Citrine is the golden variety of quartz, with colours running from pale lemon to deep amber. Its name comes from the French word for lemon. Brazil is the main source, and citrine is the sunny birthstone for November.
Natural citrine is actually quite rare, so most citrine in the trade is amethyst that has been carefully heated to turn it golden, a stable and long-accepted practice that is openly disclosed. Deeper orange stones are often sold as Madeira citrine.
Like all quartz, citrine has a hardness of 7 and no cleavage, so it is an easy, reliable choice for everyday rings, pendants and bracelets. It is usually faceted, and large clean stones are affordable, which makes it great for bold designs.
Keep it out of prolonged strong sunlight and heat, which can shift the colour, and clean it with warm, soapy water.
Watch out for glass sold as citrine at markets. Genuine stones, like ours, feel cooler and often show natural growth features under a loupe.
Other quartz siblings. Most citrine actually begins life as amethyst before heating.
