The name of this exquisite purple quartz crystal comes from the Greek word meaning “not drunk” as the stone was believed in Antiquity to keep the wearer sober no matter how much wine he might consume. All the great ancient civilizations valued the gem, which was particularly popular in Egypt for scarabs and in Greece and Rome for intaglio rings. Because of its wine-dark color and its use to prevent intoxication, many were carved with the head of the wine-god Dionysus. The oldest known stone in the Crown Jewels of England is an amethyst first worn in the 11th Century by Edward the Confessor. Even today, the rings of high-ranking ecclesiastics often have amethysts as their center stones. Many wonderful and therapeutic properties are ascribed to the gem: it can cure gout, it cleanses the body of impurities, it keeps the mind clear and alert and improves the memory, it gives the wearer pleasant dreams and keeps him immune from infection and contagious diseases. Because it is a crystal the energy level radiating from this translucent royal gem is particularly high, causing the wearer to feel wonderful both inside and out.
For centuries, coral-- like pearl, a gift of the sea-- was classed among the precious gems valued by man. Not strictly a mineral, coral is an organic substance, composed of the skeletons of millions of tiny marine animals. In its natural state, coral is plantlike in appearance and grows in warm water at depths of up to ninety feet. It must be harvested live to retain its color. Though white coral is quite common, and forms the great reefs of the world, the rarer hues of red, orange, pink and black are much sought after as jewelry and amulets. Pink coral is particularly flattering to the complexion of the wearer and is called "angel skin". According to ancient sources, Assyrian glassmakers creating opaque colored glass in imitation of precious gems, were trying -to form red glass to resemble coral, rather than ruby. Examples of coral set in precious metals are known from the Biblical, Egyptian and Classical cultures, and its popularity has continued unbroken through the ages. The native jewelry of the Arabian peninsula makes excellent use of bright corals combined with silver. The therapeutic effects of coral have long been understood: it is used as a heart stimulant, an antidote for fevers and toxins in the system, a cure for colic and vomiting and a prevention for childhood diseases. In addition, it is believed to avert sterility. As with the pearl, coral's mysterious strength seems to derive from its organic source material, the accumulated energy of living things.