November is fortunate to have two beautiful gemstones as a birthstone. The lovely Topaz (particularly Golden Topaz) and the lusciously sunny Citrine. Originally, Citrine was often confused with Topaz throughout the ages so it is natural to choose it as the second November birthstone. The name Citrine comes from the French word, Citron, meaning lemon. Citrine is so popular that it comes in second only to Amethyst in the Quartz family. Citrine is also the suggested gemstone for a 13th Wedding Anniversary.
November Birthstone - Citrine
Nature's Treasures Team
Citrine
Citrine is a gorgeous and highly sought after member of the Quartz family. Its chemical composition, like other Quartz, is Si02, or Silicon Dioxide. It rates as a 7 on the Mohs Hardness scale, making it a fairly hard stone that is suitable for carving and jewelry.
It is a transparent to translucent stone with a coloring that ranges from pale yellow, a warm amber gold, to a deep, earthy yellow brown. Citrine is found in geodes and short, terminated crystal points either singular or in clusters. It belongs in the Hexagonal (Trigonal) Crystal System.
Natural Citrine is very rare. It is mined in Olkhovka, Northern Ural Mountains, Russia (this mine is almost depleted), Colombia, Congo, France, Madagascar and Spain. A form of natural Citrine (Cactus or Spirit Quartz) is mined in South Africa.
Most Citrine gemstones on the market today comes from Brazil and they are heat treated Amethyst. Amethyst and Citrine are in the same family and the main difference between them is from the rate of oxidation of iron impurities. There are also some Smoky Quartz that can be heat treated and sold as Citrine.
There are varying arguments about how to tell the difference between natural and heat treated Citrine. Since they often are conflicting we will not be discussing them here. Suffice it to say, contrary to some beliefs, you cannot always tell by the color alone. As far as metaphysical properties go, they are all very similar. The heat treated Amethyst works as Citrine does but may have slightly less potency or perhaps it is simply gentler.
Citrine is one of the very few stones that never needs cleansing. Its ability to dispel negative energy is one of the most powerful gifts that Mother Nature has given us. Of course, it never hurts to give some nurturing back with your favorite cleansing technique. Citrine can fade with prolonged exposure to sunlight so take care not to leave it out in the sun.
Citrine History & Folklore
While Citrine has been around for a long time it was called yellow quartz when it was not being confused with Topaz. In 1556, a German metallurgist, Georg Bauer (often called the “father of modern mineralogy”) wrote about it in a publication on gemstones. Since that time it has been known as Citrine.
During the Hellenistic Age in Greece, between 300 and 150 BCE, Citrine was used in intaglio’s and in other decorative arts and jewelry. In the 17th century, Citrine became a favorite of Scottish weapon makers who adorned swords with Citrine as a decoration. In some cases the entire hilt was made from a single Citrine. Later, Citrine was favored as the stone for Scottish shoulder brooches and kilt pins. This has been attributed to Queen Victoria’s love of Citrine (see featured Citrine seal that belonged to Queen Victoria). This embodiment of sunshine re-emerged in popularity during the early 20th century period known as Art Deco. Citrine has remained in demand since then.
There are two goddesses associated with Citrine: Demeter - Greek Goddess of Harvest and Sekhmet - Egyptian Goddess of War. One can see why these two Goddesses are associated with Citrine. They are Abundance and Power personified.
Citrine Meaning, Healing Properties & Uses
Citrine has long been known as "The Merchant's Stone" due to merchants' belief that adding a Citrine to their cash drawer would increase wealth and prosperity. According to Chinese legend Citrine was called the "Stone of Success". Chinese emperors wore it to increase intellectual processes and to stimulate the mind. According to Feng Shui principles one should place Citrine in the Wealth Corner, far left corner of their home (from the front door) to increase prosperity. Many people recommend you place a piece of Citrine in your home if you are trying to sell it. It is thought it will help your home sell quickly. In addition to helping one to attain wealth it is thought to help you retain it and to be generous with others.
Another aspect of Citrine is the happiness it brings. It’s bright, sunshiny appearance brings warmth and a smile to most people. This is one of the reasons it is also known as the Stone of Joy. Some people like to combine the two major aspects of Citrine and call it the "Stone of Wealth and Happiness". This writer happens to love Citrine for the joy it brings to life. Just seeing or holding this stone is like basking in the life-giving warmth of the sun’s rays. Indeed, throughout the ages, Citrine was used for luck, joy and to stimulate creativity and imagination in many cultures
Since Citrine is one of the premier stones for the Solar Plexus chakra it is thought to be an excellent stone for the digestive system. It is said to help detoxify the body and help with kidneys, bladder, pancreas, thyroid, liver and the heart. It purportedly helps with anemia, jaundice and is said to calm the nerves. In addition, it is thought to help eyesight.
With it’s bright, yellow color Citrine is thought to stimulate our thinking processes, creativity and imagination. Citrine brings out the power of will from the Solar Plexus chakra, encouraging what is uniquely you to come to the forefront and shine.
Citrine is a stone that is great for the physical and auric bodies, harmonizing and aligning them. It is a stone that transmutes negativity into positivity. Have one at your workplace to enhance working relationships. It is also thought to help balance tense times in the family by helping to repair relationships. It is a fantastic stone to add to your sacred space to encourage fun, happiness and joy. It is difficult to remain angry or sad when you have Citrine in your powerhouse. It is also said to help you overcome phobias and depression. Citrine is a must have for those who are Empaths since it can protect you from outside negative influences and keep your thoughts and spirit positive.
Surround yourself with Citrine in your home, workspace or wear it as jewelry. This is one of those stones that protects you, makes you happy and overall just makes you feel better.
Happy Birthday to our November friends! You are indeed favored to have Citrine as your birthstone. How lovely to have such a powerful and auspicious companion to navigate your souls path. Shine on you beautiful Soul!