The citrine is one of the November birthstones (the other is topaz) and it is a favourite gemstone of mine. It is a member of the quartz family of gemstones, macrocrystalline quartz to be precise, which includes rock crystal, amethyst, smokey quartz, prasiolite and rose quartz – all generally transparent.
The name ‘citrine’ comes from the French word for lemon which is ‘citron’ and it ranges in colour from light lemony yellow to gold. The colour depends on a couple of factors. First, is the setting. The citrine in the Georgian ring above is in a closed setting with a foiled back. It is a lovely gold colour.
The citrine in the Victorian brooch below is in an open setting and so its colour is a lemony yellow, closer to its natural colour.
Second, natural citrines are quite rare and most of those we see are usually heat treated amethysts or smokey quartz. The heat treatment can give the gems a reddish orange tint. The ring in the photo at the top of the post and the ring below both have an orangey colour.
I think I prefer citrines with more of a yellow gold colour as in the case of the pendant below but I like them all.
navette jewellery 