Citrine – birthstone
for the month of November
Citrine, a form of quartz, derives its name from the French word for lemon, "citron."
Citrine is transparent to translucent and yellow to gold-brown in color with
a vitreous luster. Its color comes from the presence of Iron impurities within
the crystal. The darker colored Citrine crystals, named Madeira for their color’s
resemblance to Madeira wines, are generally more valuable. Natural citrine
is rare and mainly occurs when Amethyst formations are near natural
heat sources in the Earth’s crust.
With a ranking of "7" on the Mohs scale of hardness, with "10" representing a diamond, the hardest mineral on earth, citrine has excellent durability and is suitable for everyday wear. However, since much of the citrine on the market today has been heat treated to improve its color, it should be kept away from prolonged exposure to strong light or heat.
Because Citrine closely resembles the more expensive stone Topaz in color, many jewelers sell it as Topaz. Some have chosen false names for Citrine when representing it as Topaz, such as Gold Topaz, Madeira Topaz, Brazilian Topaz and Citrine Topaz. These are merely heat-treated Topaz. This form of unscrupulous behavior is unfortunately the source of some negativity toward Citrine, which is sad because most gemologists consider Citrine a fine stone in its own right.
Occasionally, Mother Nature combines the colors of amethyst and citrine into a single gemstone called ametrine.
Most citrine is mined in Brazil. Supplies are most plentiful in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, particularly from the Serra mine. The Ira' mine also produces large quantities of the gem.
In ancient times, citrine was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts. It was also thought to give calmness and mental balance to its wearer.
In addition to its place as November's birthstone, citrine is also a recommended gift for couples celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary.
