The amethyst is extravagance in violet! Its colour is as unique as it is seductive, though in fact this gemstone is said to protect its wearer against seduction.. For many thousands of years, the most striking representative of the quartz family has been a jewel coveted by princes both ecclesiastical and secular. Moses described it as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews, and the Russian Empress Catherine the Great sent thousands of miners into the Urals to look for it. In popular belief, the amethyst offers protection against drunkenness - for the Greek words 'amethystos' mean 'not intoxicated' in translation. It is also said to calm emotions and reduce stress, whilst helping the holder to have a more optimistic and uplifting perspective