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
Amethyst Incident Amethyst Incident The "Amethyst" Incident, also known as the Yangtze Incident, was a historic event which involved the Royal Navy ship HMS "Amethyst" on the Yangtze River for three months during the Chinese Civil War in the summer of 1949. On 20 April 1949, HMS "Amethyst", commanded by Lieutenant Commander Bernard Skinner, was on her way from Shanghai to Nanking to replace , which was standing as guard ship for the British Embassy there during the Chinese Civil War between the nationalist Kuomintang led Republic of China and the Communist Party led People's Republic of China. According to the Royal