Amethyst is a popular and beautiful purple variety of quartz that is highly valued for its metaphysical properties. So when an amethyst starts to fade and turn white, it’s understandable that the owner would be concerned and want to understand why it’s happening from a spiritual perspective.
What Does it Mean Spiritually if an Amethyst Turns White?
There are a few potential spiritual meanings if your amethyst begins changing color:
- Loss of vibrational energy. Amethyst is thought to vibrate at a high frequency and facilitate spiritual growth. As it fades, some believe it is losing its high vibration and associated metaphysical properties.
- Absorption of negative energy. Amethyst is considered a protective stone that can absorb negative energy. Turning white may indicate it has soaked up too much negative energy and can no longer transmute it.
- Cycle of spiritual growth. As a stone of contentment and spirituality, amethyst turning white could signal the end of a cycle of spiritual development. It may be time to replace it with a new crystal and focus on new growth.
Most sources agree that amethyst fading or turning white is a sign that it’s time to let the stone go and continue your spiritual journey with a new crystal. The white color signifies the end of its energetic work and purpose.
What Causes Amethyst to Turn White?
There are a few possible physical causes for amethyst to turn white over time:
- Heat exposure – Amethyst begins to fade when exposed to prolonged heat or high temperatures. Leaving it in bright, direct sunlight can cause the purple color to turn whitish or gray. Heating amethyst to high temperatures during tumbling or polishing can also leach the color.
- Radiation exposure – Sources of radiation like UV light and X-rays can ionize the manganese impurities in amethyst that give it purple color. This causes discoloration over time, especially on exposed stone surfaces.
- Chemical reactions – Chemicals like bleach can alter the oxidation state of manganese in amethyst and change it to colorless iron impurities. Acidic liquids can also leach out purple color.
- Physical abrasion – Rubbing and abrasive action over time can erode away the outermost purple layer of amethyst to reveal clear or whitish quartz underneath the surface.
Natural geologic processes can also bleach amethyst color over centuries if conditions change. While the spiritual meanings focus on vibration and energy, there are scientific factors that explain how amethyst fades.
Is it Permanent or Can the Color be Restored?
In most cases, amethyst turning white is a permanent change. The original purple color results from trace manganese impurities in the crystal structure. When those sensitive manganese ions get altered or leached away, the color is lost.
However, some methods may partially revive the purple color:
- Mild heat treatment around 400°C can reoxidize manganese ions and restore some purple. However, heat risks damaging the crystal.
- UV light exposure can also trigger some reoxidation of color centers. But too much UV can bleach the stone instead.
- Dying or coating a faded amethyst can mask the white color, but won’t restore the original crystal composition.
Unfortunately, once the sensitive chemistry of amethyst has been disrupted, the original vibrant purple is hard to get back through natural means. The spiritually-significant vibration is lost.
Should You Keep or Get Rid of a Discolored Amethyst?
Whether to keep or discard a faded amethyst is a personal decision that depends on your relationship with the stone. Here are some factors to consider:
- Sentimental value – If it has special meaning, you may want to keep it for significance vs. appearance.
- Energetic purpose – If used for energy work, discoloration may signal it’s done serving its metaphysical purpose.
- Aesthetics – Its faded beauty may not warrant a spot in your crystal collection or jewelry.
- Monetary value – White amethyst no longer has the deep color prized in jewelry, and loses market value.
Based on your reason for having the amethyst and how drastically the color has changed, you’ll have to decide whether a faded stone still has a place in your collection.
Tips to Prevent Amethyst Color Loss
While some fading can be inevitable over years, you can take measures to preserve your amethyst:
- Keep away from heat sources and direct sunlight to prevent bleaching.
- Store in a cool, dark place to minimize light exposure.
- Use a soft cloth to avoid abrasion during cleaning.
- Keep away from chemical cleaners, dyes, and perfumes.
- Remove during high-energy work to prevent oversaturation.
- Pair with citrine to maintain a positive vibration.
Treating your amethyst with care will help the color remain vibrant for as long as possible. However, some fading can still occur naturally over time.
Evaluating an Amethyst’s Quality
When shopping for a new amethyst, evaluating color and clarity can help find stones with better lasting power:
Quality Factor | Good | Poor |
---|---|---|
Color | Vibrant, deep purple | Pale lavender |
Clarity | Clear, transparent | Cloudy, opaque |
Cut quality | Precise faceting | Poor or uneven cuts |
Opt for stones with rich, saturated color versus pale purple, which signals inferior grade. Clearer stones also show better quality and color stability. And well-cut stones enhance color vibrancy.
Alternative Stones If Amethyst Color Fades
If your amethyst has lost its purple charm beyond recovery, don’t despair! There are several alternative purple stones that can provide similar spiritual benefits:
- Sugilite – A rare purple stone said to enhance spiritual growth and psychic abilities.
- Purple fluorite – Believed to boost intuition, enhance meditation, and provide spiritual protection.
- Charoite – A unique violet mineral that promotes inner peace and overcomes fear or negative vibrations.
- Lepidolite – A lilac lithium mica mineral that relieves stress and depression.
- Purpurite – A strongly-colored manganese oxide mineral used for spiritual connection.
These violet and purple-hued stones can provide a sense of spirituality, mysticism, and imagination for continued crystal work.
Conclusion
An amethyst fading or turning white is a natural process that can hold spiritual meaning or relate to chemical and physical changes in the stone. While the original purple color is difficult to restore once lost, keeping an amethyst out of heat and sunlight can maximize its color longevity. If its color fades beyond recovery, other vibrant purple minerals exist that can take its place in crystal work, energy healing, and spiritual practices.