All About November’s Birthstone: Citrine

Every month has a birthstone, and November’s just happens to be citrine. The citrine is a yellowish-gold stone that is believed to have many different meanings and healing powers. On top of this, it can be made into many different types of jewelry, from rings to pendants. Unlike opal, which is believed to put a “jinx” on you if you wear it and it isn’t your birthstone, there is no such superstition about citrine. This means that no matter which month you were born in, you can wear jewelry made from it!

Citrine Basics

Citrine is a type of quartz. Quartz is a crystal that is quite abundant in the earth; it can be found in many different colors, all of which depend on its particular chemical composition. Some semi-precious stones fall into the quartz category. These include citrine, amethyst, carnelian, agate, jasper, tiger’s eye, onyx and chalcedony. Although quartz crystals have some industrial uses, the aforementioned varieties are primarily used in jewelry.

The citrine is normally a pale yellow color, but it can range from orange to brown to greenish-yellow and even gold. When the stone is cut properly and set into a pendant, ring, or other piece of jewelry, it can look a lot like a topaz. However, citrine and topaz differ in hardness, making it easy to tell them apart on that level. For the most part, citrine is found in Brazil and Spain, but it is mined in other parts of the world, as well.

Healing Powers and Other Meanings

Some New Age believes compare the citrine to the power of the sun. That is, it holds warmth and positive energy, and can make negative energy dissipate back into the atmosphere. The citrine can also help clear your mind, increase your self-esteem, and physically, improve your digestion. On a non-New Age level, the citrine is a traditional gift for a 13^th anniversary.

Citrine Jewelry

Citrine gemstone jewelry is very popular and although citrine is considered a semi-precious gemstone, when cut properly, it looks amazing and can be pricey – but not as expensive as precious stones, like diamonds. For example, an 18 carat citrine set into a 14 karat gold ring with diamond accents costs around $2,600.00. When you compare that to the cost of an 18 carat diamond, the citrine looks affordable! Other excellent uses for the citrine include earrings (both dangling styles, as well as single stud ones), pendants, and even bracelets. Like the example above, citrine is usually used as the primary stone, with accents of diamonds and either sterling silver or gold settings.

Whether or not your birthday is in November, you can wear citrine jewelry. However, if you were born in this eleventh month, then you no doubt have an affinity for the gemstone.