Amethyst Amethyst Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz. The name comes from the Koine Greek ἀμέθυστος "amethystos" from ἀ- "a-", "not" and μεθύσκω "methysko" / μεθύω "methyo", "intoxicate", a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness. The ancient Greeks wore amethyst and carved drinking vessels from it in the belief that it would prevent intoxication. Amethyst is a semiprecious stone often used in jewelry and is the traditional birthstone for February. Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz (SiO) and owes its violet color to irradiation, iron impurities (in some cases in conjunction with transition
HMS Amethyst (1873) HMS Amethyst (1873) HMS "Amethyst" was the lead ship of the s built for the Royal Navy in the early 1870s. She participated in the Third Anglo-Ashanti War in 1873 before serving as the senior officer's ship for the South American side of the South Atlantic. The ship was transferred to the Pacific Station in 1875 and fought in the Battle of Pacocha against the rebellious Peruvian ironclad warship "Huáscar" two years later. This made her the only British wooden sailing ship ever to fight an armoured opponent. After a lengthy refit, "Amethyst" again served as the senior officer's ship