thinking process, cognition and creativity. Amethyst has been successfully synthesized in the lab, so buyers need to be sure their source is qualified to separate natural from lab grown material. You can find my previous post on Amethyst jewelry here
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| Source: gemselect.com |
4. Stichtite is a carbonate of chromium and magnesium with a color range of pink to purple. It also occurs in combination with serpentine. It is said to have healing abilities and is often used in crystal healing. An internet search on the stone might lead you to believe that it is a miracle stone that will heal almost anything but this research is the first time I have heard of this stone despite the fact that I have visited many pranic healers in India, so I’ll take it with a pinch of salt.
5 Apatite – Originating from the Greek word “Apate” meaning deceit, apatite is similar in appearance to many other stones and is also found in a variety of colors. Apatite is a good source of Phosphorous and is commonly used in fertilizers. Purple stones are usually found in the form of purple fluorapatite crystals
6.Charoite is a silicate mineral found in Siberia that could be a translucent lavender to purple in color with waves, streaks or swirls on it. Though it might resemble granite it looks very pretty as a cabochon.
6.Charoite is a silicate mineral found in Siberia that could be a translucent lavender to purple in color with waves, streaks or swirls on it. Though it might resemble granite it looks very pretty as a cabochon.
7. Sugilite – Often known as the purple turquoise, Sugilite is a cyclosilicate that is named after its discoverer Ken-ichi Sugi. It could be present as a light lavendar to a vivid purple, from a dark magenta to a reddish violet
8.Purpurite is a purple pink mineral that is basically manganese phosphate, with varying amounts of iron depending upon the source of the mineral.
9.Kunzite is a lithium aluminum silicate stone that is directional in nature. That is, In one direction, it will appear pink, violet or lilac, and in the other direction, it will appear colorless.
10. Ametrine is a variety of quartz that is sometimes known as trystine or bolivianite. It is a zonal color stone (double shade) with yellow orange and purple tones and these zone differences are due to differing oxidation states of iron within the crystal which happens due to the difference in temperature gradients across the crystal during its formation. Artificial varieties of this stone are quite common as it can be made by differential heat treatment of amethyst.Such bi-colored quartz can also be replicated synthetically.
10. Ametrine is a variety of quartz that is sometimes known as trystine or bolivianite. It is a zonal color stone (double shade) with yellow orange and purple tones and these zone differences are due to differing oxidation states of iron within the crystal which happens due to the difference in temperature gradients across the crystal during its formation. Artificial varieties of this stone are quite common as it can be made by differential heat treatment of amethyst.Such bi-colored quartz can also be replicated synthetically.
As Spinels, Fluorites, Zircons and Corrundums (Aluminum oxide) appear in many colors, you can find purple spinels, purple corrundums, purple flourite and purple zircons. You can also find banded purple agates, purple chalcedony and purple jasper. Though rarer, you can also find Purple sapphires. Taaffeite, purple Idocrase, Lepidolite, Scapolite and purple jade are other uncommon Gemstones in Purple
So we come to end of the Gemstones in VIBGYOR series. However, this list, like the lists of other colored gemstones, is not exhaustive and many more purple colored gemstones exist. But I do hope you have enjoyed it. Do tell me in the comments about your favourite Gemstones in Purple and your memories associated with them.
I hope you find it interesting
Cheers
So we come to end of the Gemstones in VIBGYOR series. However, this list, like the lists of other colored gemstones, is not exhaustive and many more purple colored gemstones exist. But I do hope you have enjoyed it. Do tell me in the comments about your favourite Gemstones in Purple and your memories associated with them.
I hope you find it interesting
Cheers
Find details on Gemstones in other colors of the Rainbow
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