With its bright sunny yellow, Citrine is one of the most cheerful gemstones in the birthstone calendar. But you can also find them in pale yellow and cognac as well as the rich orange-yellow Madeira Citrine.

Throughout history it has often been confused with November’s other birthstone, Topaz. This was mainly because before gemology became a recognised science all yellow gemstones were called topazes.

Citines have been worn in jewellery as far back as Roman times. And it was once believed to protect the wearer from nightmares and promote a good night’s sleep.

Facts, care and value:

Citrine is a member of the quartz family. And as such is a fairly robust gemstone sitting at 7 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a good gemstone for daily wear in rings and other jewellery. It can bet set in almost any type of setting without worrying about how well it will hold up.

Citrine is found mainly in South and Central America as well as Spain and Madagascar. The Anahi mine in Bolivia produces many beautiful orange brown gems as well as the wonderful bi-coloured ametrine.

In terms of value, Citrine is a fairly common gemstone and readily available in larger sizes. As such you can find very good quality gemstones at reasonable prices. When choosing a Citrine, avoid any stones with inclusions ( internal fractures, bubbles breaks etc). On average they range in price from $1 – 35 per carat in common Citrine up to $100 per carat for Madeira Citrine.

Care of Citrine is fairly straightforward. Warm soapy water and a soft brush should be enough to keep the gemstone looking lovely and sparkly. Just be sure to dry it thoroughly after cleaning. It’s best to avoid mechanical means of cleaning as these could cause damage to the gemstone.

And there you have it, a little bit about November’s first birthstone. Oh yes and it is also the gemstone of the thirteenth wedding anniversary.

Thanks for reading!