Citrine gemstone belongs to the family of quartz crystals, within which the variants with shades of yellow, orange and brown have been given this fancy name. Its chemical composition is therefore the same as that of amethyst, rose quartz or smoky quartz, but it exudes warmth with its honey colour, which is why it is considered a stone of happiness and prosperity, and due to its calming effect many attribute healing power to it.
Citrine is relatively rare in nature. Most of the products on the market are the result of heat treatment of the pale and therefore less valuable purple amethyst, as its colour changes to yellow, orange and brown when heated. The most sought-after citrine has honey to orange hue, which exudes the warmth and serenity of the sun's rays. Meanwhile, contemporary jewellers prefer more exciting, reddish and deeper brown colours, and often with completely unique cut shapes. The citrine used in the jewellery industry is typically completely transparent, so it is devalued by brown spots and inclusions. Due to the rarity of natural, untreated citrine, it is much more expensive than the more affordable heat-treated version.
Citrine is one of the most popular yellow gemstones because its price is much cheaper than that of yellow topaz, which has a very similar appearance. In fact, these two gems were mixed up for a long time before modern gemmology, which is why they both became the birthstones of November. Citrine can also be a good alternative to the much more valuable yellow sapphire. In addition to its favourable price, its other advantage is its durability and toughness: it has a hardness rating of 7 on the Mohs scale.
Like all gemstones, citrine has various spiritual attributes. It is used in folk beliefs to ward off the darkness of winter because of its warm colour and to radiate the energy of sunlight and convey positivity, optimism, cheerfulness and health. According to Feng Shui, the so-called “wealth corner” of the apartment is activated by citrine, so the crystal placed in this corner can contribute to material success by dissolving the stuck money energies. And when it comes to money, a piece of this stone in our wallet (or even wearing it ourselves) is supposedly a great way to simultaneously increase abundance and activate our generosity.
The main sources of citrine are Bolivia, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico and Uruguay.
An ideal birthday present for those who were born in November. In addition, the most generous husbands typically choose it as their 13th anniversary gift.
Jewellery: Garavelli Design Italy, Terzihan