Amethyst Note - This Material Is Nearly Mined Out. Supplies Have Notably Declined Since 2018

GEM TYPE -  AMETHSYT (Uruguay)

COLOR - DEEP PURPLE, BLUE UNDERTONE, RED AND LAVENDER FLASHES

CLARITY - FLAWLESS (PHOTOS MAY SHOW WHITE DUST WHEN HIGHLY MAGNIFIED)

CARAT WEIGHT - 16.46

CUT - Oval Cushion

SHAPE - Oval

SIZE - 18.98 X 11.54 X 11.81 mm

LUSTER -  EXCELLENT

RARITY -  VERY RARE

ORIGIN -  URUGUAY

NOTES - Uruguay is perhaps the last of the high quality, amethyst mines in production and production of top color material is falling fast. Only three mines produced this high quality material a deep purple with a blue undertone and lilac and red flashes. Siberia (mined out,) 4-Peaks (In AZ. USA) but over-mined for Chinese demand decades ago, now more of a museum.

Uruguay amethyst rough has drastically declined since 2018 and it may not be long before the material is also mined out. The top color material is rare and like the Siberian and 4-Peaks amethyst they now can go for thousands of dollars for a top quality gem with the traits listed previously. The red flash is a distinctive feature of high quality amethyst. 

BEWARE the many, many fakes online which primarily India has been selling. These include glass and overheated cheap amethyst material that looks oily (and is an odd dark purple color,) claiming it is Siberian, Uruguayan or 4-Peaks material. This has flooded the market with cheap inferior material worth little to nothing, though people are paying thousands of dollars for these forgeries. Also note the red flash can be, “light particular,” and only shows up in some lighting situations. Some gems have a spark of red and some are inundated with the red flash. We have found the more red flashes the higher the price for the gem. There is a rare, plum-colored amethyst from 4-Peaks that is highly desirable but the gems we are describing are not plum but a deep purple, with blue-undertone in high light and red and lavender flashes (usually can be seen in outdoor shade on a clear day.)