15 Purple Gemstones | Find Out Who They Are?

Purple gemstones have always grabbed attention and won hearts with their royal appearance, symbolism, and beauty. But did you know there are amazing lists of purple beauties beyond the well-known amethyst? Yes, there are so many other gemstones with purple or violet color, each with their unique characteristics and history. In this guide, we unveil 15 stunning purple gemstones.

Amethyst | The Classic Purple Gemstone

The most well-known purple gemstone, amethyst, is a purple variety of crystalline quartz (SiO₂) that gets its violet hue from a combination of factors, including radiation exposure, iron impurities (Fe³⁺), and sometimes other transition metals. Trace elements within the crystal lattice also contribute to its unique color through complex atomic substitutions.

Amethyst promotes good health, helps control worries and fears, and improves spiritual ability. It is a marvelous purple gemstone for all types of jewelry, from imitation to high-end fine jewelry. It is the best-selling purple gemstone, thanks to its eye-catching colors. Additionally, it is the birthstone for February. Amethyst has a good hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale. It is very similar to citrine, which is yellow quartz.

Tanzanite | The exotic color-changing wonder.

Tanzanite is an amazing gemstone because it has a few unique qualities. It is one of the few newly discovered purple gemstones and is found only in the hills of Merelani, Tanzania. Tiffany & Co. named this blue and violet type of zoisite in honor of Tanzania. Due to its pleochroism, this gemstone displays different colors depending on the viewing angle. 

This is why cutters can obtain various shades of violet according to their requirements. Additionally, it is the birthstone for December. One interesting fact about tanzanite is that the blue-dominant variety is more valuable than the purple tanzanite variety.

Purple Sapphire | The Durable Royalty

Sapphire comes in a variety of colors, one of which is purple sapphire. Since sapphire is available in different colors, it is easy to confuse purple with violet sapphire, but they are different. In recent years, purple sapphire has gained significant popularity. This purple gemstone is often compared with amethyst, but they are very different. 

Purple sapphire is more durable and lustrous than amethyst. Additionally, sapphire displays different hues of purple under varying lighting conditions. This gemstone is typically found in Sri Lanka and Madagascar. One unique aspect of sapphire is that its color comes from impurities within the crystal. It is said that many pink sapphires turn purple due to heat treatments, sometimes referred to as "rose sapphire" or "plum sapphire."

Charoite | The Mystical Swirl

According to gemology, "rock" is a material made up of various minerals in small masses. Some of these rocks have a beauty and appearance that can be compared to gemstones. One such rock is charoite, also known as "gem rock" or "lapidary rock." Charoite is composed of minerals like feldspar and quartz. 

An amazing thing about charoite is its lining inclusion with a whitish color, which gemologists refer to as "Granny Hair." Charoite gets its purple color from the charoite mineral. Due to its unique characteristics, Purple Charoite is considered a rare stone. Despite its rarity, it is relatively affordable. This rock is commonly found in Siberia and Russia.

Purple Spinel | The Underrated Treasure

A purple spinel is considered a modern August birthstone and an aesthetic purple gemstone. Spinels are durable gemstones that usually radiate vibrant colors. Purple spinels are available in a variety of shades, ranging from light to dark purple. The purple color of spinels is due to the combination of iron and chromium trace elements. 

Although it is not as popular as red, pink, and blue spinels, the purple variety is comparatively cheaper. However, its beauty is not compromised. Purple spinel is also known as "lavender spinel." With its ability to radiate vibrant colors, this gemstone is a perfect addition to any piece of jewelry. Purple spinel is commonly found in Sri Lanka and Burma.

Lepidolite | The Calming Lavender Crystal

Lepidolite is a type of crystal. It is one of the most popular and well-known members of the mica family of crystals. It is made up of lithium-aluminum-potassium minerals. The name lepidolite is derived from the Greek word "Lepidos" for sale and "Lithos" for gemstone. This crystal is found in adequate quantities throughout the world, including countries like Brazil, Madagascar, Australia, Russia, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and the US. 

It is a cabochon purple gemstone, which is only cut if it is found in the body of quartz. The belief is that lepidolite can transform the energy that affects your emotional state and make you able to work with a calmer mind. One thing worth mentioning about this stone is that it is not recommended to wear this stone if you are sensitive to lithium.

Sugilite | The Stone of Spiritual Love

Sugilite is a gemstone with a grape jelly-like purple color. It is available in a translucent to opaque appearance. This stone was discovered in 1944 on the Iwagi islet in the southwestern region of Japan. The sugilite stone consisted of small yellow crystals, which had no value in the market. 

In 1975, something was found in a manganese mine near Hotazel, South Africa. That material had sufficient manganese, which gave it a purple color, and later became the first known sugilite stone. Sugilite is also recognized by other names, depending on the type of purple color. If it is more lavender, it is called "Royal Lavullite."

Fluorite | The Rainbow Gem with Purple Magic

Fluorite gemstones are found in many beautiful colors, including purple. This gem is usually transparent to opaque. According to gemology, fluorite gemstone is known for its evenly distributed cleavage. That is what makes it a fragile stone. Therefore, any kind of fluorite, including purple fluorite, should have a protective setting in jewelry, like a bezel or halo setting. 

Purple fluorite is known for its mental benefits. It is believed that this purple gemstone is beneficial for protecting the mind and maintaining discipline. It is also an intuition booster as well as a stress reliever. Additionally, it can radiate different colors in a single stone.

