How to Tell if an Amethyst Is Real
Check the color., Look at the gem's clarity., Examine the cut., Look for imperfections or inconsistencies., Test the gem's specific gravity., Test your gem's hardness., Consider professional testing.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Check the color.
Amethyst is a purple or violet shade.
Some gems may have a slightly reddish undertone, but should still remain primarily purple.Brightness varies.
Some amethyst gems may be so light there is only a light purple glimmer.
Some may be so dark that, under light, they appear blackish.Color will not be entirely consistent in authentic amethyst.
Your gem should have different hues of purple throughout and color may change slightly in response to different lighting.Color zoning is the uneven distribution of color in a gemstone.This may occur in amethyst gems.
Authentic amethyst may have some color zoning, which can lessen its value, that's typically visible when the gem is laid flat on a white surface. -
Step 2: Look at the gem's clarity.
Clarity can also help clue you in as to whether an amethyst gem is authentic.
Amethyst is generally eye-clean.
This is a term that means the product is free of inclusions, which are materials trapped in a gem during its formation, visible with the naked eye.
An authentic amethyst is likely to be mostly clear in appearance.
Bubbles and discolorations are unlikely., Amethyst is easy to cut, so it's not uncommon to find amethyst jewelry in a wide-variety of shapes and sizes.
You may find genuine amethyst cut into round shapes, pear shapes, squares, hearts, and so on.
As amethyst cuts easily, authentic amethyst should be smooth and polished upon purchase.If the amethyst in question is cut into a round shape, look for uneven distribution of color.
If there seems to be a lot of color variation, this actually means the stone is more likely to be authentic.
Jewelers frequently cut discolored amethyst into a round shape as this makes variations slightly less noticeable., Authentic gems should be slightly imperfect.
There should be some color zoning and the shade should have tones of white or blue in addition to purple.
A gem that is one particular shade of purple throughout is likely a fake.
You should also look for things like bubbles and cracks within the amethyst.
A real gem will have some slight wear or tear accrued over time.Examine your amethyst closely for inconsistencies.
Authentic amethyst is more valuable if cut and manipulated in a way to minimize the appearance of things like color zoning and scratches.
Therefore, it may take quite a bit of examination before you notice any imperfections.
Examine the gem under a magnifying glass if necessary. , Specific gravity is a term used by jeweler's to ascertain the rough density of a gem.
For amethyst, specific gravity should be around
2.65.You can measure specific gravity with a beaker, big enough to fit your piece of amethyst in, and a scale.
To start, write down the weight of the beaker.
Then, write down the weight of the amethyst.
Then, partially fill the beaker with water and write down the amount of water, as measured by the beaker.
Put the amethyst into the beaker.
The water should rise.
Subtract the level the water is at now from its original level.
Write this number down.
This is the amount of displaced water.Remove the amethyst and drain the water.
Put in the amount of water that the mineral displaced.Weigh the beaker again, with the displaced water in it.
Subtract the beaker's original weight from this number.
This is the weight of the displaced water.
To find specific gravity, divide the weight of the amethyst by the weight of the displaced water.
This numbers should be somewhere in the
2.65 range if you have real amethyst., The hardness of a gem is measured on a scale from 1 to
10.
Amethyst is a 7, meaning it's a fairly hard gem.
Testing the hardness of a gem is a somewhat inexact process.
However, you can test the hardness of a gem by seeing if its scratch resistant to other gems.
If your amethyst is authentic, it should be scratch resistant to anything that falls lower than 7 on the hardness scale.Everyday objects fall fairly low on the hardness scale.
A fingernail is has a hardness of
2.
A knife blade is a
5.
A steel blade is a
6.5.Try to gently scratch your amethyst with your finger nail or a knife blade.
You can scratch it against an object with a steel blade, like an expensive knife or axe, if you can find one.
Your amethyst should be scratch resistant to these objects.
If it is not, it may not be authentic., The only way to be completely sure of the authenticity of amethyst is to have it tested.
You can take your amethyst to a local jeweler and ask him or her about lab identification.
Cost varies depending on the size of your gem.
If you're concerned about authenticity, it may be worth the cost to know for sure.
Professional testing can ascertain whether an amethyst came from a geode.
Many amethysts originally came from geodes. -
Step 3: Examine the cut.
