Some Amethyst jewelry begins its journey to you with a helicopter ride. Found in the rugged terrain of the Tonto National Forest, a small privately owned mine, produces some of the world’s finest amethyst.

Four Peaks Mine was first discovered by the Spanish in the 18th century and has had many owners over the years. Very few have made this mine profitable because of its remote location and difficulties in retrieving the material. The mine is believed to be the only gemstone mine that requires a helicopter to bring in supplies and remove the gemstones from the site. The only other way to reach the mine is an arduous two to three hour hike through the Tonto National Forest. Keeping this in mind, don’t think you can visit the mine when “you’re in the area”. This private property is gated and patrolled; trespassing is prohibited and will be prosecuted.

In 1997 Kurt Cavano, a New Jersey resident, purchased the mine with a strong desire to manage the mine in a sound environmentally sensitive manner. Two trained miners work at the site for a week at a time, sleeping in the mine to reduce any ecological damage. Each amethyst crystal must be removed by hand from the host rock using only hand tools. Dynamite is not used in this mine, as it would damage the delicate crystals that line the voids of the fault lines in the Mazatzal quartzite. The gemstones recovered from this mine rival the Siberian gems, which were used to depict the best color of amethyst. With its signature red flashes in the intense purple body color, you can see why Four Peaks Amethyst has become a “must have” gemstone for amethyst jewelry. As the supply of fine quality natural amethyst from Africa and Brazil become less plentiful, Arizona amethyst will fill a need in the international market.

Purple has become the color of this season’s fashion designers. Long associated with the color of royalty, this purple powerhouse will certainly make you feel like a queen. Coffin & Trout loves this gem for it’s intense color and the Arizona history.

Stop in and let us introduce you to one of Arizona’s finest legacies, adding Amethyst jewelry to your collection.