February Birthstone: Amethyst

By Lisa Chen, Founder · July 16, 2026

Short answer: February’s birthstone is amethyst — the purple variety of quartz, which the U.S. Geological Survey places at 7 on the Mohs hardness scale. That one number explains most of what people want to know about wearing it. Amethyst is hard enough to live in every day, soft enough to need a habit or two, and cheap enough to buy big — which was not true two hundred years ago. Here is the color range, the treatments, and the one care rule that matters.

What amethyst actually is

Amethyst is not its own mineral. It is a color of one. As GIA puts it, amethyst is the purple variety of the quartz mineral species — silicon dioxide, the same chemistry as clear rock crystal. The U.S. Geological Survey lists them under one heading: quartz, hardness 7, with rock crystal, amethyst, citrine and smoky quartz named as varieties of the same thing. So when a listing implies amethyst is a rare, distinct species, it is describing a color, not a mineral.

Why February’s stone is affordable now, and was not always

Fine amethyst was once considered equal in value to ruby, emerald, and sapphire, set in bishops’ rings and British coronation regalia. Then the supply changed. Russia was the major source until the 19th century, when large deposits were found in Brazil and, as GIA phrases it, amethyst “was suddenly in abundance.” Today the main sources are in Africa and South America; Zambia’s Kariba mine is one of the largest producers in the world.

GIA notes that even fine amethyst has a modest price tag, and that price per carat does not rise dramatically with larger size — unusual, since with most colored stones big stones get punishing fast. If you want a large, saturated gemstone without spending accordingly, this is the one that says yes.

The color range, and what “good” looks like

Amethyst’s purple can range from a light lilac to a deep, intense royal purple, and from brownish to vivid. It can lean cool and bluish or lean red — a reddish purple the trade calls “raspberry.”

The complication is color zoning. Amethyst commonly shows angular zones of darker and lighter color within one stone, and GIA is direct that weak, light color or strong zoning lowers a stone’s value. The finest color is a strong reddish purple to purple with no visible zoning. Zoning shows most face-down and much less face-up, so a cutter who orients the rough well can hide a lot — part of what you pay for.

How amethyst’s hardness compares

Hardness is the whole everyday-wear conversation. Every figure below is the USGS’s.

Stone	Mohs hardness (USGS)	What that means in practice
Opal	5.5–6.5	Vulnerable in a daily ring
Amethyst (quartz)	7	Fine for daily wear; may need repolishing
Ruby and sapphire (corundum)	9	Far harder; store separately
Diamond	10	Scratches everything else

The number that matters is not amethyst’s 7 in isolation — it is amethyst’s 7 versus the 7 of ordinary dust. GIA makes the point better than I can: common sand and dust are mostly quartz, the same species as amethyst. The grit on your countertop is roughly as hard as the stone on your finger. That is why GIA says amethyst rates a 7 with good toughness, suitable for all jewelry types including rings — as long as the wearer understands the limits. A daily-wear ring may show wear over years and want repolishing: normal, not a defect.

One honest note: if it is the setting that brought you here rather than the stone, our pieces are made for daily wear.

The honest treatment picture

Amethyst is treated more often than buyers realize, and none of it is scandalous if disclosed. What the trade does:

• Heat treatment is the most common technique for improving the color and marketability of natural amethyst, per GIA. Its limits are real: heat cannot make pale amethyst darker. It can lighten very dark amethyst that reads too inky, and remove brownish inclusions. The change is permanent, though intense heat may leave a stone slightly brittle.
• Heating can push amethyst out of purple entirely. Some turns yellow — to citrine. This is not a footnote: GIA states that because natural citrine is rare, most citrine on the market is the result of heat treatment, turning amethyst from pale violet to an attractive yellow. So November’s golden birthstone and February’s purple one are often the same crystal at different temperatures. Excessive heat removes color altogether.
• Dyeing happens at the low end — pale amethyst, even quartz that was never amethyst, dyed purple. Fracture filling is rare but exists.
• Lab-created amethyst is real and common. Known since the 1970s, it shares the natural stone’s properties, and GIA is candid that the two can be very hard to tell apart without advanced testing — which much of the industry skips, given the cost. Merchants must disclose natural versus synthetic. Ask, and get it in writing.

