8 Differences Between Amethyst And Pink Amethyst

If you’re wondering what makes pink amethyst different from purple amethyst, keep reading.

The biggest difference between pink amethyst and amethyst is the impurities that give them each color: both are quartz, but hematite makes pink amethyst pink and iron turns amethyst purple.

This is the most obvious difference between pink and purple amethyst, but there are a few other interesting things that make these crystals quite different.

Read on to find out what these are and also what makes them similar to each other.

8 differences between amethyst and pink amethyst

Below are eight differences between amethyst and pink amethyst. These differences will help you understand each crystal better and identify one from the other, if possible.

Amethyst and pink amethyst come from different places

Purple amethyst is a relatively common gemstone and is found in various regions across the world, mostly in Brazil, Uruguay, Zambia, Madagascar, Canada, and the US (in states like Arizona, Colorado, and Montana).

Pink amethyst is rare because it is found in one place only – Patagonia, South America. This area falls within Chile and Argentina, and the only pink amethyst mines are in Argentina.

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This rarity is one of the things that makes pink amethyst so valuable. Click here to find out all the things that increase its value (and price).

Real pink amethyst does not come from Brazil, as many people believe. Amethyst from Brazil that’s pink is called “rose amethyst”.

Purple amethyst was found long before pink amethyst

Purple amethyst has been used by people for thousands of years, dating back to ancient times, while pink amethyst is a new discovery in the world of gemstones.

Purple amethyst has been mined and used as a gemstone for over 2,000 years.

Ancient Greeks and Romans prized amethyst for its beauty and believed it had healing and protective properties. Purple amethyst has been used in jewelry, amulets, and other decorative items by many cultures throughout history.

Pink amethyst was discovered recently, around 2017, in Argentina. If you want to know more, read this guide to pink amethyst.

It quickly became popular because of its beautiful color and limited availability, and it’s now used in jewelry, crystal healing, and metaphysical practices.

Different minerals give amethyst and pink amethyst their color

All quartz, including amethyst and pink amethyst, is made up of the same basic elements. But there is a difference in how quartz gets its color.

Pure quartz is clear, without any color. All other quartz is usually colored by impurities or minerals that get inside the crystals when they form.

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Amethyst is purple because iron makes the crystal this color. Pink amethyst gets its pale pink hue from hematite, an iron oxide.

You can read about all the surprising things that make amethyst purple and different shades of purple in this blog post.

Amethyst and pink amethyst have different patterns

When crystals are mined or found in nature, they are rough and jagged. These are raw crystals. The smooth crystals you see in shops and in jewelry have been tumbled, to make them that way.

A rock tumbler rolls raw crystals over and over, until they are rounder, smooth, and shiny. If you look closely at a tumbled crystal, you’ll often see swirls or different colors inside.

Hold tumbled purple amethyst next to pink amethyst and you’ll see that their patterns and shades differ as follows:

• Purple amethyst typically has shades of purple in it, from light lavender to deep violet. Color zones or bands are also common, especially if the amethyst is large enough to show them. These variations create interesting patterns and swirls, which are usually a result of minerals or impurities getting into the crystal while it formed.
• Pink amethyst usually has a more even and consistent coloring, without many swirls or color zones. Pink amethyst tends to have a soft, pastel pink hue, with white or burgundy swirls if there are any.    

Pink amethyst is more expensive than purple amethyst

The price of amethyst depends on several factors, such as color, clarity, cut, carat weight, and overall quality.

It is cheapest to buy crystals directly from online retailers, wholesalers, and sometimes from markets (though you probably won’t find a rare pink amethyst there).

As a general rule, pink amethyst is more expensive than purple amethyst mostly because it is rarer and found only in one place (read more about Patagonia here).

You can expect to pay between $20 and $300 for a pink amethyst geode, depending on its size. Purple amethyst geodes of the same sizes usually cost anywhere from $5 to $50.

Amethyst and pink amethyst are different birthstones

Birthstone associations depend on different sources and interpretations, and individuals may choose to associate any gemstone, including amethyst, with their birth month based on personal preferences, beliefs, or cultural traditions.

That said, there are differences in birthstone associations between purple amethyst and pink amethyst.

Purple amethyst is the traditional birthstone for the month of February.

It has been widely recognized as the birthstone for February in many modern and traditional birthstone lists, including the official birthstone list published by the American Gem Society (AGS) in the US and the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) in the UK.

Purple amethyst is often used in jewelry, gifts, and personal accessories for people born in February, or those who resonate with the symbolism and properties attributed to amethyst as a birthstone.

Pink amethyst, being a new and rare stone, does not have a widely recognized birthstone association. As a result, it may not be commonly used or recognized as a birthstone for any specific month in most official birthstone lists or traditions.

Here’s my awesome list of the zodiac signs that should still wear pink amethyst and why.

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Amethyst and pink amethyst bring different gifts

Purple amethyst and pink amethyst are believed to have different properties and meanings in crystal healing and metaphysical practices.

