|
|
Article: Green quartz: hail to pale.(GEM PROFILE)
- Article from:
- Modern Jeweler
- Article date:
- June 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Cygnus Business Media. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
A new gamma-greened Brazilian quartz has become the most popular member of the extensive gem family since dusty blue chalcedony took the fashion world by storm some years back. As this newcomer has become a market sensation, dealers and designers have sought to capitalize on its family ties by naming it "green amethyst."
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
There's only one trouble with this trade name. It's already taken. Well, sort of.
According to gemologist Robert Webster, heated amethyst that turned leek-green was sold as prasiolite in the 1950s. Prase is a long-established color word that refers to green and greenish quartz. Since the new green quartz ...