from
its beautiful colour and play, is much used in jewellery. Many years
ago, amethysts were of considerable value, ranking next to the
sapphire, and when fine selling at 30 s. per carat; but immense
quantities having been sent from the Brazils, they became common,
gradually went out of fashion, and became nearly valueless. Latterly,
however, the taste for them has revived, and at the present time they
are gaining ground in public estimation. A fine clear deep-coloured
amethyst, of the size of a two-shilling piece, is worth from £10 to £ 15 ; smaller sizes and inferior qualities are sold at from 2s. to 100s.
The
amethyst is cut in various ways; but the mode which best shows the
beauty of the stone is the brilliant-cut with a rounding table,—that is
to say, cut like a diamond, but with the table, or flat part of the
stone, slightly domed. Very few amethysts are cut in this country, as
the price of labour is too high: great quantities are sent to Germany,
where it is far cheaper. This stone appears to the greatest advantage
when set with diamonds or pearls. By candlelight it loses a part of its
beauty, being apt to appear of a blackish hue. The amethyst is cut on a
copper wheel with emery, and polished on tin with tripoli. This stone
takes a very fine polish.
The name amethyst is from the Greek
de-
rived from a ,
"not to inebriate,"—in allusion to
the
superstition that this stone had the power of dissipating drunkenness.
Pliny says that the gem was so called from the fact of its approaching
near to the colour