Purple amethyst is often associated with calming and balancing the mind, enhancing spiritual awareness, promoting sobriety, and aiding in meditation and sleep. Here’s a guided amethyst meditation.

Pink amethyst, on the other hand, is often associated with promoting love, compassion, emotional healing, fertility, and self-care.

Pink amethyst is believed to bring its owner comfort, stability, and greater awareness. Those who take advantage of the benefits of pink amethyst report that it helps them get through sad times, when there is great heartache.

Here’s how to meditate with pink amethyst.

If you are using crystals for gifts like these, it’s important to first cleanse and regularly charge them.

Here’s how to cleanse and charge a purple amethyst, and here’s how to cleanse and charge a pink amethyst.

Amethyst is used in face rollers, pink amethyst isn’t

Purple amethyst is sometimes used in face rollers, a popular beauty product. Pink amethyst is never used in face rollers – probably because it is too rare and expensive.

Face rollers are beauty tools that are believed to have skincare benefits. They have a cylindrical-shaped crystal roller on a metal handle, and the crystal is rolled over the face and neck while holding the handle.

Here’s a popular amethyst face roller set that’s available on Amazon.

Purple amethyst face rollers are believed to bring calming energy, stress relief, and relaxation.

It’s said that these rollers help to relax facial muscles, stimulate blood circulation, and promote lymphatic drainage, which improves the appearance of the skin and reduces puffiness.

The coolness of the amethyst roller can also provide a soothing and refreshing sensation on the skin, which may help to reduce redness and inflammation.

Table of differences between amethyst and pink amethyst

Below is a table with a summary of all the differences between amethyst and pink amethyst:

AMETHYST	PINK AMETHYST
Amethyst is mined in many places across the world, such as Brazil, Uruguay, Zambia, Madagascar, Canada, and the USA	Pink amethyst is mined in Patagonia, Argentina
Amethyst has been used for over 2,000 years, dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans	Pink amethyst is a recent discovery, and was only found around 2017
Amethyst is purple because iron turns the quartz this color	Pink amethyst gets its pale pink hue from hematite, an iron oxide
Amethyst has shades of purple and color zones in it, which create swirls	Pink amethyst sometimes has dark red or burgundy and white swirls on its light pink coloring
A regular amethyst geode costs anything from $5 to $50	Expect to pay between $20 and $300 for a regular pink amethyst geode
Amethyst is one of the birthstones for February	Pink amethyst is a new discovery, so it’s never been made an official birthstone
Purple amethyst calms and balances the mind, and aids meditation and sleep	Pink amethyst is connected to self-care, comfort, and healing
Purple amethyst is used in some face rollers	Pink amethyst is never used in face rollers (that I know of)

Similarities between amethyst and pink amethyst

Despite all the differences between amethyst and pink amethyst, the two crystals do share a lot of the same traits.

Both purple amethyst and pink amethyst…

• belong to the quartz family
• are semi-precious gemstones
• are a level 7 on the mineral hardness scale (MOHS). This means they cannot be scratched by a knife but can be scratched by harder stones or minerals, such as diamonds
• have a glass-like luster when polished, which gives them a similar shiny appearance
• share the same hexagonal crystal structure, which is a common characteristic of quartz crystals
• have a refractive index of 1.54 to 1.55, which is a measure of how much light bends when passing through the gemstone
• have no distinct cleavage, which means they don’t break along specific planes or directions
• show consistent colors when viewed from different angles (some gemstones show different colors, which is referred to as pleochroism)
• can be polished and cut to make jewelry, including rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets
• can be enjoyed as décor in the home

Is pink amethyst real?

Pink amethyst is a real crystal that is mined in Argentina. It is marketed and sold in the crystal community as a special form of amethyst. Some geological experts think that pink amethyst is a real amethyst, but other experts do not agree with this.

Let’s take a look at both sides of the argument:

Many people who sell crystals call pink crystals from Argentina “pink amethyst”. Sceptics say that calling these pink pieces amethysts is simply a marketing trick to make people think they are unique and rare, so customers want them and are willing to pay more for them.

Many experts do not consider pink amethyst to be real amethyst.

Quartz comes in many colors, and the name of the quartz tells you what color the quartz is. Citrine is yellow or brown quartz and amethyst is purple quartz.

So the name “amethyst” tells us that the quartz is purple, because amethyst means purple.

You cannot have a pink stone called purple. When you call it “pink amethyst” you are calling the crystal “pink purple”, so is it pink or is it purple?

Well, that’s the other side of the argument…

Those who think that pink amethyst is real argue that the pale pink color is a light shade of purple, so it is a pink purple and is rightfully called a pink amethyst.

Some experts have studied pink amethyst and agree that these pieces are, in fact, pink-colored amethyst. Pink amethysts are closer in structure to amethyst than rose quartz.

This is because similar impurities that give amethyst its shades of purple give pink amethyst its pale pink color, so it is a true amethyst even if it’s pink and not purple.

If you want to know how to find out if a pink amethyst is real or fake, click here.

Whether you think pink amethyst is a true amethyst or not, it is a beautiful crystal nonetheless and becoming more and more popular.