Amethyst is arguably one of the most popular gemstones, and when you think of purple crystals, it’s usually what comes to mind whether you realize it or not.
Discovered by mankind over two millennia ago, nowadays, amethyst is one of the most affordable gems on the market, meaning it’s also one of the most popular!
Since amethyst is a gemstone owned by so many people and worn for a variety of reasons, it’s wise to consider how it will fare when exposed to water.
If you are worried about this, you will be relieved to hear that the short answer is yes, amethysts are able to go in water.
However, if you have more specific questions that you want answering about amethysts going in water, read on and all will be revealed!
Is It Possible For Amethyst To Go In Water?
As was mentioned in the introduction, amethysts are able to go in water.
Because amethyst has a rating of 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, they are considered water-safe.
This is a scale that is used to measure how much a different stone will be able to resist, not just in reference to water damage, but also general damage and abrasions.
The highest on this scale is diamond at 10, but with 7 being close to this, you can tell the hardness and susceptibility to water damage of amethyst is not something to lose sleep over.
Why Can Some Crystals Not Go In Water?
So, we’ve established that amethyst is able to go in water, but why is this the case?
Well, there are some crystals or gemstones which are much more porous or soft than amethyst, and because of this, they are much more susceptible to water damage — some of them could even break or dissolve after being left in water for too long.
Most rocks will not face too much damage if they are just quickly submerged in water, but if this is done for too long, your stone could break or start to lose some of its key attributes like its shine or its color.
Typically, any stone that scores 5 or above on the hardness scale is safe, but there are some exceptions to the rule.
The reason some remarkably hardy stones can’t take a dip in water is that they contain elements that react when exposed to water.
Malachite, for example, contains a lot of copper, which reacts vigorously in water, releasing toxic fumes.
Is Amethyst Reactive In Water?
Good news on this front, too, my fellow crystal collector!
Not only is your amethyst hard as nails, the constituent parts of its elemental makeup all play nice in water — woo!
Well, that’s not strictly true, as it does contain trace amounts of iron impurities, and iron does indeed react with water and oxygen, but this reaction is only aggressive when the iron is heated to a red-hot glow.
At that stage, your gem will already be severely damaged by the heat, meaning a few drops of water are the least of your worries.
So if you have nightmares of your crystals fizzing away to nothing when exposed to water à la the Wicked Witch of the West… Fear not!
Your amethyst won’t cop out when H2O’s all about.
That said, for those outlier specimens composed of an excessive amount of iron, overexposure to water may cause very faint surface rust, but a quick dip in Iron Out will strip that away.
Will Amethyst Lose Its Color In Water?
One of the reasons why amethyst is so popular is its distinct purple color, so the possibility of this lustrous hue fading is an understandably common concern.
The reason why amethyst has this beautiful color is that the stone contains aluminum and iron impurities.
As mentioned above, it’s technically possible for a very subtle rust to take hold of an amethyst’s surface, but this is exceedingly rare and easy to remedy.
In light of this, you do not need to be worried about amethyst losing its color if it is in water.
However, this is not to say that amethyst will never lose its color, as there are certain scenarios that could potentially lead to discoloration.
The most likely culprit is exposure to heat.
If you leave an amethyst in direct sunlight for too long, the stone will eventually start to fade and lose that signature shade of purple.
Can You Wear Amethyst While In The Shower?
Yes, because amethyst can be submerged in water, you do not have to worry about any damage being done to it while it is worn in the shower.
Do bear in mind, though, that it should never be exposed to any particularly coarse or harsh soaps.
What About The Bath?
The same goes for baths.
As long as you’re not using any products that contain fine-grit particulate manner, i.e. certain bath bombs or exfoliating skin care products, you should be fine.
Can Amethyst Go In Salt Water?
A quickie immersion in salt water will not cause too much damage to amethyst and won’t lead to any discoloration, but you should avoid leaving it in saltwater for too long.
This is because salt water is known to have some corrosive properties and the salt which is present will start to corrode the amethyst, which could eventually detract from its appearance.
How Should You Dry Amethyst?
If you want an easy life, you can simply leave your amethyst to air dry, but my recommendation is to dry them immediately with a microfiber cloth, as this will eliminate water spotting and remove fingerprints.
Drying manually and storing it straight away also allows you to keep your gem away from direct sunlight and excess heat, so if you want your amethyst to be both safe and rather sexy-looking, don’t leave it to air dry.
Takeaway
You should not be worried about your amethyst being in water.
But you should avoid letting it stay in saltwater specifically for too long, and if you want to avoid your amethyst discoloring, make sure it avoids any intense heat or light exposure.