The Blu Print: Royally Purple

Okay, who does not like purple? I know a few of us use it in a majority of our designs, and why not? Purple is the color of royalty because it was so expensive to produce. Remember my Snail Spit post a few years ago? http://bmebluprint.blogspot.com/2013/04/oh-snail-spit-and-drama.html

Here are some of the most expensive purple stones I could find.

Alexandrite

This stone is capable of changing colors and is derived from chrysoberyl. It may appear purple at night, but green during the day. It can run $45,000 per carat. It is the birthstone of the June babies.

Alexandrite

Taaffeite

This purple gemstone was not even discovered to be purple until it was cut open and faceted. It is also available in red. It is considered the rarest of all gemstones.

Taaffeite

Purple Garnet

Most people are familiar with the red garnet, but there is a purple version of this pretty stone. It is the blue garnet (which is the rarest of garnets) under an incandescent light. It can run $3,000 a carat. The garnet is a January birthstone.

Purple Garnet

Tanzanite

This is one of my all time favs. It was discovered in Tanzania in 1967, and up until then, the blue version was the most commonly seen. It is a variety of the zoisite and today’s December baby gets to claim it as theirs.

Tanzanite

Purple Apatite

This group of minerals are a good source of phosphorus and commonly found in fertilizer. Apatite is usually found as a green stone, but the purple version is a translucent or transparent stone that has a glassy luster and a lot of clarity.

Purple Apatite

In addition to these lovely and expensive purples, we have the most commonly used purple stones like amethyst, purple flourite, purple topaz, agate, chalcedony, jade and jasper. Most of us use some form of these purples when we design jewelry.

Here are some even more lovely lavenders to enjoy! Get out on the royal side and buy them all!