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Product Description
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Widely considered among the finest amethyst in the world, this AAA GRADE gem Amethyst stalactite slice is from the famous Artigas mines in Uruguay. Ask any gem cutter where the best Amethyst comes from and this deposit will be at the top of their list. The slice shows large crystals of a mesmerizing rich purple hue with white crystal center and varying shades of green in the bullseye point. Great as a collector display piece or to incorporate into a unforgettable one-of-a-kind fine jewelry pendant.
Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz. Ancient Greeks wore amethyst and carved drinking vessels from it in the belief that it would prevent intoxication. Amethyst, a semiprecious stone, is often used in jewelry. Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz and owes its violet color to impurities of iron (Fe3+) and in some cases other transition metals, and the presence of other trace elements, which result in complex crystal lattice substitutions. Amethyst is a three-dimensional network of tetrahedra where the silicon atoms are in the center and are surrounded by four oxygen atoms located at the vertices of a tetrahedron. This structure is quite rigid and results in quartz's hardness and resistance to weathering. The hardness of the mineral is the same as quartz, thus making it suitable for use in jewelry.
