Real Vs Fake Amethyst: Steps to Identify the Difference

Amethyst is a violet form of natural quartz named after the ancient Greek word "amethustos," which means "not drunk." The therapeutic and spiritual benefits of amethyst are well known. Besides, we know that Amethyst is the birthstone of February, the month of love. As a result, it benefits married couples by helping them remain loyal and faithful in their relationships. The concern is, if you like the purple tint and want to purchase an amethyst gemstone jewellery for yourself, how would you know if it's genuine or not? That is the reason we’ve come up with these 10 impactful ways to identify if the gemstone you are holding or wearing is real or fake.

10 Ways to Spot the Difference Between Real and Fake Amethyst

1. Get Amethyst Examined by a Professional

2. Examine the Color of Amethyst

3. Hold the Amethyst in Your Hand and Search for Bubbles

4. Examine the Clarity of Amethyst

5. Examine the Cut of the Amethyst

6. Examine the Amethyst’s Hardness

7. Don’t Come Under the Influence of Fancy Names

8. Ask About the Amethyst’s Origin

9. Test the Specific Gravity

10. Think About the Price

Identifying Real Amethyst vs. Fake Amethyst

1. Get Amethyst Examined by a Professional

   One of the simplest ways to know for sure whether an amethyst is genuine is to get it tested. Take your amethyst to a jeweller and inquire about lab identification. If you're worried about the authenticity of something, it might be worth the money to find out for sure. Professional testing can tell if an amethyst comes from a geode or not.

2. Examine the Color of Amethyst

   Instead of having one solid color, a genuine Amethyst will exhibit color zoning. Amethyst usually has a purple or violet color to it. Some stones will be as dark as a wine-shaded red or black, while others will be as light as lavender and dotted with white and blue colors.

3. Hold the Amethyst in Your Hand and Search for Bubbles

   The difference between a Real and Fake Amethyst lies in the power of observation. If you compare the two closely, you’ll notice the fake one to exhibit some tiny bubbles. That’s because synthetic Amethysts are nothing but glass in their raw form. So, it is inevitable for some tiny bubbles to trap within the gemstone’s structure during its formation. All you have to do is make use of a magnifying glass or a jeweller’s loupe to spot these bubbles over the surface of your Amethyst (they will more often than not, appear as round or elongated voids).

4. Examine the Clarity of Amethyst

   Checking the clarity of your amethyst is one way to verify if it is genuine. The amethyst gemstone is usually eye-clean, which means there aren't any large blemishes within it. Hold the gemstone up to the light to perform the test. Then have a look at it. Is there anything visible inside the gemstone that you can see with the naked eye? If you notice any unusual discolorations or bubbles within the stone, it's probably a fake.

5. Examine the Cut of the Amethyst

   Natural Amethyst comes in a range of shapes and sizes. Hearts, squares, rounds, and pear shapes are among the shapes available. Amethyst is simple to cut. Due to the appearance of flaws in gemstones, jewellers may cut them. As a result, when inspecting the gem's cut into these forms, be sure to look at its polish and smoothness as well. You should investigate Amethyst more thoroughly. You can also ask the jeweller if you can use a magnifying lens to examine the stone without any hesitation.

6. Examine the Amethyst’s Hardness

   Amethyst can scratch glass and leave a mark on it without causing any damage to the stone. Amethysts are a hard stone that can scratch some solid surfaces. If an amethyst stone can scratch a ceramic tile with the same rigidity as an amethyst, you can say it's real.

7. Don’t Come Under the Influence of Fancy Names

   While foreign names can be appealing, they are frequently used to conceal the fact that the Amethyst isn't genuine. Desert Amethyst, Lithia Amethyst, Japanese Amethyst, and Bengal Amethyst are all created names.

8. Ask About the Amethyst’s Origin

   When it comes to queries about your Amethyst, don't be shy. When you're trying to piece together the story of your Amethyst's history, a good dealer shouldn't ignore you. This is an important question to ask because it may provide you with some insight about the authenticity of your gemstone.

   Technically, this purple variety of quartz- Amethyst forms naturally inside geodes, i.e., spherical rocks that possess hollowed cavities. The process of formation goes something like this- In reaction to volcanic eruptions, a number of gas bubbles take shape inside the lava. Owing to extreme temperatures, these bubbles increase in size with time. Eventually, the lava cools down which in turn, leads to the formation of hollowed cavities inside the rock. As time passes, these cavities are filled with silica liquids that are home to traces of iron and aluminum (that eventually lend Amethyst its treasured purple hue). Finally, these cavities slowly crystallize to form Amethyst.

   To make you better aware, let’s shed some light upon the origin of this February birthstone. Brazil, Australia, Mexico, Canada, Uruguay, Sri Lanka, USA, and India are some of the leading producers of this country. See to it if your Amethyst has been mined from an authentic source of not. In some cases, you’ll find that information mentioned in the certificate of the gemstone.

9. Test the Specific Gravity

   This test is quite useful for determining whether or not your Amethyst is genuine. When determining the Amethyst’s specific gravity, you must first determine whether the gemstone density is proper. A natural Amethyst stone has a specific gravity number of roughly 2.65, per the standard ratio.

10. Think About the Price

    Real Amethyst is expected to cost anywhere from $20 to $50 per carat. When it comes to buying anything, if an offer seems too good to be true, it most likely isn't. If you buy Amethyst from a respectable jeweller, you should expect to pay at least $20. When you see Amethyst on offer for far less, it's possible you're being duped.

Final Verdict

Because of its capacity to emit uplifting and healing energy while fostering harmony in the mind, body, and spirit, a real amethyst is a highly prized gemstone. However, it's important to choose an amethyst that truly speaks to you when making your selection, rather than letting low prices or deceptive marketing strategies influence you. You may improve your chances of discovering the ideal amethyst that fulfills your requirements by using the 4Cs rule, which states that a gemstone should be evaluated according to its color, cut, clarity, and carat weight.

Additionally, by becoming knowledgeable about how to tell a real amethyst from a fake, you'll be able to confidently make an investment in a real gemstone jewellery that's sure to attract attention. A genuine amethyst is, in fact, many people's dream come true because of its wealth of beneficial traits and properties.