Citrine

Citrine is a member of the quartz family of minerals that range in color from various hues of pale yellow to yellowish orange to a soft amber brown which is caused by various amounts of iron oxide and other chemical agents.

Called citrine because of it's yellowish citrus like color, citrine is brittle in it's crystalline structure and has no cleavage.

Citrine is a beautiful, transparent, simi precious gemstone in it's own right, but it is sometimes misleadingly called precious topaz because of the similarities.

Precious topaz is harder and more brilliant than citrine, and topaz is much more expensive. To the unskilled eye, citrine can be easily passed off as topaz so a buyer has to be aware of this fact when purchasing topaz.

Citrine gemstones are mounted on gold and silver and are used to make pendants, rings, charms, earrings necklaces, and other pieces of jewelry and it is often used as an alternate birthstone for the month of November.

Citrine has been used as jewelry for thousands of years and many believed that it has healing powers that can cleanse the body of toxins and other harmful elements and regenerate body tissue.

It is thought to generate positive energies such as confidence, optimism, and self discipline by those who wear citrine and also protects the wearer depression, fear, and other maladies.

Citrine is rarely found in a natural setting and most citrine gemstones are produced by heating other minerals such as amethyst and smoky quartz.

Deposits of natural citrine can be found in Spain, Namibia, Brazil, Myanmar, Argentina, the USSR, Scotland, and in the United States.

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