Amethyst

Piedra Parada, Tatatila Municipality, Veracruz, Mexico

A fan of slender, transparent amethyst crystals rising from a sparkling gray matrix, the classic Veracruz style at its best. The central crystal measures 3.5 cm. Each crystal starts colorless to milky at the base and deepens to purple toward the tip, where the color is most intense. Glassy faces with fine growth steps catch the light along the full length of the crystals. The group comes from Piedra Parada in the municipality of Tatatila, Veracruz, the true source of the amethyst long sold under the name “Las Vigas”. Las Vigas de Ramírez, about 10 km to the south, is the town where the material is gathered and traded. Michael Menzies discusses the locality in his article on amethyst in Mineralica 2025-1. This group shows what makes Veracruz amethyst so sought after: clarity, color, and an elegant, open arrangement on matrix. Literature: Mineralica 2025-1, pp. 10–30: https://mineralica.com/en/magazine/issues/2025-1#flipbook