Large Buddha — Amethyst

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

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.

In tradition. 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 symbol. Depictions of the Buddha follow precise codes: the position of the hands, or mudra, changes the meaning entirely.

In practice. 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.