Amethyst
Amethyst is a violet member of the quartz family and is the traditional birthstone for the month of February. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used Amethyst as a gemstone. The Greeks and Romans also believed that amethyst could prevent intoxication. In fact the word amethyst is derived from the Greek word 'amethystos' meaning 'not drunken'. Amethyst gemstones can be found in the British Crown Jewels and was also a favorite of Egyptian Royalty and Catherine the Great. Amethyst has a hardness of 7 out of 10 on the Mohs' Scale of mineral hardness.