Kunzite | The Romantic Lilac Gem

Kunzite is named after the famous gemologist George Frederick Kunz, the man who first discovered a unique variety of spodumene. Kunzite is a popular variety of the mineral called spodumene. This stone also gets its purple color because of the trace amounts of manganese. This stone first gained attention in 1902. 

Kunzite comes in a range of colors from pink to violetish purple. It is normally found in large sizes and is typically found in mines in Afghanistan, Brazil, Madagascar, and the US. Kunzite, a purple gemstone, normally exhibits two perfect cleavage directions. This stone gives a more purple color if cut deep.

Purple Garnet | The Rare and Fiery Sparkle

Purple garnet is the type of garnet gemstone that is the January birthstone. Garnet contains an element called almandine, which can show a strong purple color. Purple garnet gemstones are known by dealers as rhodolite. This stone is not as hard as other famous stones like sapphire and ruby, but still, it is sufficiently durable to be used in jewelry. 

 Purple garnet is also known as umbilicate garnet. It shows an amazing purple hue that changes color from grape purple to cranberry purple when light is applied. This purple gemstone is one of the rarest gemstones in the world and is only found in Mozambique. Purple garnet is often used in healing therapy to acquire good health, positivity, ambition, passion, and self-constructive behavior.

Alexandrite | The Color-Changing Marvel

Alexandrite is a very unique stone because of its color-changing ability. This stone is like an emerald during the day and a ruby at night. It is a variety of the mineral chrysoberyl. Its natural color can be green in natural daylight but changes to brownish or purplish once light from a lamp or candle is applied. Other gems change color with the source of light, but the effect in this gemstone is known as the "alexandrite effect.". 

The first alexandrite was found in 1830 in the Ural Mountains of Russia. This gem is named after the young Alexander II. Now, this marvelous gemstone is worn as the birthstone for June.

Purple Tourmaline | The Versatile Gem

Tourmaline, an October birthstone, is available in almost all colors, including purple. Purple tourmaline gets its purple color because of certain impurities like copper and manganese. Purple-colored tourmaline is generally found in Brazil and some parts of Africa, like Mozambique and Nigeria. Purple tourmaline gemstone is also used to make “paraiba tourmaline” by using heat treatment. Purple-colored tourmaline is usually cheaper than other colors of tourmaline, like red and pink. The tourmaline stone is known for its cat's eye effect on cabochon surfaces.

Lavender Jade | The Stone of Serenity

Jadeite stone that reflects a purple color is called "lavender jade." It is rich in pyroxene and aluminum. Apart from this, nephrite is also called jade, but only jadeite naturally creates a purple color. Lavender color is the second most valuable and popular variety of jadeite after greenish. Jade often displays unorganized colors. Only the best jade stones have a uniform color. 

An amazing fact about jade is that it is able to create sharper edges than iron. Jade has deep historical value and has been admired for thousands of years, particularly in Asian cultures, because of its beauty and properties. It is so soft that it can be carved into art pieces. It is available in semi-transparent to opaque forms and falls under the category of the rarest gemstones in the world. To many people, lavender jade is a purple gemstone that is considered to be an honorary birthstone.

Purple Agate | The Layered Beauty

Purple agate is a unique purple gemstone with a deep purple color. It is part of the agate family, which is made up of quartz crystals uniformly organized in layers. Purple agate is made with silicon dioxide and has a microcrystalline structure. It has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale and generally comes in opaque to transparent forms. 

Purple agate is commonly found in igneous rock. It is believed that this gemstone is helpful for sickness related to the stomach, uterus, and pancreas. It is often confused with amethyst due to its similar hue and appearance. However, amethyst has a lighter purple shade compared to purple agate. Several types of purple agate exist, such as purple moss agate, purple lace agate, and purple flower agate.

Grape Agate | The Unique Botryoidal Gem

Grape agate is another name for purple aggregates of small quartz crystals with a botryoidal, or spherical, habit that looks like grapes. This unique purple gemstone is found in Indonesia and some parts of the West Green River in Utah, United States. Grape agate is not an agate, but rather a purple chalcedony. As this stone is only found in a few places, it is considered to be a rare gemstone. Grape agate is a good purple gemstone for deep focus, concentration, and meditation, as it promotes calmness, peace, and wisdom.

Conclusions | Purple Gemstones

Exploring these 15 purple gemstones is like entering a world of wonder, with each gem sharing its own story. From the classic beauty of amethyst to the rare sparkle of purple garnet, there’s a purple gem to match every style and personality. I’ve always admired the swirling patterns of charoite — they look like they hold an entire universe inside. Whether you want spiritual calm, romantic charm, or a bold statement, these gems are here to help (and add to your jewelry collection!). Which one do you like most? Whatever you choose, every purple gemstone adds a bit of magic to your life.

FAQs About Purple Gemstones

What are the natural purple gemstones?

There are so many purple gemstones that do exist, but the few most popular purple gemstones are, Amethyst, Purple Garnet, Alexandrite, Purple Sapphire, and Purple Tourmaline.

What are precious purple gemstones?

There are only four precious gemstones, Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, In this case, Purple Sapphire is the only precious purple gemstone.

What are the rarest purple gemstones?

Some of the rarest purple gemstones are Taafeit, Purple Sapphire, Grape agate, Sugilite, and Lavender Jade.

Is amethyst the only purple crystal?

No amethyst isn't the only purple crystal, some other purple crystals are purple fluorite, tanzanite, Purple Garnet, Purple Spinel, Purple Topaz.

By Golden bird jewels

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