Citrine

Citrine is the yellow-to-amber variety of quartz and the November birthstone. At Mohs 7 it is durable enough for everyday wear, and its warm gold tone makes it one of the few yellow stones that does not look synthetic. Below is our citrine range, mostly bracelets and earrings.

Natural Citrine vs Heat-Treated

This is the single most useful thing to know before buying citrine. Most citrine on the market is heat-treated amethyst: heating violet quartz to roughly 300–400 °C turns the color centers yellow. The result is genuine quartz and genuine citrine by trade definition, but it is usually a stronger, more orange tone. Natural citrine — colored by trace iron without heat treatment — is rarer, paler, and often shows smoky or greenish tones and subtle colour zoning.

Neither is fake. Both are quartz at Mohs 7, specific gravity 2.65. The distinction matters for price and for anyone specifically looking for untreated material. Ametrine, the natural purple-and-yellow bicolor, comes almost exclusively from Bolivia.

Why "Merchant's Stone"

Citrine's symbolic reputation is unusually commercial: it has been called the merchant's stone for centuries, associated in crystal tradition with prosperity, confident decision-making and the willingness to ask for what a thing is worth. It is linked to the solar plexus chakra. In astrology it is usually assigned to Gemini, Aries, Leo and Libra. The association is traditional; what is verifiable is that yellow stones have been used as tokens of value and luck across many trading cultures.

Choosing a Form

• Bracelet — the most-stocked form. Golden citrine reads warm against most skin tones.
• Earrings — small faceted drops catch light well and suit the stone's brightness.
• Pendant — for a single statement stone in the deeper amber range.

Care

Warm water and mild soap; ultrasonic is generally safe. The main caution is heat and prolonged sun, both of which can deepen or shift the color further. Store away from harder stones and remove before swimming.