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majesty in designs

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

This month we will be taking a look at February's color, as epitomized by its birthstone amethyst. Purple is a color associated with majesty, prose, honor, and twilight shadows. It also reminds me of first grade, when I had my first argument in semantics with a teacher.

Since I was able to read, I noticed that the purple crayon in my box was not labeled purple on its wrapper -- it was labeled violet. So when the teacher asked us to use our purple crayons, I told her I did not have a purple crayon. When she came to my desk, likely thinking she was going to help me find my missing crayon, she instead found a purple crayon resting on the desk and a skeptical first-grader sitting in the desk. I informed her it was not a purple crayon, it was a violet crayon, so, therefore, I had no purple crayon. She was not pleased, thus beginning my long voyage of trying times in the educational system.

As you can see from this specimen of amethyst, the colors in it, while all purple in nature, range from the deepest hues to the most translucent shades. But whatever name you choose, this color is one of the loveliest and most versatile you can use in jewelry designs.

This natural amethyst leaf makes a lovely earring or charm. The stone is thought to encourage intuitive and psychic abilities, and is also believed to be helpful for remedying addictions and preventing nightmares. This looks especially lovely with silver accents and findings, and a milky purple textured glass bead. Add a dab of G/S Hypo Cement to the inside of your charm to keep it in place.

If you want to custom-make a design to match an article of clothing, be sure to have the clothing with you when you choose your beads. Purples can be more red-based, or more blue-based, or much lighter than you remember them. For designing with beads with more than one shade of purple, look for closely related shades, both lighter and darker.

Chinese "miracle" beads come in many shining shades, and add interest to a piece made with matte focal beads.

Traditional glass Czech firepolished beads come in lighter and darker shades of the more red-based purple, and are named the color amethyst. There are other firepolished beads in a larger variety of purple shades, but many of these are clear beads that have had a color coating applied. Some of these shades can appear more blue than purple in different types of light, especially violet and tanzanite.

G/S Hypo Cement, amethyst firepolished beads, and genuine amethyst pendants available from the Bead Peddler.

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