Gems TV

GREEN AMETHYST

Green Amethyst can be a confusing gem as it is traded under a variety of names and is even sometimes mistaken for other gemstones such as Peridot and Tourmaline. The green variety of Quartz, Green Amethyst is also known as Vermarine, Green Quartz, and Lime Citrine or by its gemmological name, Prasiolite. Although reasonably affordable, it is unusual and remains a collector’s gemstone.

Mostly mined in Brazil, Green Amethyst’s gemmological name is derived from the Greek words “prason”, meaning leek (due to its colour similarities with the vegetable) and “lithos”, meaning stone.

Legends and lore

Green Amethyst is believed by crystal healers to facilitate the gap between the physical and spiritual aspects of life, attracting prosperity through strengthening the mind, emotions and will.

Just the facts

Although Quartz of sufficient beauty to be set into jewellery is not available in great abundance, Quartz is found in many geological environments and is a component of almost every rock type. It is also the most varied in terms of varieties, colours and forms. Quartz gemstones are often separated into two groups based on the size of their individual crystals. Green Amethyst is a macrocrystalline Quartz (large crystal) and this group includes many popular gemstones such as Amethyst, Citrine and Ametrine.

All forms of Quartz are piezoelectric (when heated or rubbed they create an electrical charge becoming a magnet that attracts lightweight objects), making for important applications in electronics. Tourmaline is the only other gemstone that possesses this property. With beautiful colours ranging from pastel to deep forest green, Green Amethyst is a tough gemstone, making it ideal for everyday wear.