Amethyst of synthetic quartz is used. Treated amethyst is produced by gamma ray, X-ray or electron beam irradiation of clear quartz (rock crystal) which has been first doped with ferric impurities. On exposure to heat, the irradiation effects can be partially cancelled and amethyst generally becomes yellow or even green, and much of the citrine, cairngorm, or yellow quartz of jewelry is said to be merely "burnt amethyst". The Greek word "amethystos" may be translated as "not drunken", from Greek "a-", "not" + "methustos", "intoxicated". Amethyst was considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness, which is why wine goblets were
Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst le Yangtse" (French) and "Vuur op de Yangtse" (Flemish/Dutch), both meaning ""Fire on the Yangtse"". The film was entered into the 1957 Cannes Film Festival. On 19 April 1949, the Royal Navy sloop HMS "Amethyst" sails up the Yangtze River on her way to Nanking, the Chinese capital, to deliver supplies to the British Embassy. Suddenly, without warning, People's Liberation Army (PLA) shore batteries open fire and after a heavy engagement, "Amethyst" lies grounded in the mud and badly damaged. attempts to tow "Amethyst" off the mud bank, but is herself hit several times and has to depart. A further