Short answer: November has two birthstones: topaz and citrine. Topaz comes in many colors, from golden yellow and orange to pink and the familiar blue, and rates 8 on the Mohs scale. Citrine is yellow to orange quartz, 7 on the Mohs scale, and most citrine sold today is amethyst that has been heated. Both are prized for warm golden tones.
Why does November have two birthstones?
The modern list adopted in the United States in 1912 gave November one stone, topaz. In 1952 the list was updated and citrine was added as a second November birthstone. The two have a long, shared history of mistaken identity: for centuries, yellow and orange gems were all called topaz, and people credited citrine with the same powers. Today they are recognized as two different minerals.
Topaz
What is topaz?
Topaz is an aluminum silicate mineral containing fluorine. It is hard, 8 on the Mohs scale, and defines that number on the scale. Despite its hardness, it has poor toughness and one direction of perfect cleavage, so a sharp blow can chip or split it.
Topaz comes in colorless, light blue, yellow, orange, pink, violet, brown and, very rarely, red.
Imperial topaz
The most prized color is a pinkish orange called Imperial topaz. One story says the name comes from the Russian royal family, who kept the finest colors from their mines in the Ural Mountains for their own use. Another, popular in Brazil, ties it to an 1881 visit by Emperor Pedro II to Ouro Preto, near Brazil's most productive topaz mines, where he was given a reddish topaz.
Where does blue topaz come from?
Most blue topaz is not blue in the ground. The vast majority of blue topaz on the market is colorless topaz that has been permanently colored by irradiation and heating. "Mystic topaz", with its rainbow surface, is colorless topaz coated with a thin artificial film.
Treated blue topaz is real topaz and a fine gem. A good seller tells you it is treated.
Where is topaz found?
Minas Gerais in Brazil has been one of the most important sources of high-quality topaz for more than two centuries, with mines near the town of Ouro Preto. Pink topaz comes from Ghundao Hill near Katlang in northwestern Pakistan. Other major sources include Namibia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the United States and the historic Russian localities. Topaz is the state gem of Utah, and blue topaz is the state gem of Texas.
What is topaz traditionally associated with?
Some trace the word topaz to the Sanskrit tapas, "fire", others to the Greek topazos. The ancient Greeks believed topaz gave them strength. From the 1300s to the 1600s, Europeans thought it could thwart magic spells and dispel anger. In modern custom, blue topaz is the gem of the fourth wedding anniversary and Imperial topaz the gem of the twenty-third.
Citrine
What is citrine?
Citrine is the transparent yellow to brownish orange variety of quartz. It rates 7 on the Mohs scale with good toughness, so it is durable for everyday jewelry. Its name is believed to come from the French word for lemon, citron.
Is citrine natural or heated amethyst?
Both exist. Natural citrine is uncommon and usually pale yellow, sometimes with a smoky tint. Today most citrine in the marketplace is amethyst that has been heat treated, which turns its purple to yellow, orange or reddish brown. Heat-treated amethyst mined mostly in Brazil is the main source.
A quick clue: citrine clusters and geodes with bright orange crystal tips and paler bases are almost always heated amethyst, since amethyst forms in geodes and natural citrine rarely does. See the geodes guide for how amethyst geodes form.
Where is citrine found?
The top sources for natural citrine include Bolivia, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico and Uruguay. Bolivia's Anahí mine is an important source of natural material.
What is citrine traditionally associated with?
Because citrine was so often confused with topaz, it was thought to share topaz's powers, including soothing tempers. It has been reported in Roman jewelry and was especially popular in colorful Scottish jewelry of the Victorian era. In modern crystal traditions, citrine is associated with warmth, optimism and abundance, and it is often linked with the solar plexus chakra. It is the gem of the thirteenth wedding anniversary.
These are traditions and beliefs, not properties of the stones.
Topaz or citrine: which should you choose?
| Topaz | Citrine | |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral | Aluminum silicate with fluorine | Quartz |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 8 | 7 |
| Toughness | Poor, has cleavage | Good |
| Colors | Yellow, orange, pink, blue, colorless and more | Yellow to orange and brownish orange |
| Common treatment | Blue topaz irradiated and heated | Most is heated amethyst |
| Price | Imperial and pink topaz command high prices | Widely affordable |
Choose topaz for its range of colors, including blue, and citrine for durable, affordable golden stones in large sizes.
How do you care for November birthstones?
- Topaz: clean with warm, soapy water. Do not use steam or ultrasonic cleaners, and avoid high heat and sudden temperature changes, which can cause internal breaks. Some yellow to brown topaz can fade with long exposure to heat or sunlight. Clean Mystic topaz gently, since abrasive cleaners remove its coating.
- Citrine: clean with warm, soapy water. Ultrasonic cleaning is usually fine, but avoid steam, since high heat can crack it.
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Topaz and citrine in stock
Frequently asked questions
What is the November birthstone color?
Golden yellow to orange is the classic November color, shared by topaz and citrine. Topaz also comes in pink and blue, so November birthstone jewelry can be blue as well.
Is blue topaz a November birthstone?
Yes. All colors of topaz count as November birthstones, and blue is the most common color sold. Most blue topaz is colorless topaz that has been irradiated and heated to a permanent blue.
Is citrine real if it is heated amethyst?
Yes. Heat-treated amethyst is genuine quartz, and it is the source of most citrine on the market. A seller should say whether a piece is natural or heated.
Which is more durable, topaz or citrine?
Topaz is harder, 8 against 7, but it has poor toughness and can chip or split along its cleavage. Citrine is a little softer but tougher, which makes it practical for everyday rings.
What does the November birthstone mean?
In tradition, topaz was believed to give strength and to dispel anger and spells, and citrine was credited with the same powers and with soothing tempers. Today both are associated with warmth and good fortune.
Sources
- GIA, November Birthstones: https://www.gia.edu/birthstones/november-birthstones
- GIA, Topaz: https://www.gia.edu/topaz
- GIA, Citrine: https://www.gia.edu/citrine
- American Gem Society, November Birthstone: https://www.americangemsociety.org/birthstones/november-birthstone/
- Wikipedia, Topaz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topaz
- Wikipedia, Birthstone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthstone