Citrine Facts

Citrine Facts

by Sheweta Dhanuka

It restrains almost same powers and benefits as that of pricey Topaz therefore it is used as the substitute of Topaz who find it difficult to afford. This gemstone might be an affordable stone but its occurrence is quite rare.

Citrine Facts and Buying Guide

Citrine is named after the French name for ‘Lemon’ that is “citron”. It is named so as the colour of this semi precious gemstone is similar to the colour of the lemon. It is the November birthstone and anniversary stone for 13th year of marriage. It is the member of the quartz family.
It restrains almost same powers and benefits as that of pricey Topaz therefore it is used as the substitute of Topaz who find it difficult to afford. This gemstone might be an affordable stone but its occurrence is quite rare. This is the reason why natural stones available in the market would be less than the synthetic stones created by man. Thus, before making the purchase of this fine-looking gemstone buyer must be aware of various features and properties of the stone. These facts can also act as buying guide and aid in the purchase of right stone at the right price. In order to stay away from all future distress, this content proffers all-purpose information exclusively for the buyers starting from the four important Cs to occurrence, source, use, precautions and beliefs.
Colour – This rare gemstone occurs in all shades of yellow and orange. The natural stone would mostly consist of the pale colour. Dark shades are preferred more over the lighter ones. It owes its colour to iron impurities present in the composition. With the change in the amount of iron the colour of stone also changes. In few stones traces of brown can also be seen.

Clarity – This sizzling gemstone is transparent to translucent in nature having vitreous luster. Inclusions and flaws crop up quite less. Few stones consist of almost negligible fractures and are clear stones. Besides, the inclusions if present any are removed during the cutting of rough.

Cut – It could be attuned easily into varied cuts and shapes being sturdy and tough stone. Cutters enjoy cutting this stone, as it does not require much energy with respect to time and dexterity. Few common cuts are pear, oval, round, square, emerald and many more. Nevertheless, people have a preference towards round and oval shapes the most because the magnificence of the gem doubles in these specific cuts.

Carat weight – It is found in large pieces as rough. The stones with high carat weight looks amazing as the colour becomes dark and bright. The ideal weight for jewelry items is between 2-5 ctw. For the multi-coloured jewelry pieces the stones used are small in size, may be less than one carat in weight but weight of all stones together can be beyond three carats as well. For the single stone jewelry the carat weight should be more 3 ctw then the look of the ornaments comes out to be absolutely fantastic.

Price – This is a rare gemstone yet it is very much attainable for the person having reasonable budget. Price is fixed up on the basis of four Cs i.e. colour, cut, clarity and carat weight. Price increases with the increase in depth of the colour, new cuts, minimum or insignificant inclusions and high carat weight. Pure yellow or orange colour without the traces of any other colour is valued more while the presence of other colour decreases the cost.

Occurrence – It is the variety of mineral quartz found in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. It occurs at the time of volcanic eruption in the siliceous volcanic lava that flows deep inside the cavities and veins of the rocks. During the oxidization state when heat temperature is too high this yellow to orange colored gemstone comes into existence.

Citrine Video

Source – Brazil is the prime supplier of this lovely gemstone. Other countries producing it are France, Madagascar, Bolivia, Uruguay, Scotland, Spain and Russia. It is also procured from few states of United States of America viz. North Carolina, Colorado, Georgia, Nevada and California.
Enhancement – This transparent gemstone is often enhanced to improve the colour. Stones that attain colours through man-made treatments have a propensity for deeper shade of orange than those occurred naturally, that are habitually a pale yellow.

Imitations – As genuine gems are rare in nature, gemstone markets are flooded with imitations of this stone. Poor quality amethyst and smoky quartz are time and again treated under the high temperatures to create bright orange yellow citrine. To distinguish between the natural stones and imitations, the buyers should look for the pale colours. As the original stones are pale while the faulty stones are bright. The imitation created from heating semi-precious gemstone amethyst would contain red traces in it unlike the true stone. Buyers need to be careful from these trendy names like Gold Topaz, Madeira Topaz, Brazilian Topaz, Spanish topaz, Saxon Topaz and Citrine Topaz. The cunning dealers create these fancy names to befool the innocent people.

Uses – It is frequently used for jewelry making. Rings, earrings, necklace, pendent and other items holding this captivating gemstone gained recognition slowly and gradually in different parts of the world. Handcrafted jewelry using this stone is also admired among the women from all age groups. Metals used for making these ornaments are 14K or 18K yellow gold, 14K or 18K white gold, platinum and sterling silver. The exquisiteness of this gemstone is further improved when set in yellow gold. To fashion magnificent multihued costume jewelry, it is over and over again paired with other semi precious gemstones for instance Peridot, amethyst, pink tourmaline and garnet. These jewelries are apposite for casual as well as formal wear.

As for ornamental purpose it is used for making cabochons, beads and carvings. Beads vary between 2mm to 10mm in size. Bracelets, necklace and matching earrings are relatively more accepted amongst the younger generation who look for funky dress up rather than sophisticated attire. Spaced out from the jewelry items beads are also used for remarkable decorative purpose such as in chandeliers, lampshades etc. Furthermore it makes breathtaking carvings that offers startling look to the interiors of the home, office, restaurants so on so forth.

Precautions – It is rated 7 Mohs on the hardness scale. This implies it to be tough and strong stone that do not require much precautions hitherto it cannot be taken for granted. In spite of having good hardness rate it is prone to breaks and cracks. It should be cosseted from sharp blows and hits as it easily gets scratched. The stone has to be kept away from the sunlight or excessive heat temperature else the colour gets faded for the lifetime. Ultrasonic home cleaner can be used for cleaning but for the longer life of the stone and its jewelry it is better to avoid it. Warm soapy water and soft bristle brush is perfect for cleaning. It should be totally wiped off with a soft cloth after the wash and must be stored in the jewelry box lined with soft fabric. These precautions help out in keeping the gemstone secured for the life span.

Beliefs – It symbolizes optimism, vigor and loyalty. In olden days, our ancestors regarded this transparent yellow beauty as the protector from snake poison, noxious reptiles and plague. It was also used to drive away evil thoughts. Following the birth of Christ, Romans used it for intaglio and cabochon.

It is associated with wealth and prosperity therefore referred as ‘ Merchant Stone’. Many shopkeepers keep this gem in their business lockers or near the cash registers to realize maximum pecuniary powers of the gem. Apart from wealth it also takes care of health. It helps in eliminating the negative energy and improves the self-esteem and confidence of the person possessing this gem. Astrologers suggest this gemstone for those in creative field like journalism, media and entertainers etc. as it improves the creativity of the wearer. And also for those who are entrepreneurs or planning to be one as it bumps up the wealth and material growth.
Medically, it powers to rinse out the venom and revive body tissues. It helps in proper functioning of the digestive, circulatory and urinary system.

It gives a hand in abolishing the soreness or syndromes like acid indigestion, poor blood circulation, food disorders and allergies. Life threatening diseases like appendicitis and gangrene are believed to be cured by regular wearing of this attractive gemstone. It assists in having undisturbed sleep by overcoming the problems related to sleep such as insomnia, sleep disorders, bad dreams and nightmares etc.

This fascinating gemstone makes the wearer look beautiful and flourish material wealth, opulence and career success. It is also known as ‘Happy Stone’ as makes the life beset with bliss and liveliness. Citrine is a unique gem for everyone in every condition and for every solution. Wear it and cheer up!!!

Citrine Properties