Amethyst
Newsletter
February
5, 2007
February is a month naturally rife with possibilities as spring approaches. The flora and the fauna will suffer through at least another 4 weeks before rejuvenation starts, but we expect possibilities to blossom forth on February 14th. The thought of Valentine’s Day brings with it thoughts of the sublime and the unexpected: of true love, and passionate folly. The colors associated with this day of hearts and flowers are red for true love and purple for passion. Purple is also the color of Amethyst, the birthstone of those born in February.
The finest examples of Amethyst, which is a purple variety of quartz, are deep violet stones that when faceted exhibit red flashes. (This is not the grape jelly purple known today as generic purple and sometimes vulgar purple, but a c1960’s psychedelic color more consonant with the Jimi Hendrix song “Purple Haze” than a commercial condiment.) This color is typical of the stones found in Siberia; hence the finest stones are called “Siberian Amethyst” even if they come from other parts of the globe.
VICTORIAN AMETHYST EARRINGS
Victorian silver-topped yellow gold uppers each in a stylized fleur de lys design and set with rose cut diamonds. Each earring has a suspended carved amethyst drop which is probably a later addition.
$4,500
The legend of amethyst's origin centers around a battle of wills between the god Dionysus (aka Bacchus) and the goddess Diana. As the legend goes, Dionysus, the god of wine and intoxication, took insult at some mortal who had refused him acknowledgement. His wrath was immediately unleashed on an unsuspecting maiden named Amethyst who, one can assume, was pure as freshly driven snow. The young virgin was detained by the wrathful god while on her way to pay homage to the goddess Diana. Dionysus summoned two voracious tigers to devour her, and sat back with his wine to watch. Amethyst cried out to Diana, who quickly transformed the young maiden into a glimmering pure white stone to protect her. Despite - or possibly because of - his drunkenness, Dionysus regretted the ruthlessness of his actions and began to weep with sorrow. As the tears dripped into his goblet the tear-tainted wine overflowed from the cup onto the stone. The white stone then absorbed the color from the wine, creating the gemstone that would forevermore be known as amethyst.
This legend and the connection to Bacchus led to the belief that drinking wine from an amethyst goblet would prevent drunkenness, presumably no matter how much one drank. Since drunkenness is a behavior found across cultural and geographic borders, one can assume that we all need an amethyst goblet around the house. The question is - if one drinks enough from the amethyst goblet to normally become intoxicated and thinks they are not intoxicated, how is one to be sure? The now deceased Dean Martin had a rule of measure for this, and I quote…”You’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.”
I can arrange for an amethyst goblet to be made for anyone interested in commissioning one, and guarantee it will perform satisfactorily to Dean Martin's standards. However if you safely feel that you have no need for such a goblet, maybe you'll fancy these Victorian Amethyst Earrings, or some other treasure from www.meriwether.net.
