Citrine

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The golden yellow to reddish-orange variety of quartz, citrine draws its warm color from iron impurities. Genuine natural citrine is far scarcer than amethyst; most commercial stones are heat-treated amethyst converted to yellow or orange tones, while natural material comes chiefly from Brazil, Bolivia, and Madagascar. It crystallizes in the trigonal system and measures 7.0 on the Mohs scale, hard enough for everyday jewelry. Affordability, durability, and a sunny palette have made this moderately priced semi-precious stone one of the most popular yellow gems in contemporary design, and it serves as a modern birthstone for November.

Physical & Optical Properties

Mohs Hardness 7,0
Specific Gravity 2,65
Refractive Index 1,544 – 1,553
Crystal System Trigonal
Luster Vitreous
Cleavage None
Fracture Conchoidal
Color yellow
Birefringence 0,009
Dispersion 0,013
Pleochroism Natural: weak; yellow - light yellow. Heat-treated: none

Mohs Hardness

Mohs Hardness: 7,0
1 Soft10 Hard

Crystal System

a a a Trigonal (Rhombohedral) a = b = c, α = β = γ ≠ 90°

Value & Market

Price Tier Moderate ($50-500/ct)

Cultural Significance

Birthstone Month 11 (traditional)

Treatments

Routinely produced by heat-treatment of (smoky) amethyst: reddish tint, may show reddish-brown hematite inclusions (surrounded by crack). Non-dichroic unlike natural - Blue Chart Gem Identification, Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, 2010, p 7 7Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) 2.65Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) BrittleWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) Very brittle NoneWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) ConchoidalMichael O?Donoghue, Gems, Sixth Edition (2006) 1.544 to 1.553Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Uniaxial/+Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) 0.009Ulrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) Natural: weak; yellow - light yellow. Heat-treated: noneWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references 0.013Walter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) Star 6Herve Nicolas Lazzarelli, Blue Chart Gem Identification (2010) Light yellow to dark yellow, gold-brownWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references Yellow to orange, O2-&rarr;Fe3+ charge transfer, various Al3+ related color centers.W. William Hanneman, Pragmatic Spectroscopy For Gemologists (2011) Transparent,TranslucentUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) VitreousGemdat.org, Management Team (2012) NoneWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) TrigonalUlrich Henn and Claudio C. Milisenda, Gemmological Tables (2004) Hexagonal prisms with pyramidsWalter Schumann, Gemstones of the world (2001) More from other references Citrine information at mindat.org Bolivia&nbsp; Laurs (2001, 2010) Brazil&nbsp; Macri et al. (2006) Kievlenko E.Ya., Geology of gems, 2003, p. 113 Canada&nbsp; Sinkankas (1997) Madagascar&nbsp; Madagascar, extraLapis English No.1, 2001, p. 44 Pezzotta (2001) Danet (2009) Myanmar&nbsp; Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Ted Themelis (2008) Gems & mines of Mogok Sri Lanka&nbsp; Uruguay&nbsp; Gilg et al. (2003)

About Citrine

Citrine is the golden yellow to reddish-orange variety of quartz, deriving its warm color from iron impurities. Natural citrine is far rarer than amethyst, with most commercial citrine being heat-treated amethyst that converts to yellow or orange tones; genuine natural citrine is found primarily in Brazil, Bolivia, and Madagascar. Its affordability, durability, and warm, sunny palette have made it one of the most popular yellow gemstones in contemporary jewelry.

Jewelry Use

Durability 7/10

Suitable for daily wear

Science FYI Family

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Citrine?
Citrine is the golden yellow to reddish-orange variety of quartz, deriving its warm color from iron impurities. Natural citrine is far rarer than amethyst, with most commercial citrine being heat-treated amethyst that converts to yellow or orange tones; genuine natural citrine is found primarily in
What is the hardness of Citrine?
Citrine has a Mohs hardness of 7.0, making it excellent for use in jewelry.
What color is Citrine?
Citrine is primarily Yellow.
How much does Citrine cost?
Citrine falls into the Moderate ($50-500/ct) price range. Prices vary based on color, clarity, cut, and origin.
Is Citrine a birthstone?
Yes, Citrine is the November birthstone (traditional).

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