Citrine with it’s sparkly, golden hues is the perfect gemstone for Fall. This beautiful stone brings warmth to the crisp days, and the sparkly gold colors remind me of the golden leaves dancing on the trees.
Citrine is a very hardy gemstone as well. As a member of the quartz family…it holds up to wear pretty well. Citrine is in the same family of amethyst, which makes it a very versatile gemstone for jewelry.
Citrine’s golden color can cause it to be confused with topaz. Citrine’s attractive color, plus it affordability makes it an excellent alternative to topaz and yellow sapphire. The finest citrine color is a saturated yellow to fiery orange without brown tints. Natural citrine is rare, so today most citrine on the market is a result of heat treating amethyst to a golden yellow color.
In addition to being the birthstone of November, citrine is also the gem that commemorates 13-year anniversaries.
Information source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia
Topaz, is November’s more brightly colored birthstone. Topaz has an exceptionally wide color range that includes various tones and saturations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink and purple. Colorless topaz is plentiful and most often treated to give it a blue color. Topaz is a harder stone than citrine, which makes it just as suitable for everyday wear as citrine.
The name topaz comes from Topazios, which was the old Greek name for a small island in the Red Sea. The ancient Greeks believed that topaz gave them strength. Topaz has been popularly associated with wealth. In the Middle Ages, carved topaz stones were believed to be natural wonders possessing special powers. If a topaz amulet was worn on the left arm, some believed the amulet could protect the wearer from dark magic. Other beliefs were if a topaz stone was kept in the home it could ward off accidents and fires.
Because most citrine and topaz stones on the market today go through treatments to enhance their color, I recommend avoiding placing them in ultrasonic cleaners, as this may cause treatments to fade or dissipate. Using a gentle brush and mild detergent is always the safest way to clean your precious gems.