If you are a fan of purple and gold, you may want to sport a dazzling ametrine rock around your neck or on your finger. Ametrine, a naturally occurring mineral, offers two types of quartz crystals compressed into one unique gemstone. You can buy natural or synthetic ametrine gemstones from jewelry stores, online retail outlets and even healing crystal dealers.
Identification
Ametrine is a naturally occurring type of quartz, or hard, glossy mineral that contains both citrine, or golden-colored quartz, and amethyst, or purple-colored quartz. Ametrine is usually displayed as a jewelry piece, such as in a ring, bracelet or necklace. However, ametrine can also be purchased in its raw form and used as a decorative accent piece.
Features
Jewelry artists generally cut ametrine gemstones to almost 50 percent citrine and almost 50 percent amethyst. Therefore, the most desirable ametrine stone is one that has a profound transition between the gold and purple colors. The jewelers must use a stone of at least several millimeters to accomplish this feat, which makes tiny ametrine jewelry pieces extremely rare, says Geology.com.
Jewelry designers often play with ametrine gemstones' color and texture. Therefore, you can purchase ametrine jewelry pieces that mix both colors together, which creates a tri-color purple, peach and gold effect. You can also purchase ametrine jewelry pieces that have been cut into a shimmering checkerboard pattern. However, to ensure that you receive a satisfactory ametrine gemstone, look at the stone just before sunrise, when its colors are best displayed, states GemSelect.com.
Gemology
Ametrine naturally occurs abundantly at the Anahi Mine in Bolivia, South America, and to a lesser degree in Rio Grande de Sul, Brazil. Iron impurities in the mine cause two separate oxidation processes to turn part of the stone citrine and part of the stone amethyst.
Synthetic Amitrine
Synthetic ametrine, created by scientists in a laboratory, is produced by growing multicolored artificial stones in electrically heated, pressure-sealed containers. However, synthetic ametrine stones display unusually vivid golden and purple colors or contain green or blue tones that do not occur naturally in the stone, states GemSelect.com.
Ametrine Energy
Energy healing proponents, people who believe that gems can hold positive, healing energies, believe that wearing ametrine can rid your body of depression. Healing proponents also believe that ametrine may also attract money and that it may help you connect with your higher self when you wear the stone while meditating, according to HealingCrystalsForYou.com.
