What makes amethyst purple?
Amethyst is rock crystal — ordinary quartz — with a purple colour. That colour comes from minute amounts of iron in the crystal lattice, combined with natural radiation from the surrounding rock. Without those two, quartz stays colourless.
Because the colour depends on radiation, the purple is often uneven. You usually see it concentrated in the crystal tips, while the base stays lighter or white. That gradient is not a flaw; it is exactly what distinguishes a natural geode from dyed material.
Heat amethyst and the iron changes state: the stone turns yellow to orange. The vast majority of citrine on the market is heated amethyst.
Where does our amethyst come from?
Rio Grande do Sul is the world’s most important amethyst region. Around the town of Ametista do Sul, geodes sit in the same basalt layers as the agate — only here larger cavities gave the crystals room to grow.
The largest specimens are man-high and are dug out whole. Kwaza Mineral Art focuses on sizes that belong in a living room: from hand-sized pieces to multi-kilo specimens on a metal stand. Many buyers specifically look for amethyst on a stand so the crystal face sits at eye level.
All amethyst we offer is untreated. Colour, crystal form and the agate window on the outside are exactly as they came from the ground.
What determines quality?
Colour depth
Deep purple is rarer and more sought-after than lilac. Also check whether the colour is evenly distributed across the crystals.
Crystal size and integrity
Large, sharply pointed crystals without broken tips are harder to find than a dense carpet of small points.
Lustre
An intact crystal face reflects light sharply. Dull or damaged faces point to damage after mining.
The whole piece
Shape, rim and stand decide how a piece sits in a room. A well-sawn geode with a clean agate rim is more than the sum of its crystals.
Amethyst at home
Amethyst thrives where grazing light falls: a sideboard by a window, a bookcase with spot lighting, or a windowsill. The crystals then catch light from the side and come alive.
One warning: avoid prolonged strong direct sunlight. Amethyst fades noticeably over years in those conditions. A bright spot without midday sun is ideal.
