Citrine

The gemstone Citrine is the official birthstone for the month of November.  It is also the Planetary stone for the Sun Sign of Virgo and the accepted gem for the 13th and 17th wedding anniversary.

Citrine is a variety of quartz ranging in colours of yellow, yellow-brown, orange, dark orange-brown, reddish-brown.  Citrine crystals can form together with amethyst or smoky quartz to form a bi-coloured quartz called ametrine.

Almost all Citrine that is available on the market today is heat-treated amethyst.  Natural Citrine is pale yellow to pale orange, much lighter than the heat-treated material which is dark orange-brown to reddish-brown. 

Most Citrine comes from Brazil, but almost all of the Brazilian material is heat-treated amethyst.  Natural Citrine can also be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia, in Dauphine, France, and in Madagascar.  Darker colors are considered more valuable, including the medium golden orange and dark sherry-colours.

Citrine may be mistaken for the more expensive orangish-yellow topaz and, at times, may be sold as topaz by dishonest gemstone vendors.  Citrine is a 7.0 on the Mohs scale of hardness.

Legend and Healing Properties
 
Citrine is believed to help the heart, kidney, digestive tract, liver and muscles.  It promotes creativity, helps personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies.