Scorpio Horoscope Gemstones

Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz, coloured by traces of iron combined with natural irradiation deep in the rock. The shade ranges from a faint lilac to the deep reddish purple that dealers call Siberian, and a single crystal often carries several tones in bands or patches. It grows in geodes, hollow pockets lined with pointed crystals, and a cracked-open amethyst geode is one of the most recognisable objects in any mineral shop.

The name comes from the Greek amethystos, meaning not intoxicated. Greeks and Romans believed a cup carved from the stone, or an amethyst worn while drinking, kept a person clear-headed through a long evening. In the Christian church it became the stone of bishops, set in rings as a sign of sober judgement, and it stayed among the most valuable gems in Europe until vast deposits were found in Brazil and Uruguay in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which brought the price within everyone's reach.

One practical detail matters for anyone who owns a piece: the purple is not permanent under strong light. Amethyst left on a sunny windowsill slowly loses colour and can turn pale grey or brownish, so it is kept in the shade when it is not being worn.

Properties of amethyst

• It is traditionally regarded as a stone of sobriety and self-command, in keeping with the meaning of its name.

• Folk belief holds that it quiets a restless mind at the end of the day and is placed near the bed for that reason.

• According to old sources, it supports anyone trying to break a habit they have grown tired of.

• It is said to take the edge off tension headaches brought on by a long, noisy day.

• Traditional accounts link it with vivid, memorable dreams and with the ability to recall them.

• It has long been treated as a stone of intuition, thought to sharpen a person's first instinct about others.

• In stone lore it is believed to cool anger and to slow down a reaction one might regret.

• Older writers recommended it for meditation and for any practice that asks for stillness.

• Popular belief associates it with grief, and it was given to those sitting with a loss.

• It is said to help a person keep their own counsel in an argument rather than be swept along.

• Folk tradition connects it with modest, unshowy dignity, which is why it suited clerical rings.

• It was carried by travellers as a guard against exhaustion on long journeys.

• Traditional belief holds that it clears heavy, stagnant atmospheres in a room.

• It is thought to encourage honest self-assessment without cruelty towards oneself.

• Old handbooks describe it as a stone that helps a decision settle overnight.

Amethyst stands for clarity, restraint and quiet inner authority. It appeals to people who think for a living, who are trying to steady a habit, or who want a stone that calms without making them sleepy. The uses described here belong to tradition and folk belief and are not a substitute for medical advice.

Hardness: 7

Composition: SiO₂

Specific gravity: 2.65

Chakras: Third eye, Crown

Care: Clean with lukewarm water and a soft brush. Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight, as the colour fades.

Garnet is not one mineral but a whole family of related silicates that share a crystal structure while differing in composition. The deep red almandine and pyrope are the best known, but the group also includes the orange spessartine, the vivid green tsavorite and demantoid, and the honey-toned hessonite. The name comes from the Latin granatum, the pomegranate, because a cluster of small red crystals in their host rock looks strikingly like the seeds of that fruit.

Garnet has one of the longest continuous histories of any gem. Egyptian jewellery used it five thousand years ago, Roman signet rings were carved from it, and the Anglo-Saxon goldsmiths who made the Sutton Hoo treasures set thin slices of it over gold foil. Bohemia, in today's Czech Republic, gave its name to the small bright pyropes that filled nineteenth-century European jewellery boxes. India, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Madagascar and several African countries supply the modern market.

It is a practical stone as well as a handsome one. Garnet is hard enough for daily wear, it takes a fine polish, and its darker varieties are so tough that crushed garnet is used industrially as an abrasive and in waterjet cutting.

Properties of garnet

• It is traditionally described as a stone of vitality that answers a period of flatness with energy.

• Folk belief holds that it warms the body and the spirits in cold, dark months.

• According to old sources, it was carried by travellers as a light in the dark and a guard on the road.

• It is said to strengthen loyalty between partners and between old friends.

• Traditional accounts link it with courage and with the will to defend what matters.

• In stone lore it is believed to support the circulation and a healthy colour in the face.

• It has long been associated with passion and with the return of desire after a dull spell.

• Popular belief connects it with commitment, which is why it appeared so often in betrothal rings.

• Older writers recommended it to those recovering their strength after a demanding stretch.

• It is thought to help a person hold a boundary without losing their temper.

• Folk tradition treats it as a charm against the exhaustion of long, thankless work.

• It was worn by merchants as a stone of steady, hard-won prosperity.

• Traditional belief holds that it turns gratitude into a habit rather than a gesture.

• It is said to make a person more generous with praise and less sparing with warmth.

Garnet symbolises devotion, warmth and staying power. It appeals to people who give a great deal to others, to those who want a hard-wearing stone with real depth of colour, and to anyone drawn to a gem with five thousand years of history behind it. The uses described here belong to tradition and folk belief and are not a substitute for medical advice.

