An amethyst is a purple gemstone prized for its rich color and natural beauty. The color can range from pale lavender to deep violet, and the best specimens glow with an intense purple that seems to shimmer in the light.

Because of their beautiful color and relative abundance, amethysts appear in jewelry, royal crowns, and religious artifacts throughout history. The gemstone is the birthstone for February. While not as expensive as diamonds or rubies, a high-quality amethyst with deep, even color can still be quite valuable.

Geologists find amethysts inside hollow rocks called geodes: crack one open, and you might discover a hidden chamber lined with purple crystals that took millions of years to form. Uruguay and Brazil produce many of the world's finest amethysts, some with crystals as tall as a person.