No. Amethyst is not considered toxic to wear, touch, or handle as jewelry. Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz, and in a finished ring, pendant, bracelet, or pair of earrings, it is considered safe for normal skin contact. Most of the confusion comes from...

Amethyst is pronounced AM-uh-thist. The first syllable sounds like “am,” the middle is a soft “uh,” and the ending sounds like “thist.” You do not need to overemphasize the “th” sound; say it smoothly: AM-uh-thist. If you have ever hesitated before saying the word out...

Amethyst can go in water for short periods of time. In fact, using lukewarm water and mild soap is one of the safest ways to clean most amethyst jewelry. However, that does not mean amethyst should be left in water indefinitely or exposed to every type of water....

If you are considering alexandrite for a ring you plan to wear often, durability is probably one of the first things you are trying to figure out. Most people are surprised to learn that alexandrite is actually a very strong gemstone for everyday jewelry. It ranks...

Yes—synthetic alexandrite does change colors, just like natural alexandrite. Under different lighting conditions, it typically shifts from green or bluish-green in daylight to reddish or purplish tones under incandescent light. That color change is not an imitation....

Alexandrite is mined from gemstone deposits found deep in the earth, typically within mineral-rich rock formations. Miners extract the rough stones through a combination of small-scale excavation, open-pit mining, or underground mining, depending on where the gem is...