Information about Citrines
The sunny, golden citrine gem stone gets its name from the word Citron - the French word for lemon.
Like its cousins the amethyst, smoky quartz, and prasiolite, the citrine is a member of the quartz mineral family. In fact, that citrine in your jewelry box may have started it's life as an amethyst - most citrines are either amethyst (or occasionally smoky quartz) which has been heated to change its color to warmer shades of yellow or gold. Amethyst turns light yellow when heated to approximately 878 degrees fahreinheit and to deeper shades of yellow or reddish brown at 1022 - 1040 degrees F. Nearly all citrine sold has been heat-treated.
Natural (untreated) citrines tend to be much lighter in color than heat treated stones and can be pure yellow or a pale, light orange. These natural stones lack the reddish cast of heat treated minerals.
Citrine is often confused with Topaz. Though the two are similar in color, it is not in any way related to this more costly gemstone. However, unscrupulous jewelers have been known to try to pass citrine off as topaz to unsuspecting customers.
Citrine is the birthstone for the month of November - an honor it shares with golden Topaz (imperial topaz) and Smoky Quartz. It is also the gem for the13th wedding anniversary.
Scientific Data
Citrines (and other quartz gems) are made from a combination of Silicon and Oxygen, as indicated by the chemical symbol SiO2. It is a fairly dense mineral and is usually found growing in six-sided crystals, with a vitreous luster. Quartz has hardness of 7, making it slightly more prone to scratches than the topaz (hardness of 8) or the zircon (hardness of 7.5) but harder than opals, jade and many garnets.
Natural citrine gets its color from trace elements of iron.
Origin
Natural citrine is found in Brazil, France, Madagascar, Burma, Spain and the Ural mountains of Russia. Since amethyst is abundantly mined in Brazil, most of the citrine from Brazil is heat-treated amethyst. Ametrine - natural citrine and amethyst occurring in the same crystal - is found in Bolivia.
Through the years, Citrine has also been called by the names Bohemian Topaz, Spanish Topaz, Topaz Quartz, Yellow Quartz and False Topaz. In his 1880 book In Search of Minerals, English author and geologist David Thomas Ansted wrote:
"False Topaz is a light yellow Brazilian variety of quartz crystal of some value and often sold for yellow topaz from which it differs in crystalline form hardness and specific gravity The colour is rarely free from a smoky tint which however sometimes produces a rich and beautiful effect when not too heavy It is often cut and is much valued for seals and brooches The name of Citrine is given to a lemon yellow golden or wine yellow variety "
Metaphysical and Healing Properties and Folklore
Citrine is said to be good for the kidneys, liver and digestive tract and for healing backaches. Crystal healers also believe it's able to calm, soothe and treat depression. Citrine was carried by the ancients as an antidote to snake venom and to ward off evil thoughts. It is associated with the planet Mercury and the astrological sign of Scorpio. As a yellow stone, it also corresponds to the 3rd or solar plexus chakra.
Some say citrine also has the power to attract cash - if you believe them, you might want to carry a piece of citrine in your wallet or put one in the drawer of your cash register - can't hurt!