NOVEMBER'S BIRTHSTONE: Citrine

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Does Citrine resonate with you?

It's November, which means it is time to learn about it's birthstones! Birthstones for November is Citrine- keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming blog post regarding December's birthstone: the Topaz. In this blog post I will cover a range of topics; comparing synthetic vs natural citrine, Mohs hardness rating, and more!

What is Citrine?

Citrine is a naturally occurring gemstone, which is usually yellow to orange in colour. While natural citrine does exist, it is extremely rare, meaning most citrine you see in jewellery or on display in crystal shops will usually be 'man-made'.

As a result of being man-made, citrine is a fairly affordable stone, and provides the perfect warm hue to any jewellery in which it is included.

How is Citrine made?

Citrine is created from other quartz type stones, most commonly amethyst or smoky quartz. So called 'natural' citrine is created by one of these quartz' stones coming under immense pressure and enduring intense heat, the same can be said for synthetic citrine, however the conditions to create it are undertaken in a lab as opposed to in nature. As a result of citrine being created from other quartz, such a thing as ametrine can be created- a naturally occurring hybrid between citrine and amethyst.

↑ A photo of 'Ametrine'

Synthetic vs Natural Citrine: What is the Difference?

Chemically, natural and synthetic citrine are exactly the same, the difference is more a preference for the wearer/buyer of the gemstone as to what they're after. Here are some of the pros and cons of natural vs synthetic citrine:

NATURAL	SYNTHETIC
PRO: Natural citrine possesses a softer yellow colour in contrast to synthetic citrine, creating a more subtle look.	PRO: The colour of synthetic citrine is brighter and more vibrant than it's natural counterpart, making it a great alternative if you're after a bright yellow/orange hue.
CON: Natural citrine is more expensive than it's synthetic or 'man-made' equivalent. This is as a result of it needing to be mined by people.	CON: Often includes 'roots' (where the tip of the gemstone is darker than the top) which can be an undesirable feature depending on the intended look.
PRO: It has unique imperfections within it's appearance, making each stone feel truly individual.	PRO: Easily accessible and affordable when compared to natural citrine, making it a great option for jewellery.
CON: It is far rarer than it's synthetic counterpart.	CON: Not 'natural' in the same way as 'natural' citrine, however is the exactly the same chemically.

MEANING:

Citrine is said to bring abundance, courage, motivation, creativity, joy empowerment, success, confidence, inspiration, and focus and is associated with the solar plexus and sacred chakras.

The warm tones are super cute, right? You can check out our extensive collection of jewellery on our online shop!