The history behind every natural gemstone is incredible, however, the story behind the discovery & introduction of Ametrine is one for the books. Ametrine is a rare crystal, made from the combination of Amethyst & Citrine, found in only one part of the world - southern Bolivia.
The Ametrine crystal, also known as Bolivianite, is a rare bicolor quartz gemstone that is solely found in one commercial source in the world - the Anahi Mine in southeastern Bolivia. The purple part of Ametrine is amethyst, whereas the yellow part is citrine. Both amethyst and citrine originate from clear quartz. The unique geological conditions in this region, with the right combination of elements and pressures, are believed to be necessary for the formation of this gemstone. The colors of Ametrine are produced by iron impurities within the quartz, with different oxidation states resulting in the purple and yellow hues. Despite attempts to find similar deposits elsewhere, the Anahi mine remains the only source of natural Ametrine in the world.
The Story of Ametrine & Conquistador Don Felipe
This story begins during the early 1600's - the time of early Spaniard exploration in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Felipe de Urriola y Goitia, a soldier, & his crew sailed from Spain on an exploratory expedition when they landed in Eastern Bolivia. When they began to investigate this brilliant new land they came into contact with the Ayoreo, a peaceful native Bolivian tribe.
As Don Felipe familiarized himself with the tribe & their culture he became close with the daughter of the Ayoreo chieftain, Princess Anahi. The two fell in love & Don Felipe asked her father's permission to marry him. The chieftain agreed & the two were wed.
As a dowry, the chief gifted the conquistador with a mine that produced beautiful bicolored gemstones.
At the time, gemstones such as emeralds & diamonds were highly sought after & Don Felipe did not recognize the value in this rare variety.
After some time Don Felipe revealed to his new wife, Princess Anahi, that it was time for the explorers to head back to Spain. While she knew her family & tribe would not agree, she was in love & wanted nothing more than to join Don Felipe on his journey back to Spain. When she revealed to the Ayoreo her plan to leave they were enraged by the couples desertion, so the chief & his tribesmen concocted a plan to murder the conquistador & his men. Princess Anahi could not let this happen & revealed the plan to Don Felipe. The group were forced to flee & left for Spain in a hurry.
Unfortunately, before they could get out of Bolivia there was a violent interaction between the tribe & the Spaniards. During the confrontation Anahi was injured by her own tribesman. She would eventually die of her injuries. Before she passed, as she spoke to her husband for the last time, she placed a beautiful stone from the mine her father had given them as a wedding present. She told him it was a token of her eternal love. When Don Felipe saw the two colors of the stone that was left in his hand, he knew the stone's bi-colored blend of deep purple & honey symbolized Anahi's love for her tribe & love for her husband.
Once Don Felipe & his men returned to Spain he presented multiple specimens of the Ametrine stone to his queen. She was head over heels for the incredible, unique gemstone! Upon her request, men attempted to return to the mine to gather more from the mine Don Felipe was given. Other than the now-violent tribe that would be waiting on the explorers when they arrived, the explorers had to navigate the incredibly difficult environment that surrounded this particular mine. With all of these obstacles in the way, the Spaniards were not able to find the mine again. It was lost for the next 300 years.
It wasn't until the 1960's that the mythical Anahi Mine was found again. By the 1970's Ametrine had made its way into the gem market.
The Unique Anahi Mine
So, what makes the Anahi Mine special? Ametrine can only be found in this one location due to the unique area where the mine is found. The Anahi Mine is located above4 a zone of hydrothermal activity. Jets of super heated, mineral bearing water strike the mine's dolomitic limestone, forming quartz deposits containing amethyst, citrine, & a combination of the two.
Ametrine's Healing Properties
Relieves Stress ・ Spiritual Growth & Awareness ・ Creativity ・ Healing of Body, Mind, & Soul ・ Balance ・ Strength & Alignment
Psychological Healing
Ametrine calms the mind by clearing stress & tension from the head. It balances & soothes emotions & relieves depression. Ametrine overcomes prejudice by enhancing compatibility & acceptance of wearers. It stimulates creativity & brings control to one's own life. Strengthens concentration, brings clarity, & harmonizing perception & action. Ametrine instigates change & eases transition.
Physical Healing
Physically, Ametrine strengthens the immune system & aids the automatic nervous system. It relieves exhaustion. Through its power via the immune system, Ametrine alleviates allergies & digestive disorders.