Hardness: 7 - 7.5

Composition: Fe₃Al₂(SiO₄)₃

Specific gravity: 3.4 - 4.3

Chakras: Root, Sacral

Care: Clean with lukewarm water and a soft brush, then dry well. Sunlight does not harm it.

Tiger's eye is quartz with a silky, moving band of light running across it. The effect, called chatoyancy, comes from parallel fibres of an older mineral that were gradually replaced by silica while keeping their fibrous alignment. Light reflecting off those fibres gathers into a bright stripe that slides as the stone is turned, exactly like the slit pupil of a cat. The classic colour is golden brown with darker bands, though heat and natural oxidation also produce red tiger's eye, and the blue-grey form is known as hawk's eye.

The great source is the Northern Cape of South Africa, where the stone occurs in ancient banded ironstone. Western Australia, India, Brazil, Namibia and Myanmar supply material too. Because it cuts and polishes well and costs little, tiger's eye became a staple of men's jewellery in the twentieth century, particularly in cufflinks, signet rings and cabochon-set bracelets.

The stone must be cut as a domed cabochon with the fibres running the right way, otherwise the eye does not appear at all. A well-cut piece shows a single sharp line down the centre of the dome, and that craftsmanship is most of what separates a good specimen from an ordinary one.

Properties of tiger's eye

• It is traditionally worn as a stone of courage, taking its reputation from the animal it is named after.

• Folk belief holds that it protects the wearer from ill will, since the eye is said to watch back.

• According to old sources, Roman soldiers carried it into battle for boldness and safe return.

• It is said to sharpen practical judgement when money is involved.

• Traditional accounts link it with willpower and with resisting a tempting shortcut.

• In stone lore it is believed to help a person see through flattery to what is really being asked.

• It has a reputation for balancing extremes of mood, neither over-excited nor flat.

• Popular belief connects it with confidence in front of an audience.

• Older writers recommended it to those beginning a business or taking a calculated risk.

• It is thought to steady the nerves before a decision that cannot be undone.

• Folk tradition treats it as a charm for good luck in trade and negotiation.

• It is said to help a person keep their aim in view during a long project.

• Traditional belief holds that it eases self-doubt in someone with real ability.

• It was carried by travellers as protection on unfamiliar roads.

Tiger's eye symbolises courage, clear judgement and self-reliance. It suits people making decisions under pressure, anyone starting out in business, and those who want a striking stone that wears well every day. The uses described here belong to tradition and folk belief and are not a substitute for medical advice.

Hardness: 7

Composition: SiO₂

Specific gravity: 2.58 - 2.64

Chakras: Sacral, Solar plexus

Care: Clean with lukewarm water and a soft brush, then dry well. Sunlight does not harm it.

Coral is an organic gem, built by living animals rather than formed in rock. Colonies of tiny polyps deposit a hard skeleton of calcium carbonate branch by branch, and it is that skeleton, once cleaned and polished, that becomes jewellery. Precious coral is a deep red to soft pink, and the pale variety known as angel skin is the most valued of all. Because it is a biological structure, coral is soft, light and shows a fine grain along the branch when it is examined closely.

Mediterranean red coral has been fished since prehistory, and the town of Torre del Greco near Naples has been the centre of the craft since the eighteenth century, employing whole generations of carvers. Coral cameos, beads and branch necklaces reached every corner of Europe from there. Japanese and Taiwanese waters supply the pink and white varieties. Coral populations are now under real pressure, and responsibly sourced or antique material has become the sensible choice.

Care matters more with coral than with almost any other gem. It is calcium carbonate, so acid attacks it directly: lemon juice, vinegar, perfume and even perspiration will etch the polish. It should never be soaked, and a soft dry cloth after wearing is the correct treatment.

Properties of coral

• It is traditionally given to children as a first protective charm, a custom recorded across the Mediterranean.

• Folk belief holds that a red coral branch turns away the evil eye.

• According to old sources, it was worn by mothers as a stone of nurture and family bonds.

• It is said to warm a cautious temperament and make affection easier to show.

• Traditional accounts link it with the blood and with a healthy, lively colour.

• In stone lore it is believed to protect travellers crossing water.

• It has a reputation for steadying emotions that swing too quickly.

• Popular belief connects it with fertility and with the wish for a growing household.

• Older writers recommended it to those recovering their strength slowly.

• It is thought to encourage a sense of belonging in someone new to a community.

• Folk tradition treats it as a stone of quiet endurance, since the colony builds over centuries.

• It was hung above a cradle in Italian custom to keep bad dreams away.

• Traditional belief holds that it softens grief without hurrying it.

• It is said to strengthen the tie between a person and the sea.

Coral symbolises protection, family and the patient work of building something living. It suits people who look after others, anyone drawn to warm organic materials, and those who like jewellery with a Mediterranean history. The uses described here belong to tradition and folk belief and are not a substitute for medical advice.

Hardness: 3 - 4

Composition: CaCO₃

Specific gravity: 2.60 - 2.70

Chakras: Root, Sacral

Care: Do not soak in water, as the stone is porous. Wipe with a soft dry cloth and keep out of direct sunlight.

