Purple gemstones have always grabbed attention and won hearts with their royal appearance, symbolism, and beauty. Among nature's rarest treasures, purple gemstones are perfect for distinctive jewelry and impressive collections. This guide explores the unique properties and characteristics of various purple gemstone varieties found in Africa, helping you make informed purchasing decisions.
Africa is the only continent that gives the world a huge number of truly outstanding stones such as tanzanite. Nowadays, Africa is producing most of the enthusiasm around gemstones in the world. The colored gemstone trade is gradually becoming more significant, although manufacturing colored gemstones extends across many small mines in several countries. The main producing African countries can be found in the southern and eastern region, stretching from Namibia in the southwest up to Ethiopia and Madagascar.
Amethyst: The Popular Purple Gemstone
Amethyst is the most popular purple gemstone, and as the February birthstone, it offers beautiful colors ranging from pale lilac to deep reddish purple. It is a purple variety of quartz that gets its violet hue from a combination of factors, including radiation exposure, iron impurities (Fe³⁺), and sometimes other transition metals. Thanks to its beautiful color, plentiful supply, and low price point, amethyst stone is the best-selling of all transparent purple gemstones.
Amethyst crystal is a very versatile gem:
- Jewelers use it in all types of designs, from expensive high-fashion pieces to simple birthstone items.
- Transparent stones are often faceted, while translucent pieces can be carved into cabochons or beads.
- Some people collect raw crystals still attached to their host rocks.
- Its hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale makes it resistant to scratching during everyday wear.
Tanzanite: A Gemstone from Tanzania
Tanzanite is found in only one place on Earth: Tanzania. It is a truly captivating gem that displays a unique blend of three distinct colors - purple, violet, and blue - depending on the angle from which it's viewed. This optical effect is known as pleochroism, and gems that exhibit three colors are referred to as trichroic. Tanzanite is renowned for having one of the most vivid trichroic displays in the gemstone world, making it an especially intriguing and dynamic choice for jewelry. It was named after the East African state of Tanzania, the only place around the world where it has been originated.
Read also: Thriving African Violets
Cut and polished tanzanite stones are extremely rare - even more so than diamonds. Miners extract all the world's tanzanite from an 8-square-mile (20-square-kilometer) area near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Tanzanite is a variety of the species zoisite.
Most tanzanite does not display its vibrant color when initially mined. As much as 95 percent of the gems mined are heat-treated to achieve the blue color. Most untreated tanzanite comes out of the Earth with a brownish hue.
When it comes to price per carat, tanzanites that display a dominant blue color tend to be more valuable than those with a dominant purple hue. For this reason, most tanzanites on the market are cut to emphasize their blue tones, with flashes of purple and violet visible when viewed face-up.
Purple Sapphire: A Rare and Beautiful Gem
Purple sapphire is another uncommon gemstone that results from a specific combination of iron, titanium, and chromium. Depending on the concentrations of these elements, purple sapphire may have secondary red or violet color components. You may hear dealers refer to purple sapphires as "rose sapphires" or "plum sapphires."
Some rare sapphires show a natural color change phenomenon. These gems appear reddish or violetish purple in incandescent light and blue or green in daylight.
Read also: Rooting African Violet Leaves: Step-by-Step
Many purple sapphires receive heat treatments that change their primary colors to pink, since pink sapphires have higher price-per-carat values than purple.
Hidden African Gemstones Worth MILLIONS (Why No One Talks About Them)
Other Purple Gemstones Found in Africa
Besides amethyst, tanzanite and sapphire, other notable purple gemstones found in Africa include:
- Spinel: A durable gemstone known for its vibrant and varied colors, with purple spinels spanning from soft, light tones to deep, rich saturations.
- Garnet: Garnets whose chemical makeup includes the almandine species can show a dominant purple color, and are often called rhodolites by dealers.
- Jadeite: Jadeite that exhibits a purple color is called "lavender jade," and is the second most valuable variety of jadeite after green.
- Tourmaline: Known for its ability to display an impressive range of colors - including vibrant shades of purple.
Durability and Care
Gemstones have moderate hardness ratings between 5-7 on the Mohs scale. While not as durable as the everyday wear category, they still make beautiful jewelry pieces when set properly and cared for appropriately. These gems are ideal for earrings, necklaces, and special occasion rings that won't experience daily impacts.
The most durable purple gemstones suitable for everyday wear include amethyst (hardness 7) and purple sapphire (hardness 9). These gems can withstand daily wear in rings and bracelets without significant scratching or damage.
Several purple gemstones require special care:
Read also: Caring for Cabbage Patch Violets
- Kunzite's color will fade if exposed to too much light or heat and should be stored in cool, dark conditions
- Purple fluorite is quite fragile due to its softness and perfect cleavage
- Purple scapolite is relatively soft (5.5-6 hardness) and needs protective settings
Value and Rarity
A gemstone's value often lies in its scarcity. Lighter colored stones indicate lower gem quality. Although tanzanite is rarer than both diamonds and sapphire, it commands a lower price on the market.
The following table summarizes key properties of some popular purple gemstones from Africa:
| Gemstone | Hardness (Mohs Scale) | Rarity | Color Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amethyst | 7 | Common | Pale Lilac to Deep Reddish Purple |
| Tanzanite | 6.5 - 7 | Rare (Only found in Tanzania) | Blue to Violet or Purple |
| Purple Sapphire | 9 | Uncommon | Various shades of Purple |
| Spinel | 8 | Relatively Affordable | Light to Dark Purple |
| Garnet (Rhodolite) | 7 - 7.5 | Rare | Pink, Purple, Red-Purple |
Popular articles:
tags: #Africa
