What on Earth Is Ametrine?

Ametrine is a bi-coloured quartz that blends purple amethyst and golden-yellow citrine in a single crystal, which is how it got its name (Ame- plus -trine). It scores 7 on the Mohs scale, and its sharp colour zoning makes it a favourite for cutting. Below are its properties, history and lore, or browse amethyst and citrine.

A pure Ametrine has distinct hues of medium dark to golden yellow, and clear to dark purple. A larger than five-carat gem usually shows a deeper shade of both colours. Dealers and jewelry enthusiasts often keep an eye out on Ametrines that have a sharp boundary between yellow and purple. These gems are becoming rare and limited these days.

Read on to unearth the history, lore, and metaphysical properties of this bi-coloured beauty.

The Physical Properties of Ametrine

Ametrine has a Mohs hardness of 7, which means it is hard enough to resist scratching by a knife but is hard enough to scratch a glass. The manganese content in Amethyst gives Ametrine its purple colour, while the presence of iron in Citrine gives the gem its golden yellow hue. This durable gem is cut emerald or fantasy style to dramatically showcase its colour zoning.

The zoning and abrupt transition of Ametrine's colours is attributed to natural causes; a result of the changes in temperature and pressure during the gem's formation. Temperatures must be hotter on some surfaces and cooler on the others for Ametrine to be naturally formed. Today, it is already possible to create artificial Ametrines by heating Amethyst in a laboratory.

The History of Ametrine

Quartz varieties like Amethyst, Citrine, and Ametrine have been known for years. Legend has it that the Ayoreo Indian tribe of eastern Bolivia knew about Ametrine crystals some 500 years ago. Quartz crystals with a mixture of purple and yellow hues were only officially documented in 1925. The information was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal American Mineralogy.

Despite the acknowledgment of the presence of this gem, reports of a bi-coloured Quartz variety produced anywhere in the world were not heard of until the 1960s. These reports cited Brazil, Bolivia, and Uruguay as the origin of Ametrines. Today, the mining company in Bolivia is the only known producer of pure Ametrine crystals. Their Anahi Mine is the only commercial source of natural ametrine in the world.

Other names for Ametrine include trystine, bi-colour Amethyst, bi-colour Quartz and Bolivianite.

The Lore of Ametrine

Ametrine is said to help maintain balance energies in relationships. Amethyst is associated with feminine energy, while citrine is believed to strengthen masculine energy. The combination of the two in Ametrine is said to promote harmony in romantic relationships where the right balance of masculine and feminine energies is essential.

Some people place an Ametrine stone near their bed when they feel an imbalance of energy with their partner. Doing so may equalize the energies and keep the other energy from dominating the relationship. Ametrine is also linked with an equilibrium of energies in other types of relationships, be it personal or professional. You can wear the stone as an earring, pendant, bracelet, or brooch. Or keep a tumbled stone in your pocket.

Ametrine stones are also used together with other quartz stones to achieve specific results. For example:

• Ametrine + Citrine crystals + Amethyst crystals - To amplify energies within the stones
• Ametrine + Rose Quartz - To make your actions, thoughts, and decisions become more attuned to your heart

You may also combine Ametrine with high-vibration crystals like Blue Kyanite and Moldavite to raise their energy.

The Metaphysical Properties of Ametrine

In crystal lore, ametrine is a stone of balance and connection, linked with ease, peace, creativity and self-confidence.

Note: Crystals and stones are not a substitute for professional advice. All information published here is for educational purposes.