Hand-carved angel — Amethyst

A piece carved from the solid block and then hand-polished; the motif follows the natural veins of the stone, so no two examples fall the same way on the design.

A purple quartz whose shade runs from pale mauve to deep violet, often stronger at the tip of the crystal than at its base.

Symbolic reading. The stone of temperance for the Greeks — its name means "not intoxicated" — it has been credited since antiquity with calming the mind and clearing judgment. Crystal healing associates it with the third eye chakra.

The motif. The figure of the angel, a messenger between two worlds, runs through all three monotheisms and many earlier traditions.

Use & upkeep. A piece for a cabinet, a desk or a shelf, it stands on its own. Dust with a dry cloth; avoid water on pieces with soft veining.

• Its color comes from traces of iron in the quartz, revealed by the natural radioactivity of the surrounding rock.
• A natural piece: shade, veining and dimensions vary from one example to the next

A decorative object for personal practice. It is no substitute for medical advice or treatment.