Do gems change color over time?

I have a question. Ever since I was a little girl I've had this hunk of rough amethyst about the size of my fist. I just got it out today to cleanse it and to my surprise it seems to have changed color! It used to be the regular purple/lavender/white amethyst color, and now it looks shades of blue and aqua! Is this normal?

Since I got it as a child I wonder if I'm mistaken in thinking it's amethyst all these years. It crossed my mind that it may in fact be flourite, just because of the colors. But I really don't know all that much about crystals, which is why I'm posting here.

I'm sure someone will be able to answer my question with all of the great people out there on the forums. Thanks!

Have you looked at your crystal under different lighting conditions? Some crystals can appear somewhat different color depending on the lighting. But amethyst should only truly change color under high temperatures (which turns it yellow, or sometimes green) or irradiation (which makes it more purple). I think the color of fluorite is stable, too, though again depending on the lighting, the color may appear to shift or it might be fluorescing, which would also affect the color you see.

It would be interesting to know if you set your crystal it in sunlight for a while whether the color would change back to purple. I'm assuming by "got it out" you mean it's been stored away somewhere dark.

Yes, it has been stored away in the dark. Earlier I was looking at it in natural daylight, and I've just looked at it again under a lamp. It does look more purple now, but it still looks blue in the center...I wonder if it's always been that way. I don't know, maybe I'm just seeing things! Thanks for your help!

I think the colors can change do to being bleached out by the light, or having the energy drained from them.

When I put my Crystals in soil they seem to appear deeper in color.

Amethyst colours do fade when exposed to light, especially sunlight.

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

Yes, I've had sunlight fade crystals in the past, too.