Marcus Tempus
A beautifully pale flash of green, cut to catch every angle of the light.
This elegant 9ct yellow gold necklace centres on a generously sized green amethyst, shaped in a striking octagonal fancy cut that creates a crisp, almost starburst pattern through the gemstone.
Its delicate mint-green colour gives the piece a wonderfully fresh character, while the minimal four-claw setting allows the unusual cut to remain completely visible. Against warm yellow gold, the result feels clean, contemporary and quietly luxurious.
Part of The Gemstone Gift Edit.
We love this piece because the gemstone does almost all the work.
The pale green tone is understated rather than loud, but the intricate fancy cut gives it incredible visual interest as the facets move through the light. There’s very little metal surrounding the stone, so the colour and geometry remain the focus.
It’s also a lovely alternative for someone who likes green gemstones but wants something softer than emerald, chrome diopside or green sapphire.
The House of Gemstones
Amethyst is loved for its unmistakable purple colour, from soft lilac and lavender through to velvety violet and deep royal purple.
Its beauty, durability and variety make it one of the most versatile coloured gemstones, equally at home in delicate everyday jewellery and bold statement pieces.
Nature’s Artistry
Amethyst commonly forms as purple crystals lining cavities and geodes within volcanic rock.Clean amethyst with lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid sudden temperature changes, hard impacts and prolonged exposure to intense sunlight.
Understanding Amethyst Colour
Soft, airy purple with a delicate pastel character.
A balanced medium purple with attractive brightness.
Rich saturation that remains lively rather than overly dark.
Purple with warm red flashes, often attractive under incandescent light.
Origins and Character
A major source producing crystals in a broad range of sizes and purple tones.
Often associated with smaller crystals showing rich, deep purple colour.
Known for deeply saturated material with attractive blue or red flashes.
Famous for ametrine, where amethyst and citrine occur in the same crystal.
Two Colours, One Crystal
Ametrine is a natural variety of quartz displaying both purple amethyst and golden-yellow citrine in the same gemstone.
The cutter carefully positions the natural colour boundary so both tones remain visible and interact attractively in the finished stone. No two ametrines share exactly the same division of colour.
Understanding Treatment
Most amethyst is sold in its natural purple colour. Heat may be used to lighten the colour or transform suitable material into yellow, orange or greenish quartz varieties.
The characteristic purple colour developed naturally within the quartz crystal.
Controlled heating may change the colour, sometimes producing citrine-like tones.
Synthetic amethyst has the same basic composition but is created under laboratory conditions.
Marcus Tempus Gemstone Selection
We select amethyst for colour, transparency, brilliance and overall character. We favour stones that remain lively in normal light, whether softly lavender or richly saturated purple.
Marcus Tempus Bespoke
Amethyst jewellery can be created around your preferred shade, gemstone shape and precious metal. Where the design allows, we can also discuss ametrine, pale lavender quartz or complementary gemstones.
Availability varies according to colour, shape, size and stone dimensions. Natural colour zoning may be visible, and some designs may require small adjustments to suit the selected stone.
Enquire About Bespoke Options →Amethyst Questions
Its purple colour is linked to iron-related colour centres within quartz.
Yes, with sensible care. It has a Mohs hardness of 7 but should still be protected from hard knocks.
Prolonged exposure to strong sunlight or heat may lighten some stones.
Ametrine is quartz showing both purple amethyst and yellow citrine in the same crystal.
No. Fine colour should be rich while still allowing brilliance and light return.
Yes. Amethyst is the traditional birthstone for February.
