Where Does Ametrine Come From?
It will come as a surprise to many, but the Anahi Mine in Southeastern Bolivia is the single source of commercial ametrine production. Also found here are amethyst, citrine, and other bicolor stones. These are a combination of citrine and clear quartz( bicolor citrine) or amethyst and clear quartz( bicolor amethyst).
The Fascinating Color of Ametrine
Ametrine occurs in a band of yellow and purple. However, neither of these colors are intense and attain only medium luster. It is for this very reason that ametrine does not exhibit intense shimmer. Synthetic ametrine, however, is known to appear intense and vivid. Natural ametrine is renowned for showing the color transition from yellow to purple. Ametrine with 50 / 50 color splits enjoys maximum popularity, and is often the most preferred.
Why is the Cut and Shape of Ametrine Important?
As there is not much choice for ametrine colors, the cutting and shaping of this gemstone become very important. Ametrine, in most cases, appears faceted. There are not many instances when the gemstone is found to be as a cabochon. Mostly, it is octagonal or rectangular cut with the stone reflecting both amethyst and citrine colors on an equal basis.
Step-style cuts are common in ametrine. Following are traditional oval and round faceted stones. Checkerboard facets are also not uncommon in the case of ametrine. However, it will be worth recounting here that Portuguese, as well as the scissor cut, have become very popular among jewelry lovers as they increase brilliance and light reflection of the stone.