Amethyst is the purple form of the mineral quartz and is found in deposits throughout the world. The most famous source for Amethyst is the Siberian province of Russia but most of the stones in the marketplace are actually from Brazil, Uruguay, and several locations in Africa. There are quite a few sites in the United States.

Color is the primary value characteristic in Amethyst. The most prized Amethysts are a rich purple color with red overtones or ‘flash' with even coloration throughout. Large examples are regularly available for comparatively reasonable prices.

Amethyst is regularly heat treated to enhance the color. This treatment is permanent in usual wear conditions and is not detectable with traditional gemological instruments.

Amethyst is generally accepted as the birthstone for February.