Citrine

Citrine is the yellow to golden-orange variety of quartz. Its name comes from the French "citron", meaning lemon, and colours range from pale lemon yellow through golden honey tones to deep orange-brown, sometimes called Madeira citrine after the colour of Madeira wine.

Natural citrine is fairly rare and usually a pale, soft yellow. Most citrine sold today is amethyst that has been heat-treated to turn its purple colour yellow or orange, a practice so widespread that it is generally accepted in the trade. Heat-treated stones often show a warmer orange or reddish tint, while natural citrine tends to be a more even pale yellow. Brazil is by far the largest source of both natural and heat-treated material.

For centuries citrine was confused with topaz, as any golden stone was often called "topaz", and names such as "Madeira topaz" and "gold topaz" are still sometimes misused for citrine. The two can be told apart by hardness and other tests: topaz is harder (8 on the Mohs scale) and heavier.

Citrine is durable, affordable and available in large clean pieces, which makes it popular for faceted stones, beads and carvings. It became especially fashionable in the 19th century and in Art Deco jewellery of the 1920s and 1930s. Strong sunlight can fade some citrine over time.

Citrine at a glance

Caring for citrine

Citrine is hard (7 on the Mohs scale) and durable, so it is suitable for everyday jewellery. Clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Ultrasonic cleaning is usually safe, but avoid steam cleaning and sudden temperature changes. Keep citrine out of prolonged strong sunlight and high heat, which can fade or alter the colour. Store separately from harder gemstones to avoid scratches.

In folklore

The beliefs below are traditional folklore, included for interest. They are not scientifically proven, and nothing here is medical advice.

Citrine has been used since ancient times; the Greeks carved it into ornaments and Roman priests are said to have worn citrine rings. Folklore held that it protected against snake venom and evil thoughts. Merchants traditionally kept citrine in their cash boxes in the belief that it would attract wealth and success, and it is still a popular good-luck stone for business. Queen Victoria was fond of citrine jewellery. Citrine is a modern birthstone for November and is associated with the zodiac signs Gemini, Aries, Leo and Libra.

Citrine is traditionally known as the "merchant's stone" or "success stone" and is associated with prosperity, abundance and positive energy. Crystal healing lore holds that it brings optimism, confidence and motivation, dispels negativity and encourages creativity. Unlike many crystals, it is said never to need cleansing because it does not hold negative energy. It is linked to the solar plexus chakra.

Related stones

Amethyst, ametrine, smoky quartz, rock crystal, rose quartz, prasiolite and lemon quartz. Stones that can look similar include yellow topaz, imperial topaz, yellow sapphire, heliodor (golden beryl), yellow tourmaline and golden glass.

For the technically minded

Shop citrine beads

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