How to distinguish between genuine and fake amethyst
Amethyst is a popular and attractive semi-precious stone that appears in various shades of purple. If you own any jewelry or items made of amethyst, you may be curious to know whether it is genuine or fake, as imitation and synthetic amethysts are very common. It should be noted that it is difficult to distinguish between the original amethyst and the pseudo-imitation. But there are several things that may help distinguish between them, such as the appearance of the cut stone, color and degree of clarity. And if you are not sure, give the stone to a jeweler who will help you better or ask for an examination in a specialized laboratory.
1- Check the color
Amethyst is purple or violet in color. Some stones may be faint slightly reddish in color but remain primarily purple. This is with regard to the color, and the intensity of the brightness of the stone is varied and different. Some amethysts may be so light that they have only a purple luster, and others may be so dim that they appear black under the light. It must be borne in mind that the color of the original stone will not be harmonious; If the gem is genuine it should have different purple tints throughout, in addition to the color it may change in response to different shades of light. As for the division of color in the stone, it is an uneven distribution. Of course, this may happen in amethyst stones, however, some color divisions may reduce the value of the stone and this usually appears when placing the stone on a white surface. This is to distinguish the original stone; So, if these color specifications do not apply to the amethyst that you have, it is not original and a imitation.
2- Checking the degree of purity
Checking the degree of purity can help in knowing what If the stone is genuine or not. Amethyst is very pure in general appearance. The term clarity means that the stone is free from the presence of any impurities, and these impurities are the materials that get stuck in the stone during the process of its formation and are visible to the naked eye. The original amethysts are likely to be mostly pure. The presence of bubbles inside the stone is something that is unlikely to exist. Therefore, if the stone is not pure and there are many bubbles in it, then it is imitated.
3- Check the stone cutting method
Amethyst is an easy-to-cut stone, so it is common to find amethyst jewelry. In a wide variety of shapes and sizes. You may find it cut into round shapes, or into shapes that take the shape of pears, hearts, etc. Since it is easy to cut, when you buy it you will find the stone is smooth, smooth and shiny.
If the stone is round in shape; You have to note the way the color is divided and distributed in the stone. If it appears that there are changes in color, this indicates that the stone is mostly original. It is noted that jewelers cut the color-changing amethyst stones in a circular shape, as this reduces the appearance of these changes in the shape of the stone.
I discover natural amethyst imitation stones
4- Examination of the properties of the stone
The original jewels must be flawless. In addition to purple, there should be some colour distinctions and shades of white or blue. An imitation stone is one that has a completely distinct colour tone. In addition to your observations, you should take note of the existence of bubbles or fissures inside the stone. Examine the stone carefully to determine if there are any irregularities. Amethyst is also more precious if it is cut and manipulated to hide flaws like as colour spots and scratches. So it takes some investigation and scrutiny before you detect any faults. If required, use a magnifying glass to examine the stone.
5- Specific stone density test
Jewelers use the term “specific density” to ascertain the approximate density of a stone. As for the amethyst; Its density should be 2.65. You can measure its density by using a beaker large enough to fit the size of the piece and a scale. To get started, write down the size of the beaker and then write down the size of the amethyst. Next, fill the beaker partially with water, and also write down the amount of water you put in the beaker. Then put the stone in the cup and the water should rise, subtract the current water level from the previous original water level. Write down the resulting number, which is the amount of water displaced. Remove the stone from the water, then dry the water. Weigh the cup again, along with the displaced water. Subtract the original cup weight from this number. This is the weight of the displaced water. To find the specific gravity ratio; Divide the weight of the stone by the water displaced from the beaker, the resulting number should be approximately in the range of 2.65 If the stone is original.