Ametrine

Specifications

Also known as ‘trystine', or by its trade name as ‘bolivianite', ametrine is a naturally occurring variety of quartz. It is a mixture of amethyst and citrine with zones of purple and yellow, or even peach and orange. Ametrine is popular among artistic cutters and carvers, who play with the colours, creating beautiful landscapes in the stone.

Origin

The most popular deposit is in Bolivia but there are others in Brazil, Canada, the United States and India.

Virtues

Ametrine is believed to enhance the wearer's emotional life and creativity. It symbolizes growth, and is said to promote maturity and encourage a more confident attitude towards life. It is thought to support the bearer's inner harmony, helping the individual to resolve inner contradictions.

History

According to legends, the Indian tribe Ayoreo of eastern Bolivia knew about the bicolour quartz crystals over 500 years ago. However, ametrine first came to the world's attention when a sixteenth-century Spanish conquistador, Don Luis Felipe de Urriola y Goita, returned to Spain with a sample of the stone. Passing on his gifts to his sponsor, the Spanish queen, he introduced the gemstone to Europe for the first time.