By:Sheweta Dhanuka Summary: It restrains almost same powers and benefits as that of pricey Topaz therefore it is used as the substitute of Topaz who find it difficult to afford. This gemstone might be an affordable stone but its occurrence is quite rare.
Citrine Facts and Buying Guide
Citrine is named after the French name for 'Lemon' that is "citron". It is
named so as the colour of this semi precious gemstone is similar to the
colour of the lemon. It is the November birthstone and anniversary stone for
13th year of marriage. It is the member of the quartz family.
It restrains almost same powers and benefits as that of pricey Topaz
therefore it is used as the substitute of Topaz who find it difficult to
afford. This gemstone might be an affordable stone but its occurrence is
quite rare. This is the reason why natural stones available in the market
would be less than the synthetic stones created by man. Thus, before making
the purchase of this fine-looking gemstone buyer must be aware of various
features and properties of the stone. These facts can also act as buying
guide and aid in the purchase of right stone at the right price. In order to
stay away from all future distress, this content proffers all-purpose
information exclusively for the buyers starting from the four important Cs
to occurrence, source, use, precautions and beliefs.
Colour - This rare gemstone occurs in all shades of yellow and orange. The
natural stone would mostly consist of the pale colour. Dark shades are
preferred more over the lighter ones. It owes its colour to iron impurities
present in the composition. With the change in the amount of iron the colour
of stone also changes. In few stones traces of brown can also be seen.
Clarity - This sizzling gemstone is transparent to translucent in
nature having vitreous luster. Inclusions and flaws crop up quite less. Few
stones consist of almost negligible fractures and are clear stones. Besides,
the inclusions if present any are removed during the cutting of rough.
Cut - It could be attuned easily into varied cuts and shapes being
sturdy and tough stone. Cutters enjoy cutting this stone, as it does not
require much energy with respect to time and dexterity. Few common cuts are
pear, oval, round, square, emerald and many more. Nevertheless, people have
a preference towards round and oval shapes the most because the magnificence
of the gem doubles in these specific cuts.
Carat weight - It is found in large pieces as rough. The stones
with high carat weight looks amazing as the colour becomes dark and bright.
The ideal weight for jewelry items is between 2-5 ctw. For the multi-coloured
jewelry pieces the stones used are small in size, may be less than one carat
in weight but weight of all stones together can be beyond three carats as
well. For the single stone jewelry the carat weight should be more 3 ctw
then the look of the ornaments comes out to be absolutely fantastic.
Price - This is a rare gemstone yet it is very much attainable for
the person having reasonable budget. Price is fixed up on the basis of four
Cs i.e. colour, cut, clarity and carat weight. Price increases with the
increase in depth of the colour, new cuts, minimum or insignificant
inclusions and high carat weight. Pure yellow or orange colour without the
traces of any other colour is valued more while the presence of other colour
decreases the cost.
Occurrence - It is the variety of mineral quartz found in igneous,
metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. It occurs at the time of volcanic
eruption in the siliceous volcanic lava that flows deep inside the cavities
and veins of the rocks. During the oxidization state when heat temperature
is too high this yellow to orange colored gemstone comes into existence.
Citrine Video
Source - Brazil is the prime supplier of this lovely gemstone.
Other countries producing it are France, Madagascar, Bolivia, Uruguay,
Scotland, Spain and Russia. It is also procured from few states of United
States of America viz. North Carolina, Colorado, Georgia, Nevada and
California.
Enhancement - This transparent gemstone is often enhanced to improve the
colour. Stones that attain colours through man-made treatments have a
propensity for deeper shade of orange than those occurred naturally, that
are habitually a pale yellow.
Imitations - As genuine gems are rare in nature, gemstone markets
are flooded with imitations of this stone. Poor quality amethyst and smoky
quartz are time and again treated under the high temperatures to create
bright orange yellow citrine. To distinguish between the natural stones and
imitations, the buyers should look for the pale colours. As the original
stones are pale while the faulty stones are bright. The imitation created
from heating semi-precious gemstone amethyst would contain red traces in it
unlike the true stone. Buyers need to be careful from these trendy names
like Gold Topaz, Madeira Topaz, Brazilian Topaz, Spanish topaz, Saxon Topaz
and Citrine Topaz. The cunning dealers create these fancy names to befool
the innocent people.
