Natural Amethyst (Jamunia) Stone in Pakistan

What to look at first

Colour carries most of the value. The stones people pay most for show a rich, even purple with red-violet flashes under warm light. Paler lilac stones, often called Rose de France, are softer in look and usually cheaper. After colour, check these:

• Clarity - amethyst is often eye-clean, so visible cracks or cloudiness should mean a lower rate.
• Colour zoning - natural stones often have bands of darker and lighter purple; a good cut hides these when you look from the top.
• Cut - a lively, symmetrical cut makes a mid-tone stone look brighter than a dull, deep-bellied one.
• Size - large clean amethyst is not hard to find, so the per-carat rate climbs more gently with size than for sapphire or emerald.

Divide any listing's price by its carat weight for the per-carat rate.

The stone itself

Amethyst is crystalline quartz that gets its colour from traces of iron and natural irradiation underground. It is 7 on the Mohs scale, tough enough for a ring you wear often. Brazil, Uruguay and Zambia are among the main sources, and the colour runs from pale lavender to a dark, almost grape purple.

Natural, glass or lab-grown?

Glass copies are usually flawless, may show round gas bubbles and warm up fast in the hand. Natural amethyst feels cool, often shows slight colour zoning and may carry small inclusions. Lab-grown amethyst also exists and can look almost identical, so for an important purchase testing is the only firm answer. Our authenticity page explains how we check every stone.

Jamunia in tradition

Amethyst is the February birthstone. In South Asian astrology Jamunia is linked with Saturn (Shani) and often worn as a gentler alternative to blue sapphire, usually in silver on the middle finger. It is traditionally associated with calm, clear thinking and restful sleep. These are beliefs, not guaranteed effects, so if astrology is your reason, talk to an astrologer you trust about weight and finger.

Care

Strong sunlight or heat over long periods can slowly fade some amethyst, so keep it out of direct sun when you are not wearing it. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush.

Ordering amethyst from Authentic Gems

We check every stone before listing it and state any treatment we know of. Delivery is a flat Rs. 500 by insured, tracked courier: Karachi usually 1 to 2 working days, Lahore, Islamabad and other major cities 2 to 4, smaller towns up to about 7. Open the parcel in front of the rider, look at the stone, then pay. If it is not what you hoped, return it unused within 7 days. Prefer blue sapphire? See our Neelam collection.