Prasiolite: Here's One Hot Little Amethyst
Prasiolite has the color associated with certain vegetables, but thankfully, you can’t eat it. Instead, you can have the enjoyment of wearing prasiolite whenever and wherever you want. Prasiolite is also inexpensive.
Prasiolite is derived from the Greek words “prason” and “lithos.” “Prason” is a leek (a vegetable of green color), while “lithos” means stone. Thus, being a stone, it is not to be eaten, but worn.
 Prase is used as a term for green-colored quartz, which is a natural stone that previously had been found in Poland. More recently, the majority of it has been coming only from the Montezuma deposit in Brazil. Prasiolite, however, is an amethyst that has been heat treated (temperatures as hot as 932 degrees Fahrenheit) to turn green. The color of prasiolite will range from light “vegetable” green to a darker and more intense green. The color that is produced from the heat treatment will not fade. It is a permanent color change.
Prasiolite is rated as having a hardness of seven on the Mohs scale. It is a great stone to use in jewelry which can be worn every day while performing just about any activity. It should not, however, be exposed to chemicals. Prasiolite is best cleaned with warm soapy water and a soft brush.
Vermarine, green quartz, ouro verde, green amethyst, leek-green quartz, and lime citrine are some of the other terms that have been used for prasiolite. This stone is sometimes caught in an identity crisis, sometimes being mistaken for green tourmaline, peridot, or green beryl.
It is believed by some that prasiolite brings prosperity as it brings together both the spiritual and the physical dimensions of life.
Prasiolite is not a birthstone. Therefore, people of all birth months can be proud to own it. Prasiolite is growing more popular as it becomes available to gem collectors. It is not expensive and it is usually available in common cuts.
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