-
Step 4: Look for imperfections or inconsistencies.
-
Step 5: Test the gem's specific gravity.
-
Step 6: Test your gem's hardness.
-
Step 7: Consider professional testing.
Detailed Guide
Amethyst is a purple or violet shade.
Some gems may have a slightly reddish undertone, but should still remain primarily purple.Brightness varies.
Some amethyst gems may be so light there is only a light purple glimmer.
Some may be so dark that, under light, they appear blackish.Color will not be entirely consistent in authentic amethyst.
Your gem should have different hues of purple throughout and color may change slightly in response to different lighting.Color zoning is the uneven distribution of color in a gemstone.This may occur in amethyst gems.
Authentic amethyst may have some color zoning, which can lessen its value, that's typically visible when the gem is laid flat on a white surface.
Clarity can also help clue you in as to whether an amethyst gem is authentic.
Amethyst is generally eye-clean.
This is a term that means the product is free of inclusions, which are materials trapped in a gem during its formation, visible with the naked eye.
An authentic amethyst is likely to be mostly clear in appearance.
Bubbles and discolorations are unlikely., Amethyst is easy to cut, so it's not uncommon to find amethyst jewelry in a wide-variety of shapes and sizes.
You may find genuine amethyst cut into round shapes, pear shapes, squares, hearts, and so on.
As amethyst cuts easily, authentic amethyst should be smooth and polished upon purchase.If the amethyst in question is cut into a round shape, look for uneven distribution of color.
If there seems to be a lot of color variation, this actually means the stone is more likely to be authentic.
Jewelers frequently cut discolored amethyst into a round shape as this makes variations slightly less noticeable., Authentic gems should be slightly imperfect.
There should be some color zoning and the shade should have tones of white or blue in addition to purple.
A gem that is one particular shade of purple throughout is likely a fake.
You should also look for things like bubbles and cracks within the amethyst.
A real gem will have some slight wear or tear accrued over time.Examine your amethyst closely for inconsistencies.
Authentic amethyst is more valuable if cut and manipulated in a way to minimize the appearance of things like color zoning and scratches.
Therefore, it may take quite a bit of examination before you notice any imperfections.
Examine the gem under a magnifying glass if necessary. , Specific gravity is a term used by jeweler's to ascertain the rough density of a gem.
For amethyst, specific gravity should be around
2.65.You can measure specific gravity with a beaker, big enough to fit your piece of amethyst in, and a scale.
To start, write down the weight of the beaker.
Then, write down the weight of the amethyst.
Then, partially fill the beaker with water and write down the amount of water, as measured by the beaker.
Put the amethyst into the beaker.
The water should rise.
Subtract the level the water is at now from its original level.
Write this number down.
This is the amount of displaced water.Remove the amethyst and drain the water.
Put in the amount of water that the mineral displaced.Weigh the beaker again, with the displaced water in it.
Subtract the beaker's original weight from this number.
This is the weight of the displaced water.
To find specific gravity, divide the weight of the amethyst by the weight of the displaced water.
This numbers should be somewhere in the
2.65 range if you have real amethyst., The hardness of a gem is measured on a scale from 1 to
10.
Amethyst is a 7, meaning it's a fairly hard gem.
Testing the hardness of a gem is a somewhat inexact process.
However, you can test the hardness of a gem by seeing if its scratch resistant to other gems.
If your amethyst is authentic, it should be scratch resistant to anything that falls lower than 7 on the hardness scale.Everyday objects fall fairly low on the hardness scale.
A fingernail is has a hardness of
2.
A knife blade is a
5.
A steel blade is a
6.5.Try to gently scratch your amethyst with your finger nail or a knife blade.
You can scratch it against an object with a steel blade, like an expensive knife or axe, if you can find one.
Your amethyst should be scratch resistant to these objects.
If it is not, it may not be authentic., The only way to be completely sure of the authenticity of amethyst is to have it tested.
You can take your amethyst to a local jeweler and ask him or her about lab identification.
Cost varies depending on the size of your gem.
If you're concerned about authenticity, it may be worth the cost to know for sure.
Professional testing can ascertain whether an amethyst came from a geode.
Many amethysts originally came from geodes.
About the Author
Claire Vasquez
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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