Vintage Amethyst Jewellery

Tell me more about vintage amethyst jewellery?

Amethyst is an absolutely beautiful gemstone and one which has remained popular throughout history to present day. You'll recognise amethyst as the purple variety of quartz, and being quartz makes amethyst both abundant and affordable. For this reason, amethyst is found quite frequently in antique jewellery including rings, brooches, pendants and bangles. Amethyst can vary in colour from a delicate light violet to a deep regal purple. It can be found the world over, but particularly important deposits come from Brazil, Siberia, Bolivia, India, Madagascar, Zambia and Namibia.

What does it mean to wear an amethyst ring?

Amethyst has been given many meanings by different peoples and cultures over the years. The ancient Greeks thought it could protect from drunkenness and overindulgence, and so wore amethyst rings and other jewellery, and even fashioned drinking vessels out of it. In the middle ages, people wore amethyst rings as protection and security, and to denote their humility and modesty. These were often carved as intaglios and set into amulets and rings. The stone was also worn by royals because power and wealth are often associated with the deep purple colour of amethyst stones. The stones were worn not just in royal rings, but also in crowns and other items of jewellery. The Church was another sector of society taken in by the charm of the deep purple amethyst stones, and Bishops and other members of the clergy would wear amethyst set Bishops' ecclesiastical rings. 

Are amethyst & citrine brooches popular?

Amethyst and citrine (also quartz) were affordable stones for the Victorian and Edwardian jewellers of the day. Amethyst in particular was hugely popular and it was one of the colours used in suffragette jewellery. Citrine is less often found in antique jewellery, however, it is a delight when it is found. You may have seen antique brooches and pendants with Cairngorm Citrine set in them. Cairngorm is the name the Celts used to describe the quartz found in Scotland, most notably around Loch Tay, Perthshire. They typically come out of the ground as much darker smoky quartz, which is then heated to improve the colour, making it a deep orangey stone.

Is amethyst good in vintage necklaces & pendants?

Amethyst is sought in jewellery today, and particular in pendants and necklaces, because it's the birthstone for February and Pisces, but also because it's the stone of St Valentine, meaning a piece of amethyst jewellery given as a gift is a piece given with love. This doesn't have to be romantic love, amethyst is a beautiful stone for a mother or father to gift their daughter, from sister to sister or from aunt to niece.

Why choose vintage amethyst jewellery?

Our view (and we sell modern amethyst jewellery over at our sister website Sterling & Wilde too so we're not totally bias) is that antique or vintage jewellery, whether its set with amethyst or citrine, has a special something that you just cannot get with modern jewellery. When you purchase antique or vintage jewellery, in your hand you hold an item which has been loved before and has been part of someone else's story. And actually, it's more than likely been part of more than one person's story. Old jewellery has survived world wars, new kings and queens, births, deaths, marriages, pandemics, civil unrest and who knows what else. And throughout all of those things, that antique piece of jewellery whether it be a ring, a pendant, a brooch, a bangle or something else has had one thing it common: it has consistently brought joy and happiness to its wearer. For that reason, we'd opt for antique or vintage every day of the week. And it's  not just amethyst jewellery we sell at Kit Clayton - we sell a host of other stones too, and our vintage emerald rings are particularly popular.