Obsidian is volcanic glass. When lava rich in silica cools so fast that its atoms have no time to arrange themselves into crystals, the result is a natural glass with no crystal structure at all. It is usually jet black and glossy, but there are beautiful variants: snowflake obsidian with white sprays of cristobalite, mahogany obsidian streaked with iron-stained brown, and the rare rainbow and sheen varieties that flash gold or violet where microscopic bubbles lie in layers.

Because glass breaks along smooth curved surfaces, obsidian can be flaked to an edge only a few molecules thick, sharper than a surgical scalpel. That property made it one of the most important materials in the ancient world. Anatolian obsidian from around Çatalhöyük was traded across the Near East nine thousand years ago and polished into the earliest mirrors; the Aztecs set it into the blades of the macuahuitl and into the divining mirrors of the god Tezcatlipoca. Mexico, Iceland, Turkey, Italy and the western United States all have significant deposits.

The same sharpness means broken pieces need respect. Obsidian is not very hard and chips easily if knocked against a hard surface, so a polished piece is best stored on its own.

Properties of obsidian

• It is traditionally treated as a mirror stone that shows a person what they have been avoiding.

• Folk belief holds that it forms a shield against ill will directed at the wearer.

• According to old sources, polished obsidian discs were used for scrying and quiet reflection.

• It is said to cut through self-deception the way its edge cuts through anything else.

• Traditional accounts link it with the base of the body and with a firm sense of one's own limits.

• In stone lore it is believed to absorb the residue of a tense encounter.

• It has a reputation for supporting someone working through an old and difficult memory.

• Popular belief connects it with clean endings, and it was carried when a chapter had to close.

• Older writers recommended it to those who take on other people's moods too readily.

• It is thought to help a person say no without a long explanation.

• Folk tradition treats it as a stone of truth-telling, however unwelcome.

• It was set at thresholds and doorways as a guard for the household.

• Traditional belief holds that it grounds a person after an emotional shock.

• It is said to make solitude feel restorative rather than lonely.

Obsidian symbolises protection, honesty and the courage to look directly at things. It appeals to people doing inner work, to anyone who prefers a dramatic black stone, and to those drawn to a material that shaped human history long before metal did. The uses described here belong to tradition and folk belief and are not a substitute for medical advice.

Hardness: 5 - 5.5

Composition: SiO₂ (volcanic glass)

Specific gravity: 2.35 - 2.60

Chakras: Root

Care: Clean with lukewarm water and a soft brush, then dry well. Sunlight does not harm it.

Rose quartz is the pink variety of quartz, and its colour is unusually gentle: a hazy, milky blush rather than a sharp tone. Traces of titanium, iron or manganese are responsible, and microscopic mineral fibres running through the stone scatter light, which is why rose quartz is nearly always cloudy rather than transparent. Occasionally those fibres line up well enough to produce a soft six-rayed star when the stone is cut as a dome.

Most of the world's rose quartz comes from Brazil and Madagascar, with important material from South Dakota and Namibia. It occurs in massive form inside pegmatites, in blocks large enough to carve into bowls, spheres and figures, and it has been shaped since antiquity. Assyrian and Roman jewellers used it, and it never entirely went out of fashion, though it became especially popular in the twentieth century as an affordable and instantly recognisable stone.

Like amethyst, rose quartz fades. A piece kept in a sunny window loses its blush over months and cannot recover it, so it is displayed away from direct light. Otherwise it is hard-wearing and easy to look after.

Properties of rose quartz

• It is traditionally known above all as the stone of love in its broadest sense, not only romance.

• Folk belief holds that it softens a heart that has grown guarded after disappointment.

• According to old sources, it was given between friends as a token of lasting affection.

• It is said to encourage kindness towards oneself, which the tradition treats as the first step.

• Traditional accounts link it with the heart and with an even, unforced warmth.

• In stone lore it is believed to ease the sharpness of a recent loss.

• It has a reputation for calming a household where tempers have been short.

• Popular belief connects it with reconciliation after a falling-out.

• Older writers recommended it to those who find it hard to accept help.

• It is thought to support restful sleep when kept near the bed.

• Folk tradition treats it as a charm for a peaceful home rather than a passionate one.

• It was placed in a child's room as a stone of comfort.

• Traditional belief holds that it helps a person forgive without pretending nothing happened.

• It is said to make an apology easier to accept as well as easier to give.

Rose quartz symbolises tenderness, forgiveness and gentle recovery. It suits people healing from a difficult period, anyone who wants a soft and unintimidating stone, and those who like a gem whose meaning is entirely unambiguous. The uses described here belong to tradition and folk belief and are not a substitute for medical advice.

Hardness: 7

Composition: SiO₂

Specific gravity: 2.65

Chakras: Heart

Care: Clean with lukewarm water and a soft brush. Keep out of prolonged direct sunlight, as the colour fades.