Citrine

Contents

1 Gemstone Information
2 Citrine Healing Properties
3 Treatment
4 Origin and gemstone source
5 Optical Effect
6 Citrine Images and Photos
7 Uses
8 Care and Cleaning
9 Scam and Fraud
10 Typical Internal Inclusions
11 Gemological Info

Gemstone Information

Citrine is the golden yellow and sometimes orange variety of Quartz, its name derives from the french word “citron” that means “lemon”, Citrine color is usually more close to golden or orangish yellow than a lemon yellow. The color is usually obtained by heat treatment that dissolves iron inclusions contained in colorless Quartz, sometimes can cause an attractive tint of red in the color.

This is why natural citrine are not so common, most of the gemstones available on the market are Amethyst and Smoky Quartz treated with heat to change their natural color in a more attractive golden to orange yellow very close to the Topaz color.

The deeper color with more saturation is more valuable than a pale yellow color, but Citrine is a common gemstone and can be easily found, so its price is really low and affordable. Duo to its popularity this quartz variety can be mined in large size and sometimes it will cut in large and heavy faceted gemstones, typical internally flawless, sometimes present clarity with minor inclusions.

It is considered an relative hard stone, with an hardness of 7 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale, show vitreous luster, usually transparent with eye clean clarity, hexagonal crystal system with conchoidal fracture.

When Citrine is naturally combined in crystal with Amethyst, is called Ametrine, a natural bicolor gemstone very attractive and typical of Bolivia.

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citrine natural gemstone

Citrine Healing Properties

This yellow variety from the Quartz mineral family is considered the November birthstone (like Topaz), is the official stone of the Virgo zodiac sign, it is are loved by people duo to its property to dissipate negativity and radiate positive energy, promote prosperity and abundance and is also considered a “success stone”, keep a little Citrine gemstone to your wallet can help you raise success in your economic life and stability.

It can also help you to find happiness, become more confident, combat fear and phobias and can help you if you have digestion problems or sleep disturbances.

wear the stone in contact with the skin, especially the targeted area.

Treatment

Usually treated by heat treatment, a process that can change the Amethyst purple color in an attractive golden yellow or deep orange color, because in the market is really hard to find some yellow citrine heated by nature because usually they are heated directly by the miners when they are mined. The treatment is acceptable and the color change is considered to be permanent and stable because usually it will not fade.

Origin and gemstone source

Large Citrine Quartz mineral deposit can be easily found in Brazil, but also in other South America countries like: Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay and, Africa (Zambia, Zaire, Namibia, Madagascar), Spain, France, Russia, Myanmar.

Optical Effect

Sometimes when present some kind of inclusions, this variety of Quartz can be cut in cabochon that reveal a dancing star (asterism) with six points, or chatoyancy (Cat’s Eye Citrine) with a luminous line in the middle of the stone that dance from left to right.

Citrine Images and Photos

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Uses

Duo to its transparency and luster, it is usually cut into faceted gemstones with common shape like: oval, pear, marquise, heart, emerald/octagonal, trilliant, round, princess, cushion, fancy and cabochon when it present visible inclusions. When crystal is translucent or opaque can be engraved to make sculptures or cut into beads, rondelles, rings, pyramid, wand and more.

Citrine Quartz is a popular and affordable gemstone that can be used in high end jewelry like platinum and gold rings, or in commercial and low priced jewelry like silver jewels.

Care and Cleaning

Considered a durable stone, it must be stored isolated from other stones, because it can be easily scratched by harder gemstones like Topaz, Spinel, Aquamarine. Clean your gemstone or your jewels with soapy water and a clean soft cloth, don’t expose it to the direct sun light or it can be fade, avoid exposure to chemicals and acid products, be careful if you clean it with ultrasonic machine.

Scam and Fraud

Sometimes this kind of material can be difficult to distinguish from topaz in the yellow and orange variety, sometimes some scammer try to sell Citrine for Topaz calling them Citrine Topaz. Can be easily confused with yellow Sapphire, Yellow Beryl Heliodor, with Grossular Garnet, transparent Labradorite, Scapolite or Amber that have similar colors.

Hydrothermal Quartz is man made cheap material that can be easily confused for natural Citrine gemstones, especially if sold in large size gemstone without visible inclusions, but also yellow glass and plastic can be sold for Citrine by the scammers.