Short answer: citrine is the transparent yellow to orange variety of quartz, rated 7 on the Mohs scale. Natural citrine is rare and usually pale yellow. Most citrine on the market is amethyst that has been heated, which turns it a deeper yellow, orange or reddish brown. Citrine is a November birthstone, and in crystal traditions it is known as the "merchant's stone" and associated with prosperity.
What is citrine?
Citrine is quartz, silicon dioxide, in a transparent yellow form. Natural citrine ranges from yellow to yellow-orange or yellow-green, and is usually pale. It is one of the most popular yellow gemstones, and today it is the top-selling yellow-orange gem.
The name comes from the Latin citrus, the citron tree, by way of the French citrin or citron, "lemon". It was first used in English in the 14th century.
What makes citrine yellow?
Surprisingly, there is no full agreement. Evidence suggests natural citrine's color is linked to aluminum-based color centers in the quartz, much like smoky quartz. The two form in the same geological settings and can occur together in one crystal, called smoky citrine.
Many sources credit iron oxides instead. But crystals grown in iron-rich solutions have failed to copy natural citrine's color or its dichroism, the slight change in color seen from different directions, and natural citrine's sensitivity to ultraviolet light also suggests trace elements are not the whole story.
Not all yellow quartz is citrine. Quartz stained yellow by iron on its surface, or colored by iron inclusions, does not count.
Is citrine natural or heated amethyst?
Most of it is heated amethyst. Natural citrine is very rare, so most "citrine" on the market is amethyst that has been heat treated, which strictly speaking is not true citrine.
Amethyst loses its violet color when heated. Iron already present in the amethyst oxidizes into tiny amounts of hematite and goethite, and the stone turns deeper yellow, orange, red or even brown. The brownish material is sometimes called burnt amethyst. Smoky quartz can also be heated to look like citrine.
Madeira citrine and lemon quartz
- Madeira citrine is amethyst with a certain iron content, heated to a deep orange with red flashes. It is named for madeira, the Brazilian word for wood. Uruguay, Zambia, Madagascar and the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul are the leading producers.
- Lemon quartz is clear quartz that has been irradiated to a neon yellow to yellow-green.
Ametrine
Ametrine is quartz that is part purple amethyst and part yellow citrine in a single crystal. The Anahí mine in Bolivia is famous as a source of these bicolored crystals. Much ametrine on the market, however, has been partly heat treated or irradiated.
How can you tell natural citrine from heated amethyst?
- Color: natural citrine tends to be pale yellow. Heated amethyst is usually deeper yellow, orange, red or brown.
- Color zoning: heated amethyst, like natural amethyst, often has uneven color. In geodes and clusters the color is usually deepest at the crystal tips and white near the base.
- Geodes: "citrine" geodes and geode pieces are usually heated amethyst, since amethyst forms in geodes and natural citrine rarely does. See the geodes guide.
- Phantoms and smoky zones can occur in natural citrine.
- Dichroism: natural citrine is weakly dichroic; heated amethyst is not. A gemologist can test for this.
Citrine vs topaz and scapolite
Cut citrine and yellow topaz can be hard to tell apart by eye, but topaz is harder, 8 on the Mohs scale against quartz's 7. For centuries many cultures used the name topaz for any golden yellow stone, and citrine is sometimes used as a more affordable alternative to yellow topaz as the November birthstone. Citrine can also resemble yellow scapolite, which is more strongly pleochroic.
Where does citrine come from?
Most citrine, both natural and heated amethyst, comes from Brazil. Natural citrine is also found in Russia and Madagascar, and the Anahí mine in Bolivia is an important source of natural material. Other sources include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Peru, South Africa and the United States.
A brief history of citrine
Quartz has been used as a gemstone for thousands of years. Citrine and other quartz are believed to have been used by the ancient Egyptians to make talismans, by the ancient Greeks for carving symbols, and by Roman priests in rings. Queen Victoria was reportedly fond of citrine, and many brooches and pendants featuring it survive from her era. Its popularity has grown over the last few decades, helped by marketing and earth-tone fashion.
What is citrine traditionally associated with?
Citrine has long been called the "merchant's stone" or "money stone", from a superstition that it would bring prosperity. In modern crystal traditions, it is associated with warmth, optimism and abundance, and it is often linked with the solar plexus chakra. It is a November birthstone and the gem of the thirteenth wedding anniversary.
These are traditions and beliefs. They are part of why people choose citrine, not properties you can measure in the stone.
Raw, tumbled and polished citrine
Citrine is sold as natural points and clusters, as tumbles and polished shapes, and faceted for jewelry. Bright orange clusters and geodes are almost always heated amethyst, while natural citrine points are usually pale and sometimes smoky. Either can be attractive, but a good seller says which it is.
Citrine jewelry
At 7 on the Mohs scale, citrine is durable for rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets, and its warm color and affordable price make it a popular choice. The November birthstone guide compares citrine and topaz as birthstone jewelry.
How do you care for citrine?
- Wash it with warm water and mild soap, then dry it.
- Keep natural citrine out of strong sunlight for long periods, since its color is sensitive to ultraviolet light.
- Store it apart from harder gems such as topaz, sapphire and diamond, which can scratch it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is citrine real or heated amethyst?
Most citrine sold today is amethyst that has been heated. Natural citrine exists but is rare and usually pale yellow.
How can I tell if my citrine is natural?
Natural citrine is usually pale and evenly colored. Bright orange crystals that are deepest at the tips and white at the base, especially in geodes, are almost always heated amethyst.
Why is citrine called the merchant's stone?
From a long-standing superstition that it would bring prosperity. It has also been called the "money stone".
What is citrine traditionally associated with?
In crystal traditions it is associated with warmth, optimism and abundance, and linked with the solar plexus chakra. These are traditional meanings rather than measurable properties.
Is citrine a birthstone?
Yes. Citrine is a November birthstone, alongside topaz.
Does citrine fade in the sun?
Natural citrine's color is sensitive to ultraviolet light, so it is best kept out of strong sunlight for long periods.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Citrine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrine
- GIA, November Birthstones: https://www.gia.edu/birthstones/november-birthstones
- GIA, February Birthstone (Anahí mine and ametrine): https://www.gia.edu/birthstones/february-birthstones
- Wikipedia, Quartz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz