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Citrine is a natural stone to distinguish. Citrine

Few people know that the citrine stone is one of the types of quartz rocks, and among its closest “relatives” are smoky topaz, all amethysts and even aventurine. However, despite such a large number of related stones, citrine does not lose its bright individuality in comparison with them and always stands out against their background. It is very easy to distinguish from other minerals.

From the history of citrine

At first glance, this may seem strange, but for a very long time this mineral did not have any name. He found it only during the Enlightenment, in the 18th century, as a lemon-colored stone. In those days, this stone was so loved by the nobility that they began to decorate the seals with which the nobles marked their letters.

Citrine arises in the same way as any quartz - as a result of centuries-old processes in the bowels of the earth. For example, from hardened volcanic lava - magma. And this is not surprising: after all, quartz makes up more than 12% of the entire earth’s crust.

Among all the mineral formations that arise as a result of certain processes, it is citrine that stands out for its special and memorable beauty. In addition to the recognizable yellow color of various shades, it is distinguished by its ability to take the form of several crystals fused with each other.

The yellow color of this stone is the result of the fact that it contains a certain amount of trivalent iron. Citrine crystals are quite large when found. This stone, compared to other varieties of quartz, is found much less frequently by seekers. Places where it can be found are still in the Brazilian state of Goias, as well as on the island of Madagascar and in the mountain Pyrenees. On the European continent, citrine can be found in France. Its deposits are also preserved in the USA. In our latitudes, citrine is very rarely found in the Urals.

Since this stone is quite rare, in the retail trade you can often find its artificial analogues - quartz, which have undergone a process called annealing.

The wonderful and beneficial properties of citrine

Many believe that this stone has extensive magical and healing properties. Its yellow color is often associated and associated with the vital energy of the Sun. It is believed that the person who constantly wears citrine jewelry receives special protection and protection from the Sun. In addition, esotericists claim that he also has a connection with the planet Mercury, which since ancient times has been considered the patron saint of traders and travelers.

Citrine stimulates the development of creativity, helps get rid of the blues and depression. Helps establish business contacts and successfully negotiate with partners.

There is an established opinion among esotericists that this particular quartz, due to its constant connection with the Sun, cannot accumulate negative “lunar” or “Yin” energy. And therefore, unlike many other stones, it does not need to undergo energetic cleansing.

If a person wants to learn to speak beautifully, he must wear citrine. It will help you acquire a beautiful manner of conversation and attract necessary and useful people to its owner.

If you become the happy owner of natural rather than artificial citrine, it will activate all the necessary processes in the body, increase visual acuity and help cure diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This stone can cure a child’s stuttering and timidity, and improves the condition of patients suffering from serious mental disorders.

Citrine as a talisman and amulet

Traditionally, jewelers and watchmakers consider it their talisman of good luck and good work. For representatives of those professions that especially require the participation of fine manual motor skills, it always brings good luck and success in business.

For representatives of creative professions, wearing this quartz as a talisman will always contribute to the birth of new inspiration. Of course, given that citrine promotes the development of communication skills in all their manifestations, it can and should be worn by real estate agents and sales managers. For people with strong mental vulnerability, this stone will give them resistance to environmental stressors and make them less touchy and vulnerable.

Bright orange citrines are recommended to be worn by young people starting their own business. In pre-revolutionary Russia, it was always considered a talisman for traveling merchants: it emits a strong aura that can protect from both obvious and secret enemies.

Among the Indians of South America, this mineral was famous for the fact that it could protect its owner from the attack and bite of any dangerous snake.

Color spectrum

As already mentioned, the different shades of yellow color of citrine are created by iron, aluminum and silicon rocks. The shades are very different: among them there are light yellow ones, the color of fresh lemon. Citrine is very beautiful, the color of which resembles the color of thick amber.

There are stones that are called zonal. These are mixed varieties of citrine and citrine, which look very beautiful thanks to the combination of purple and yellow colors. Such mixed specimens are called ametrines. They can be found in Bolivia, but there are very few left.

Natural citrines are also found in nature and are becoming increasingly rare on sale. Most often, in jewelry stores and at sales exhibitions you can only buy artificial stone obtained by heating smoky gray quartz.

Smoky-gray quartz that has undergone high-temperature treatment acquires a beautiful bright yellow color, as well as honey, amber and wine shades. Interesting fact: there is an amethyst that has undergone this treatment and is called “Madeira” - after a famous brand of wine.

Unfortunately, scammers often pass off citrine as more expensive stones - such as or. However, any topaz has a higher density than standard quartz rock, is harder, and can be easily tested with a special pencil. There is a device called a refractometer that allows you to recognize citrine in a fake emerald.

Is it possible to visually recognize a fake?

It is possible to recognize a fake if you look closely at the stone:

Natural quartz always has a natural dullness, while its artificial counterparts acquire suspicious transparency.
If you have natural quartz in your hands that has not been processed, it will certainly retain the quality that experts call dichroism. When a light beam passes through a crystal with double refraction, the beam will split in two, and the vibrations of the two beams will occur in planes mutually perpendicular.
If the quartz was treated with coloring, then the rays are absorbed in different ways and, when they leave the crystal, the color of each of them is different.
If a natural stone is stationary, the rays are not visible, but if you pick it up and turn it a little, its color will change.

Citrine can be checked for the presence or absence of dichroism using any LCD monitor. The monitor screen should be made white, and the stone should be placed with its sharp end against the screen, while rotating it in a clockwise direction.

If the citrine is real, you will definitely observe a change in color, but if it is a well-forged piece of glass, nothing will change.

Horoscope and citrine stone

If you answer the question of which zodiac sign this stone most corresponds to, you can safely answer that almost everyone can wear it, and there will be no harm from it.

It is believed that most of all it corresponds to representatives of fire signs - Leo, Aries, Sagittarius - and gives them luck and success in all areas of activity.

How to properly care for stone

Natural citrine is quite strong in its structure. However, if it has undergone any kind of treatment, there is a danger that the stone will become quite brittle. It may appear cracks and scratches. Therefore, it must be protected from external mechanical influences and exposure to direct sunlight.

Do not clean it with powders and popular detergents: use plain soap and a soft brush to clean it. After the stone has been washed, it should be wiped dry and stored in an opaque container, not placed next to other jewelry.

Historically, citrine has long been one of the favorite stones of nobles, but no one knew its true origin. For a long time, the gem was confused with other minerals, called by other people's names; it is still mistaken for other nuggets, while at the same time different minerals are passed off as it.

History and origin

Citrine is a rare variety of quartz. For jewelers, the honey-golden nugget is classified as class IV precious stones. Citrine differs from ordinary quartz only in color. The closest minerals to it are pink, smoky and transparent varieties of quartz, as well as morion, and rock crystal.

The ancient peoples once revered citrine for its magical abilities. The Greeks and Romans made golden quartz a talisman for politicians and orators, because they believed that with the help of the stone they acquired the gift of eloquence. But African and South American aborigines used the stone as amulets against poisonous snakes.

Not so long ago, at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, citrine was popular among businessmen, officials, merchants, and other members of the nobility. The stone was used to complement gold personal seals used to seal letters or documentation.

Do you know that although golden quartz has been known since ancient times, the stone took its own name and place in mineralogy only in the 17th century, when in 1747 the chemist Valerius officially introduced the nugget into scientific literature.

Since that time, citrine has become fashionable in the royal chambers and among representatives of the upper class. They began to make all kinds of jewelry from the gem, as well as to complement royal crowns and other symbols of power.

The name of the gem is derived from the Latin word “citrus”, which means “lemon”, reflecting the main color of the gem. Until this turning point, a lemon nugget, depending on its color, was mistaken for golden or Spanish topaz, although the physical properties of citrine are significantly different. And these days, specimens with a greenish tint are mistaken for light-colored emeralds.

Place of Birth

Of all the many varieties of quartz, citrines are the rarest. The largest production zones are located in Brazil and the island of Madagascar.

The Russian deposit is located in the Perm region. The mineral is also mined in Kazakhstan, Scotland, the USA, Spain, France and Poland.

Physical properties

The chemical composition of citrine is silicon oxide, similar to quartz. The characteristic shades of yellow are provided by impurities of lithium, iron, aluminum or hydrogen. In nature, the mineral is formed in large crystals, often twinned, forming druses.

Interesting fact! The Smithsonian Institution holds a 22.9-carat processed citrine crystal.

Stone kept at the institute

Natural citrine is transparent, endowed with shades of light yellow. However, if a citrine crystal is heated to a certain temperature, the stone will acquire a more saturated yellow color. However, heat treatment deprives the nugget of pleochroism characteristic of an untreated stone.

Color varieties

The color palette of citrine begins with a pale yellow hue and ends with brownish-honey or amber. Gemologists often refer to light-colored stones as “Bohemian citrines” and darker varieties as “Spanish topaz.” Although in fact the natural mineral is close to the color of lemon, and all the brighter stones are thermally refined.

There is also light green citrine, which is popularly called false emerald. Such a gem has no value, since it quickly discolors from sunlight.

Pendant with false emerald

A very rare, unique stone is considered to be a mixture of Citrine and Amethyst. In appearance, it is a striped mineral with alternating lilac amethyst and light yellow stripes. In mineralogy it is called amethyst-citrine quartz, this variety is found in Brazil.

Healing properties

In lithotherapy, the healing abilities of citrine extend to all organs located in the area of the umbilical chakra, as well as the solar plexus chakra. This means that the stone has a beneficial effect on the genitourinary system and organs of the gastrointestinal tract (liver, spleen, stomach, pancreas, intestines).

The energy of the stone is concentrated in the areas of these two chakras, which means that the mineral is especially useful for pregnant women and women wishing to become pregnant. In addition, citrine has a beneficial effect on the brain, improving concentration, memory and clarity of thinking.

The golden nugget can also cope with some unadvanced spinal diseases. The stone will have an analgesic effect in case of vertebral hernia, and will also enhance the effect of medications.

Citrine is able to calm emotional storms, overcome insomnia, and drive away nightmares. Lithotherapists advise using the mineral to eliminate problems with speech development in children. If the problem is not advanced, the gem will help the child cope with stuttering or other defects up to the age of 11.

Also, stone treatment specialists note the rehabilitative effect of the mineral on the human body after physical or psychological trauma. In the absence of its own energy, citrine promotes the rapid accumulation of the owner’s own vital energy, fighting back chronic fatigue.

It is worth remembering that only natural, pure minerals without the slightest dark inclusions or impurities have healing abilities.

Magic powers

The magic of citrine is versatile, although it has one main direction - gaining a person’s sociability. With such a talisman, anyone becomes a charismatic, confident, charming person. The stone endows the owner with oratorical talent, the gift of persuasion, and helps to establish new connections. Any argument or discussion becomes a winner, no matter how good the opponent is.

However, any medal still has two sides. The nature of citrine is such that the mineral does not distinguish people by character. He helps good and evil, people with pure intentions and swindlers at the same time. The receptive female energy of Yin helps to change a person’s personal qualities to suit society in such a way that the owner of the stone is liked by everyone, everywhere. This makes it easy for wicked people to ingratiate themselves by pulling off scams.

Thus, citrine favors people of such professions as businessmen, politicians, managers, and lawyers. Although he loves creative people no less, those engaged in crafts or any precision work - jewelers, surgeons, watchmakers.

Suspension

It is also believed that if the mother gives the baby a citrine amulet at birth, then such a talisman will protect the child throughout his life. The stone will protect the owner from any evil forces, misfortunes, and premature death.

Golden quartz has the power to resolve financial setbacks, improving your financial situation in the shortest possible time. This is a bonus for entrepreneurs.

The gem sharpens the intuition of an ordinary person, and also enhances the magical talent of clairvoyants. For the first, citrine helps to catch deception in a timely manner, thus avoiding trouble, and for the second, it helps to establish contacts with the world of spirits.

Citrine can be worn around the clock without parting with the talisman. The amulet can be either in the form of jewelry or simply in the form of a natural nugget crystal.

The video describes the magical properties of the stone.

Compatibility with other stones

Lemon yellow mineral is the gem of Air. The stone feels best near its fellow elements. These include:

amethyst;
all types of quartz, with the exception of morion;

Regarding Fire minerals, citrine supports friendship and enhances the energy of heliolite, and. Good relationships also develop with the elemental counterparts of Air-Fire:

Citrine does not seem to notice earthly minerals. In such a tandem, each of them will be “for themselves.” Neutrality is maintained with stones such as:

all shades except blue.

The forbidden combination is Air and Water. Usually such a union threatens with a storm warning, but in the case of citrine it is a little different - due to the lack of its energy, golden quartz will not affect water minerals in any way. But the Water stones will be unhappy with the proximity of citrine. Among them:

Not the best tandem would be a combination with the elemental counterparts Water-Earth -, or.

Jewelry with mineral

Citrine is widely used in jewelry as an insert into items made of silver, gold-plated silver, and sometimes gold. For the needs of jewelry, the best specimens of the gem are cut with a diamond cut or a combined cut. Opaque stones are flat cut, and samples with defects are cut into cabochons.

The variety of jewelry is great, and the cost is quite different:

Rings. A silver product starts at 7,000 rubles.
Silver earrings cost from 7 to 20 thousand rubles.
Pendants are estimated at an average of 15-18 thousand.

Beads and bracelets are also made from citrine; brooches and tiaras are encrusted with the stone.

How to spot a fake

Most of the gems on domestic shelves are not of exactly the origin they should be. The lion's share of stones are refined varieties of quartz, such as amethyst or smoky quartz. Such gems are calcined at temperatures from 500 to 700˚C, obtaining honey-colored minerals.

Fired crystals give out a thick amber or brown-honey color, as well as a reddish tint, which is not found in natural citrine. Natural stone is never bright or saturated - its color is always pale. In addition, a natural gem is endowed with slight pleochroism (changes shade depending on the viewing angle), but refined quartz is not. Also in the calcined nugget, a white matte base is visible, stretching like a train to the top of the crystal.

Interesting fact! In some African amethyst deposits, nature itself has created an imitation of citrine. Where the mineral ends up on the surface, in placers under the scorching sun and lies for about ten years, citrine is formed. In essence, it is an amethyst, but under the influence of temperature it has changed its lilac color to orange.

However, an ennobled quartz crystal is not entirely a fake, but rather an imitation. In store windows there is counterfeit glass or plastic. Even rare ametrine is counterfeited. Clear lines demarcating the stripes give away a fake - in a natural gem the transitions between colors are smooth.

The glass can be identified by the absence of dichroism inherent in natural citrine - a sunbeam passing through a natural crystal bifurcates. You cannot see such a split in glass.

Often citrine itself in green shades becomes an imitation of emerald. It is impossible to identify a fake on your own; you will need the help of a qualified jeweler.

How to wear and care

Buying citrine does not follow lunar or any other rules - get ready and go shopping any day.

Citrine does not like the sun; it makes the stone turn pale. But in a room with artificial lighting, the gem plays as brightly as possible.

Golden quartz looks great on brown-haired or blonde women, and also well emphasizes tanned or naturally dark skin. On red-haired girls the stone shines in a special way. The best housewives for citrine are brown-eyed or green-eyed girls.

Regarding the wardrobe, citrine jewelry looks great with lemon-colored clothes and other shades, gradually reaching the brown palette. An excellent combination would be green or blue wardrobe items. Universal black, white and gray colors will also make an excellent tandem with citrine. Light chiffon items with floral prints are harmoniously combined with delicate citrine earrings. But with flashy red you need to be careful.

Stone care is not limited to strict limits, but rather universal:

Wash in warm soapy water using a soft sponge.
Separate storage in a soft bag.
Careful handling to limit mechanical damage as much as possible.

There is a popular belief that it is better to store citrine next to money reserves in order to preserve and also increase finances.

Name and Zodiac compatibility

The golden nugget treats people with the names:

Angela. The stone will give her peace of mind and filter out energy.
Georgy. The gem will attract success into his life, enhancing the intuition and business inclinations of the owner. The amulet will support George’s vitality.
Daria will feel an increase in the level of intuitive thinking. The mineral will clear the energy background and harmonize the inner world.
Oksana will gain mutual understanding with others.
Stella. For her, the talisman will be a filter for the body, cleansing it on a psychological and physical level. With citrine, Stella will find the most correct solutions.

Citrine is a stone with a difficult fate. The properties of citrine turned out to be such that, although it is not a precious stone, but an ornamental stone, it was often counterfeited. More precisely, they made an imitation using related stones - it is related to quartz and amethyst. Natural lemon-yellow stone is rare in nature.

History and origin

By origin it is a golden variety of quartz. Its closest “relatives” are clear, pink and smoky quartz, rock crystal, amethyst and morion.

The name comes from Latin citrus, which means “lemony, lemon-colored.” It was introduced into scientific use by the chemist and mineralogist Valerius in 1747. Before this, this semiprecious stone did not have a clear place in mineralogy. It was usually confused with topaz. Until now, unofficial synonyms for citrine are “Spanish topaz” or “Bohemian topaz”. Sometimes it is simply called golden topaz.

True topaz differs from citrine in higher hardness, density and more pronounced pleochroism - this is the ability to change shades when illuminated from different angles.

Golden-green citrine is sometimes confused with faintly colored emerald. Unlike the latter, green “Spanish topaz” quickly loses color in the sun, so its cost is low. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the stone was in fashion among successful merchants, nobility and high-ranking officials. From it, in combination with gold, they made seals for sealing personal and government papers.

In the ancient world - in Hellas and Ancient Rome - it was believed that this gem endows its owner with the gift of eloquence. The ability to speak long and beautifully was highly valued at that time, so it was mainly used by politicians and orators.

Physicochemical characteristics

Characteristics: Like all quartz, it is pure silicon oxide. May contain iron, aluminum, lithium and hydrogen ions, which act as chromatophores, giving citrine its characteristic yellow color. Hardness - 7 units on the Mohs scale. Transparent, according to the Bauer-Fersman classification, it belongs to semi-precious gems of the 4th order.

Citrine crystal can be quite large in size. The largest known reaches 2,258 carats and is kept in the Smithsonian Museum. The properties of citrine are similar to those of amethyst and other quartz derivatives. In nature, it often forms druses or individual large crystals.

Formula	SiO2
Color	Shades of yellow
Shine	Glass
Transparency	Transparent
Hardness	7
Cleavage	Absent
Kink	Conchoidal
Density	2.65 g/cm³

Fake diamond

A description of the stone would be incomplete without mention of its imitations. Despite the fact that citrines are not grown artificially, the practice of making imitations of these stones from clear or smoky quartz or low-grade pale amethyst is widespread throughout the world. This is because in nature, golden quartz is much less common than its colorless or pale purple counterparts. And it is valued, accordingly, more expensive. The price of unprocessed stone on the Russian market starts from 50 rubles per gram; cut stone (of high purity and without defects) can reach 700 rubles.

Imitations of this gem are obtained by annealing quartz or amethyst at a temperature of 300–400 degrees Celsius. When exposed to temperature, they change color to golden yellow, becoming the color of citrine. Amethysts produce darker specimens with a rich honey hue.

Currently, most of the "Bohemian topaz" on the market are annealed smoky quartz. It is difficult to find a mineral that has not undergone heat treatment.

Mining locations

There are few large deposits of “Bohemian topaz” in nature. The largest developments are in Brazil, in the states of Bahia, Minas Gerais, and Goias. Significant quantities of citrines come from Madagascar. There are smaller deposits in Russia - the Olkhovskoye deposit near Perm, in Kazakhstan - the spurs of the Southern Urals, in France, Spain and Poland.

In Ukraine, in the Volodarsk-Volynsky deposit, smoky quartz is mined, which is heat-treated on site, producing quite beautiful bright yellow annealed citrines.

Colors and varieties

The color scheme of true citrine tends to be lemon yellow. In gemology, there is an established tradition of calling brownish-honey specimens “Spanish topaz” and lighter ones – “Bohemian”. Citrine shades can range from completely light to amber, although rich orange-gold or honey tones are usually found in annealed former quartz gemstones.

There is a rare type of stone - ametrine, a “cross” of citrine and amethyst. It is a mineral with alternating stripes of light yellow and lilac shades. It is mined mainly in Brazil as a companion rock.

Green citrine, or false emerald, has no jewelry value, since it quickly loses color in the light.

Medicinal properties

The healing properties of citrine lie in its connection with the navel chakra and solar plexus chakra. This stone affects all internal organs located in the body at the level of these chakras. Including:

kidneys (and the genitourinary system in general);
large and small intestines;
liver;
spleen;
stomach and pancreas.

The stone helps to get rid of some spinal problems, if they are not very advanced. For example, it relieves pain from a herniated disc and helps enhance the effect of medication therapy.

The gem enhances the owner’s own energy. This affects the improvement of brain function, increased reaction speed, and clarity of thinking. “Spanish Topaz” helps its owner to think faster and more clearly, and to better sift out the unnecessary.

Additional properties of citrine stone include accelerating the rehabilitation of sick and wounded people, including those who have received psychological trauma. Lithotherapists believe that the stone does not have its own energy, but contributes to the rapid accumulation of vitality in the owner. Treats chronic fatigue.

The energy directed by the stone goes primarily to the solar plexus and navel chakras. Therefore, women who wear jewelry with citrine have a greater chance of becoming pregnant, and childbirth, if pregnancy has already occurred, is easier and less painful than it could be.

“Bohemian topaz” has a beneficial effect on the development of speech skills in young children. Treats stuttering and other speech defects, if they are not severely advanced. The effect of citrine on a child’s speech center lasts up to 10–11 years.

Magic properties

The magical properties of citrine are, first of all, sociability. The magic of the stone gives charisma, self-confidence and personal charm to any person. Citrine helps to establish personal contacts, convince interlocutors that you are right, and win arguments and disputes. Therefore, it is useful for businessmen, sales managers, stockbrokers and representatives of other professions whose work is directly related to people, and the effect depends on the ability to persuade and please people.

But citrine is an illegible stone. Amulets with it help swindlers and swindlers gain the trust of naive people.

The energy of the stone is yin, feminine, receptive. It influences not other people, but the wearer, changing his manner of communication so that it most closely matches the preferences of his counterpart. Citrine is a stone of social mimicry.

Among professions, stone especially distinguishes people engaged in applied labor, where a keen eye, a steady hand and jeweler-like clarity and precision of work are required. He patronizes jewelers, engravers, watchmakers, and surgeons.

The indigenous people of Africa and South America, without saying a word, considered citrine talismans and amulets to be the best protection against poisonous snakes.

Zodiac connections

According to the zodiac sign, citrine is associated with Gemini. It belongs to the element of Air; astrologers consider Mercury to be its patron planet. In the dualistic opposition between the Sun and the Moon, the meaning of the stone is solar; it gravitates towards the Sun.

Despite this, “Spanish topaz” has ideal zodiac compatibility. According to the horoscope, it suits representatives of most signs. Only Scorpios should wear it with some caution.

Zodiac sign	Compatibility
Aries	-
Taurus	+
Twins	+++
Cancer	-
a lion	+
Virgo	+
Scales	+
Scorpion	+
Sagittarius	+
Capricorn	+
Aquarius	+++
Fish	+

(“+++” - fits perfectly, “+” - can be worn, “-” - is strictly contraindicated)

Compatibility with other stones

“Spanish Topaz” belongs to the element of Air.

It works best in conjunction with other gems of its native element, including:

amethyst;
rock crystal and all other types of quartz, except morion;
uvarovite;
demantoid;
blue chalcedony;
amazonite;
tourmaline;
true topaz;
golden beryl;
fluorite;
sparrow;
chrysoprase.

In combination with Fire stones, it can enhance the power of the latter, but only if it is not a “noble duet” - a diamond with a ruby. Of the fire citrines, it is compatible only with less valuable garnets of all types, as well as with pyrite and heliolite. It is also good friends with stones that have a double elemental affiliation - both Air and Fire. These are carnelian, hematite, noble spinel, charoite and amber.

He behaves neutrally with the stones of the Earth - as if they do not exist at all, they will also “work” on their own. Among them:

jasper;
jade;
chalcedony (except blue);
agates;
turquoise;
malachite;
crocodile;
morion;
obsidian;
cacholong;
Labrador;
nephritis.

Citrine “doesn’t like” only its proximity to Water minerals - Air and Water combined create a storm. Since citrine does not have its own energy, it will not actively influence Water stones, but these stones themselves may not like such company. The worst people to treat citrine are:

emerald;
sapphire;
opal;
true topaz;
pearl;
alexandrite;
chrysolite.

You should not wear it with aventurine, melanite or zircon, which are identified with the Earth + Water connection.

Application area

Citrine is used as an insert into inexpensive jewelry with precious metals - silver, gilded silver, and less often gold. Earrings, pendants, rings, and sometimes tiaras are made with it. There are citrine beads.

The standard cut is diamond, if the quality of the stone allows, or cabochon.

How to recognize a fake

As mentioned above, natural citrines with a “signature” yellow color are rare. Most market specimens are annealed quartz of various types. Whether they should be considered fakes is a moot point, since their origin is completely natural, and the chemical composition is almost identical to true citrines. It is more correct to consider them processed.

Beads made from natural citrine stone

But if you want to purchase true citrine, then know: by nature these stones are pale golden, dim. You should be suspicious of rich yellow, honey stones, especially those with a reddish tint - this is a sign of annealing. The closer to orange the color, the more likely it is that this is annealed quartzite; most likely, it was amethyst in nature.

In Africa, citrines “forged by nature” are found - where amethyst druses, having split, end up in placers on the surface, under the rays of the sun. Over several decades of solar heating, amethysts change color to brownish-yellow.

In addition, annealed stones are distinguished by an opaque, matte white base, a kind of “substrate” that extends all the way to the top of the crystal.

True citrines exhibit weak pleochroism, meaning they change color slightly when viewed from different angles. The effect of dichroism is also observed - a solar ray passed through a crystal splits into two. This is the best way to differentiate citrine crystal from glass.

Artificial ametrine can be identified by a clear boundary between color zones - in natural ametrine it is smooth and blurry.

Ironically, “Spanish topaz” in the hands of dishonest jewelers often turns out to be a counterfeit of real topaz. Sometimes green varieties are passed off as emeralds. It is difficult to check the authenticity of a topaz or emerald by hand; if in doubt, it is best to take it to a reputable jeweler or to an assay office. There they will be checked using special means - a hardness pencil and a refractometer - and they will say for sure whether it is citrine, emerald or topaz.

How to wear and care

Citrine does not like prolonged exposure to bright sun, so it is better to wear jewelry with it in cloudy weather or not to wear it openly in sunny weather. Otherwise the color may fade. This stone prefers rooms with artificial lighting, where it begins to “play” best.

Beads with citrine

There are no special rules for care. Like any other stones, it must be protected from impacts, washed only with warm soapy water, wiped with a soft sponge, and stored separately in a soft bag.

There is a belief that citrine loves money, so it is worth putting it where you keep your cash supply - both will be safe.

Time to buy

There is no specific time for purchasing jewelry with “Spanish topaz.” Its work as a talisman does not depend on the phases of the moon or other astrological factors.

Citrine is a yellow stone, a type of quartz. It got its name because of its similarity to citrus fruits. The mineral is loved by jewelers for its beautiful color and ease of processing.

Citrine stone has been known to mankind for many centuries. But it received its name only in the Middle Ages. Previously, the mineral was considered because they are very similar. Citrine was called "Spanish topaz" or "Bohemian topaz".

Natural citrine is quite rare, so it is sometimes obtained by firing smoky quartz or amethyst. Natural citrine is a fourth class gemstone. The gem is mined in the form of fairly large transparent crystals, sometimes with dense inclusions.

The stone has only decorative value. It is not used in industry, but jewelers and designers love it.

Watch a video review about this stone:

Varieties and colors

The color of citrine includes many shades of yellow. Most untreated stones are pale yellow in color. Gems of other shades have their own names:

yellow citrine – golden topaz;
brownish-yellow – Spanish topaz;
lemon – Madagascar citrine;
wine yellow or bright orange – Madeira;
crystals with alternating citrine and amethyst colors - .

Green shades are characteristic only of artificial crystals. There is also the so-called “moss citrine”. It has the usual yellow color, but inside it there are various inclusions in the form of branches.

History and origin of the mineral

In Ancient Greece, citrine was held in high esteem. People believed that it brought good luck and wealth. The gem was available only to influential and wealthy people.

The gem is formed in hydrothermal and sedimentary rocks. It grows in the form of individual crystals, grains and druses. The sizes are usually small, but giant specimens are also found.

The 2,258-carat stone is located at the Smithsonian University. The largest citrine mined in the world is on display in the city of Malaga. Its weight exceeds 20 thousand carats.

Mining and stone processing

Citrine is distributed throughout the world. The largest deposits are located in Brazil, India, and Madagascar. In Russia, the main mining of gems is carried out in the Urals.

The stone is cut into a cabochon or diamond cut.

Opaque crystals are made flat. Since the mineral has high hardness, it is cut on diamond-coated machines.

Fake diamond

Most of the citrines presented in jewelry stores are obtained artificially - by firing smoky quartz and amethysts at a temperature of 400–500 degrees. Such stones are very rarely found in nature - in Africa, where amethyst rocks that have come to the surface lie under the sun for decades.

How to distinguish citrine from a fake

It is easy to recognize artificially produced citrine. It always has a reddish tint and a thick color. There is always a white stripe at the base of the crystal. However, it is a real stone, although not citrine.

But there are also fakes made of plastic and glass. It is not difficult to identify them:

stone always weighs more than glass or plastic;
the surface of a real mineral is not perfectly smooth; it has roughness and microcracks;
a real mineral changes color if you look at it from different angles, but the color of a plastic or glass imitation is always constant.

Gemological examination will help to definitively determine a fake.

When purchasing citrine jewelry in a jewelry store, you should always ask for a quality certificate for it.

Also watch a video on the difference between natural stone and heated stone:

Properties and uses of citrine

The stone is used only in jewelry. A lot of jewelry is made from it - rings, bracelets, beads, earrings.

Physicochemical characteristics

The chemical formula of the mineral is silicon oxide, SiO2. In terms of physical properties, it is close to its relative quartz:

hardness on the Mohs scale – 7 units;
density - 2.6 grams per cubic centimeter;
melting point about 1700 degrees;
at the fracture it has a conchoidal structure;
high transparency;
glass shine;
piezoelectric properties.

The natural gem is hard but fragile. If you drop it from a great height onto a concrete floor, it will break.

Medicinal properties

In ancient India, the mineral was especially valued for its ability to relieve a person from diseases. The healing properties of the stone include:

improvement of the gastrointestinal tract;
positive effect on the genitourinary system;
restoration of vision;
acceleration of regeneration after injuries.

In lithotherapy, the use of gems is practiced to improve brain function and prevent neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Water infused with citrine helps women cope with menopause more easily.

The stone has the ability to cleanse the body of toxins and improve skin regeneration. Has a rejuvenating effect.

To watch a video review on the topic:

Magic properties

Due to its color, the gem is considered a sun stone that influences the chakra of spirituality. Esotericists note the gem’s ability to develop parapsychological abilities - reading minds, seeing the past and future. Throughout its history, various amulets and talismans have been made from citrine:

against reptile bites;
to attract fame and fortune;
to gain self-confidence;
to increase emotional stability.

The stone has a positive effect on vulnerable, emotionally unstable people. It is for these properties that the gem is considered the most suitable amulet for women, especially young girls. Citrine favors people engaged in manual labor - needlewomen, jewelers, engravers.

The stone must be worn correctly so that it exhibits the properties that the owner needs.

To increase your material well-being, you should wear a ring on your right little finger. To acquire leadership qualities, the ring is worn on the middle or ring finger of the left hand. The pendant will help improve your speaking abilities.

In Japan, the gem is used according to the rules of Feng Shui. To attract material well-being, a money tree with citrine leaves and amethyst roots is located in the southeastern part of the home. A citrine crystal placed in the darkest corner of the house helps cleanse the home of negative energy.

Suitable by zodiac sign and name

The mineral goes well with most zodiac signs:

Aries – perseverance increases, life potential increases;

Taurus – creative and organizational abilities develop;

Gemini - happiness is attracted, but the stone has a negative effect on deceivers and schemers;

Cancer – patience and generosity develop, the amulet helps strengthen love relationships;

Virgo - material well-being improves;

Leo - leadership abilities develop, but citrine is not suitable for people with a strong desire for power;

Libra – climbing the career ladder;

Scorpio is the only sign for which citrine is not suitable because it suppresses its vitality;

Sagittarius – health improves;

Capricorn – perseverance increases;

Aquarius – achieving the most difficult goals;

Pisces – life potential is enhanced.

Citrine amulets are contraindicated only for Scorpios. Gemini and Leo should wear them with caution.

Other signs can use citrine talismans without fear.

The gem is most suitable for girls with the names Yana and Angela. The mineral is considered typically feminine; men usually do not wear it.

Also see the review about the energy of the stone:

Jewelry with citrine

Citrine occupies a significant position in the jewelry niche. The gem lends itself well to processing, so jewelers make the most unusual jewelry from it. They are made only from faceted crystals, without a frame, or set in yellow gold. White gold, silver, and platinum are not suitable for gemstones.

Depending on the style of decoration, it is used for everyday wear or going out. When going to work or school, it is recommended to wear modest jewelry - a bracelet and small beads, a thin ring with a small crystal. For a special evening, a set of ring, earrings and necklace is suitable.

Yellow gem looks good on girls with any skin type. For blondes, pale yellow shades are suitable, for dark brunettes - lemon, bright orange.

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According to Russian tradition, amulets or amulets with citrine stone are given as gifts for tin or lace weddings. Usually this solar mineral is presented on the 13th wedding anniversary. Since this number is considered fatal by most people, it is the warm rays of the stone that can “smooth out corners” and prevent family conflicts. What is the secret of the mineral and what features does it have? Let’s take a closer look.

What kind of stone?

Citrine is a precious mineral. The stone is one of the varieties of flint silicate - yellow quartz. The color range of this nugget provides a wide range of shades: from pale lemon to brightly saturated orange. Thanks to its varied range of shades, citrine is suitable as jewelry for many people.

Properties of the stone

Citrine is a class IV gemstone widely used in jewelry. This mineral is often credited with magical properties that are associated with solar energy. The nugget is used in the form of amulets and amulets that protect against the effects of negative energy.

Magical

People suffering from low energy and constant depression will be able to gain energy after contact with citrine. The lemon color of the nugget helps:

attract cash flow into your life;
master the art of oratory;
actively helps to lead people and convince them;
attract prosperity into the family and establish harmony in relationships;
increase self-esteem;
improve logical thinking;
enhance mental activity;
establish contact with the environment;
drive away nightmares;
develop parapsychological abilities;
develop the talent of prophecy.

Healing

With the help of natural citrine, you can increase physical endurance and energy potential, support the functioning of the endocrine system and other organs. The stone will help get rid of fear syndrome and some degenerative pathologies. Citrine also has a beneficial effect on the following functions:

digestion;
work of the spleen;
helps protect the bladder and kidneys from infections;
strengthens skin barrier properties;
improves hair and nails;
relieves allergies (food);
eliminates discomfort associated with menstrual cycles and menopause.

Also, this stone, thanks to its ability to quickly activate nerve endings, increases intelligence and helps to concentrate.

Physical

Citrine is a fairly durable mineral, its hardness is about 2.65. They can even scratch glass. The stone has large crystals and well-formed aggregates in its structure. He has no cleavage. Other characteristics can be added:

hardness on the Mohs scale - 7.
conchoidal fracture;
glass luster;
color - from lemon to golden brown;
refractive period is within 1.55–1.56.

Chemical

True citrine is a silica that forms in soils with hydrothermal formations. In appearance, the stone, after cutting, is somewhat reminiscent of topaz, although it has a distinctive feature: if you start to rotate it, it will change its original shade. The color of the mineral is determined by the amount of impurities - in most cases they are ferric iron. Some atoms that form the crystal lattice of the stone can be replaced by hydrogen, lithium or aluminum ions.

Due to fluctuations in the levels of intrinsic energies of the elements included in the mineral, they interact with sensitive electromagnetic radiation emitted by the visible spectrum. Therefore, a change in the length of light waves penetrating through the nugget is observed. The “responsiveness” of quartz to physical vibrations ensures a large number of chemically identical citrines, which are characterized by different optical qualities.

Varieties

The natural mineral has only a pale yellow tint. To make it more expressive, the stone is thermally treated, creating new varieties:

Amethyst. Has an orange-brown tint.
Morion. It has a black and yellow tint.
Madera (palmyra, bahia topaz, sierra). It has a yellow-orange color. Such a gem is obtained by firing morion or amethyst.
Ametrine mineral. It is mined in the area where amethyst and citrine coexist. The crystal contains both colors of these stones - purple comes from amethyst, lemon yellow comes from citrine.

Citrine is also found in the form of translucent yellowish crystals with noticeable inclusions of other foreign substances. This nugget is called moss citrine - it is quite expensive.

Where is it mined and how is it processed?

Citrines are considered to be quite rare nuggets. Locations of natural minerals are found in the following countries:

Russia;
Spain;
France;
Kazakhstan;
Madagascar island;
Poland;

There are few natural deposits of these nuggets, so the market offers their refined analogues, created through the heat treatment of other varieties of quartz, such as smoky quartz morion.

Helpful information

To do this, amethyst is subjected to high heat, and rock crystal is irradiated. This allows them to change their natural shade to a yellow, golden color, after which they turn into citrine.

The crystals obtained from these varieties of quartz have a reddish tint.

To obtain such impurities, other processing methods are also used:

heating smoky quartz to 500˚C or slightly lower;
intensive irradiation with the “hard” electromagnetic spectrum of the quartz massif, due to which rich yellow shades appear in the color.

Previously, in the Urals, to obtain other shades, large crystals were placed in dough and baked, and small ones were placed inside the oven in a pot, sprinkled with ash. The citrines obtained in this way had better jewelry qualities than their natural counterparts - they were purer, richer in color, more transparent, while maintaining the density and hardness inherent in the mineral. Although heated quartz is aesthetically very expressive, natural types of citrine are valued higher.

Areas of use

Citrine is used in the form of inserts in jewelry with silver or gilded metal, less often with gold. Women's jewelry is made from it: earrings, rings, pendants.

The mineral is also used as a talisman for professionals associated with the following field of activity:

casino;
sales areas;
fitness industry;
currency exchanges;
television and radio;
medicine;
creative workers.

Who is the stone suitable for according to their astrological zodiac sign?

Citrine is not suitable for all zodiac signs. Ideal compatibility between Gemini and Aquarius. The mineral gives the first representative eloquence, material well-being, and promotion up the career ladder. The second sign receives protection from the negative energy of the environment, improves financial situation and family ties.

Other representatives of the zodiac circle will also be able to feel the beneficial effects of golden citrine:

He will inspire Capricorns to do good deeds;
Libra and Virgo will gain confidence in their abilities;
Pisces will overcome any difficulties in life with dignity;
Scorpios, Leos, Sagittarius and Taurus will become more balanced and calm, and will discover hidden talents.

Wearing amulets for Cancer is contraindicated, as it will increase confusion, and Aries will become even tougher and more aggressive.

How to distinguish from a fake?

Citrine belongs to the 4th class of precious stones, which is why it is often counterfeited. In order not to find yourself in the position of a deceived buyer, pay attention to ways to determine the naturalness of a product:

the imitation does not have cracks, inclusions or clouding, as is observed in natural stone;
an unfired nugget splits in two a sunbeam passing through it, and its substitutes produce reflections of different colors;
the fake always looks brighter and more attractive.

ARTIFICIAL CITRINE

The natural mineral substitute produces clear lines demarcating the stripes. Natural nugget has a smooth transition of shades.

Price

The cost of this mineral depends on the size and cutting method. If the stone is cut into a diamond, it is valued at several thousand dollars. However, in general, the price of a nugget is low - around 700 rubles per carat. The cost of uncut citrine starts from 500 rubles per 100 grams.

Talismans and amulets with citrine

Since ancient times, jewelry with citrine has been recognized as a powerful amulets. In ancient times, items with this stone were worn to protect against poisonous snakes. The stone is an excellent amulet to protect a child. It protects from evil, imbues it with love, and enhances the owner’s energy potential. Only the mother should wear such a talisman, then the power of the stone increases.

The nugget helps to establish relationships with people and solves material issues. The stone willingly helps the owner in any of his endeavors. Its effect increases when the owner works in the social sphere.

For a stone to be beneficial, it is important to know the criteria for its selection. Citrine is subtle, but easy to spot. It goes perfectly with any outfit. Jewelry with this gem is suitable for clothes that have a lemon or brown tint. Excellent harmony is observed with blue and green tones of clothing. A universal tandem of citrine with white, gray and black. Silver earrings with citrine inserts are perfect for a formal dress or business suit.

The mineral can highlight your individuality at any time. Golden-hued citrine looks great on blondes and brown-haired women. It is able to highlight the natural dark skin and tanned body. Red-haired girls and ladies with green and brown eyes also prefer this nugget.

This gem has no age restrictions, so both young ladies and mature women can wear jewelry with citrines. Girls should recommend smaller pieces, cut in gold. It is better for very young ladies to pay attention to silver models. It is advisable to choose jewelry for older women with large minerals. It will add special femininity and luxury.