My honest read: disclosure matters more than avoidance. A heated amethyst is not a lesser stone. A seller who dodges the question is a lesser seller.

The one care rule that actually matters: light

Most gemstone care advice is padding. For amethyst there is one genuine caveat. GIA’s care guide states plainly that some amethyst color can fade with prolonged exposure to intense light. The February birthstone page puts it in wearable terms: the color is stable with normal use, but this is not a birthstone to wear to the beach every day.

Think of a dark shirt on a clothesline: one afternoon does nothing, years of them do. Store it in a drawer between wears, which also solves scratching. The rest, from the same GIA guide:

• Warm soapy water is the safe default — a soft brush with mild soap. Steam cleaning is not recommended, and amethyst should not be subjected to heat. Avoid abrupt temperature changes, which can cause it to fracture.
• Ultrasonic cleaners are usually safe — except where a stone has been dyed or fracture-filled — one more reason to know how yours was treated.
• Store it apart from harder stones. Anything at 8 and above will scratch it in a shared pouch.

What amethyst has traditionally meant

Amethyst carries more folklore than almost any affordable stone, and I want to be careful how I report it, because a lot of sellers are not. What follows is cultural history, not a claim that it works.

The name comes from the Greek amethystos, which GIA translates as “a remedy against drunkenness” — a benefit long ascribed to the stone. Because of its wine-like color, early Greek legend tied it to Dionysus, god of wine, and wearing amethyst was believed to prevent drunkenness. Other traditions held it kept the wearer clear-headed in battle and business. It is also the gem traditionally given for the sixth wedding anniversary.

That is a lovely inheritance, and an honest reason to like the stone. But it is culture, not chemistry: amethyst will not keep you sober, sharpen your judgment, or change your luck, health, or wealth, whatever a listing implies. The same goes for the list itself. Jewelers of America, which describes itself as the originator of the list, dates it to 1912 and gives February amethyst — a tidy month: one stone, no later additions. It is a trade standard barely a century old. That does not make it meaningless; it makes it a convention, fine to enjoy without pretending it is destiny.

Frequently asked questions

What is the February birthstone?

Amethyst, the purple variety of quartz. February is one of the simplest months on the modern American list: one stone, no traditional-versus-modern conflict, no later additions. Jewelers of America, the list’s originator, dates it to 1912.

Is amethyst hard enough for an everyday ring?

Yes, with realistic expectations. Amethyst rates 7 on the Mohs scale per the U.S. Geological Survey, and GIA describes it as having good toughness and being suitable for all jewelry types, including rings. The catch: sand and dust are mostly quartz, the same hardness, so a daily-wear ring may show wear and benefit from repolishing.

Is most amethyst treated?

Heat treatment is the most common technique used to improve amethyst’s color, per GIA. Heat cannot darken pale amethyst, but it can permanently lighten stones that are too dark and remove some brownish inclusions. Low-quality pale material is sometimes dyed instead. Lab-created amethyst has existed since the 1970s, and merchants must disclose natural versus synthetic.

Does amethyst fade in sunlight?

It can. GIA states that some amethyst color fades with prolonged exposure to strong light, and that while the color is stable with normal use, amethyst is not a birthstone to wear to the beach every day. Ordinary wear is fine; years of long, direct sun are not.

Why is amethyst so affordable if royalty wore it?

Supply. Russia was the major source until the 19th century, when large deposits were found in Brazil and amethyst was, in GIA’s words, “suddenly in abundance.” A stone once considered equal in value to ruby, emerald and sapphire now carries a modest price — and because price per carat does not rise dramatically with size, large amethysts stay affordable.

Amethyst asks almost nothing of you except that you keep it out of long, strong light and away from harder stones. For more on how the lists are built and where they disagree, see our guides on the Pisces birthstone and the October birthstone.

If you want to wear February’s stone rather than read about it, our Personalized Cross & Birthstone Necklace is made in a February version — 18k gold plating over a 316L stainless steel base, built for daily wear. The stones are cubic zirconia, not mined gems, and the product page says so.