Uses - It is frequently used for jewelry making. Rings, earrings,
necklace, pendent and other items holding this captivating gemstone gained
recognition slowly and gradually in different parts of the world.
Handcrafted jewelry using this stone is also admired among the women from
all age groups. Metals used for making these ornaments are 14K or 18K yellow
gold, 14K or 18K white gold, platinum and sterling silver. The exquisiteness
of this gemstone is further improved when set in yellow gold. To fashion
magnificent multihued costume jewelry, it is over and over again paired with
other semi precious gemstones for instance
Peridot,
amethyst, pink
tourmaline and
garnet. These jewelries
are apposite for casual as well as formal wear.
As for ornamental purpose it is used for making cabochons, beads and
carvings. Beads vary between 2mm to 10mm in size. Bracelets, necklace and
matching earrings are relatively more accepted amongst the younger
generation who look for funky dress up rather than sophisticated attire.
Spaced out from the jewelry items beads are also used for remarkable
decorative purpose such as in chandeliers, lampshades etc. Furthermore it
makes breathtaking carvings that offers startling look to the interiors of
the home, office, restaurants so on so forth.
Precautions - It is rated 7
Mohs on the
hardness scale. This implies it to be tough and strong stone that do not
require much precautions hitherto it cannot be taken for granted. In spite
of having good hardness rate it is prone to breaks and cracks. It should be
cosseted from sharp blows and hits as it easily gets scratched. The stone
has to be kept away from the sunlight or excessive heat temperature else the
colour gets faded for the lifetime. Ultrasonic home cleaner can be used for
cleaning but for the longer life of the stone and its jewelry it is better
to avoid it. Warm soapy water and soft bristle brush is perfect for
cleaning. It should be totally wiped off with a soft cloth after the wash
and must be stored in the jewelry box lined with soft fabric. These
precautions help out in keeping the gemstone secured for the life span.
Beliefs - It symbolizes optimism, vigor and loyalty. In olden
days, our ancestors regarded this transparent yellow beauty as the protector
from snake poison, noxious reptiles and plague. It was also used to drive
away evil thoughts. Following the birth of Christ, Romans used it for
intaglio and cabochon.
It is associated with wealth and prosperity therefore referred as '
Merchant Stone'. Many shopkeepers keep this gem in their business lockers or
near the cash registers to realize maximum pecuniary powers of the gem.
Apart from wealth it also takes care of health. It helps in eliminating the
negative energy and improves the self-esteem and confidence of the person
possessing this gem. Astrologers suggest this gemstone for those in creative
field like journalism, media and entertainers etc. as it improves the
creativity of the wearer. And also for those who are entrepreneurs or
planning to be one as it bumps up the wealth and material growth.
Medically, it powers to rinse out the venom and revive body tissues. It
helps in proper functioning of the digestive, circulatory and urinary
system.
It gives a hand in abolishing the soreness or syndromes like acid
indigestion, poor blood circulation, food disorders and allergies. Life
threatening diseases like appendicitis and gangrene are believed to be cured
by regular wearing of this attractive gemstone. It assists in having
undisturbed sleep by overcoming the problems related to sleep such as
insomnia, sleep disorders, bad dreams and nightmares etc.
This fascinating gemstone makes the wearer look beautiful and flourish
material wealth, opulence and career success. It is also known as 'Happy
Stone' as makes the life beset with bliss and liveliness. Citrine is a
unique gem for everyone in every condition and for every solution. Wear it
and cheer up!!!
Citrine
Properties
Chemical
Composition
It is silicon
dioxide and the chemical formula is SiO2.
Colours
Various shades of
yellow and orange.
Solid State
Transparent to
translucent.
Hardness
7 Mohs.
Luster
Vitreous.
Refractive Index
1.544-1.553
Specific Gravity
2.6 - 2.7.
Tenacity
Brittle.
Crystal System
Trigonal crystal
system.
Fractures
Conchoidal.
Cleavage
Indiscernible.
Birefringence
0.009
Enhancement
Often enhanced to
improve the colour.
Source
Brazil, USA,
Russia, Uruguay, Scotland, Bolivia, France, Spain and Madagascar.
Precautions
General gemstone
precautions. Has to be protected from sunlight.
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