Jewellery

New amethyst jewellery for February birthdays

Kim Kardashian recently bought Princess Diana's amethyst cross putting the gemstone back in the spotlight. Here, we roundup the very best of the February birthstone available right now, from Cartier and Pomellato to Van Cleef & Arpels

By Kim Parker

After years of association with souvenir accessories, amethyst jewellery is officially having a moment. Kim Kardashian recently purchased Princess Diana’s favourite jewels, the Attallah Cross, at Sotheby’s in January. The cross is made of large, square-cut amethysts and it put the purple gemstone back under fashion’s spotlight.

The stone was actually a great choice for the reigning queen of reality television. Adored for their hue for centuries, amethysts have been traditionally worn by royalty as a symbol of their status, whilst the ancient Egyptians carved it into animal shapes to wear on protective amulets to ward off bad luck. The ancient Greeks prized for its supposed power to curb the effects of too much alcohol (its name is actually derived from the Green “amethysts”, meaning “not intoxicated”). They even drank from vessels made of the carved mineral in the belief that it would keep them sober. A myth about Bacchus, the god of wine, denotes that he once poured the contents of his cup over a maiden who had been transformed into a crystal, staining it a deep violet colour.

Though most commonly thought of as purple, this variety of quartz actually comes in a palette of pretty shades, from mint green and pale lavender to a deep, bluish aubergine. It’s the stone associated with the month of February (St. Valentine was said to have worn an amethyst ring carved with the image of cupid) as well as to healing energy, purity of spirit and enhanced clarity of the mind. All of which makes it an ideal gift for anyone celebrating a February birthday – and we just happen to have the perfect edit of beautiful amethyst jewellery right here.

Annoushka stag beetle ring
Stag beetle ring, £5,200, Annoushka
amethyst earrings Brent Neale
Amethyst earrings, about £6,141, Brent Neale
Crystal haze amethyst hoop
Amethyst hoop earrings, £78.99, Crystal Haze
rose gold amethyst ring Andrew Geoghegan
Cocktail ring, £5,000, Andrew Geoghegan
Green amethyst ring Anne Sisteron
Green amethyst, turquoise and diamond ring, about £5,759, Anne Sisteron
Kiki McDonough amethyst earrings
Green and purple amethyst earrings, £1,500, Kiki McDonough
amethyst necklace Nak Armstrong
Amethyst necklace, about £2,100, Nakard

Lily Gabriela amethyst earrings
Rose gold, amethyst and enamel earrings, price on request, Lily Gabriella
Suzanne Kalan amethyst bracelet
Amethyst, diamond and yellow gold bangle, price on request, Suzanne Kalan
amethyst necklace Hamilton
Amethyst necklace, price on request, Hamilton Jewelers
Bea Bongiasca amethyst ring
Amethyst ring, £740, Bea Bongiasca
Ruth Tomlinson amethyst necklace
Amethyst, diamond and gold necklace, £980, Ruth Tomlinson
Harwell Godfrey ring
Amethyst, mother of pearl and diamond ring, about £3,527, Harwell Godfrey
Kirstie le Marque amethyst necklace
Amethyst necklace, £295, Kirstie Le Marque

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