November's Golden Birthstone Twins: Topaz & Citrine

Welcome back to Rock Talk with Angel!

Today's post is for the Golden Girls! November babies, your birthstones are as golden and glowing as any in the mineral world: topaz, and citrine. Generally, the golden (or imperial) topaz variety is associated with November, while blue topaz is reserved for December. Citrine is the golden variety of Quartz, and may either be fully natural or heat-enhanced amethyst. 

Read on to discover 5 facts about each of these beautiful, and legendary, gems!

5 Facts about Topaz

1. November's primary birthstone is golden (or imperial) topaz. Topaz is a group of closely related minerals, and imperial tends to have a pinkish-golden hue. Imperial topaz is generally the most highly desirable variety for jewelry, but black topaz (found only in Utah, and discovered just in the last 10 years) is the rarest variety. Topaz may form in almost any color.

2. Topaz is an 8 on moh's scale, which makes it one of the most durable and hardest gemstones in the mineral world. It is harder than quartz, tourmaline, and beryl, but softer than sapphires or diamonds. Topaz is a great choice for wedding rings, heirloom jewelry, and more.

3. In the healing community, Topaz' healing attributes are generally connected to its color varieties. Golden topaz is most often connected to the solar plexus chakra, and is believed to impart creative and sexual energy, will, and manifestation. 

4. Topaz is part of the orthorhombic system, which forms distinctive terminations and shapes; other orthorhombic gems include danburite, barite, and more. A flat top with a "diamond" shaped front face is one of the most recognizable habits of this crystal system.

5. Topaz has been highly valued in both modern times and ancient times. In ancient Egypt, it was thought that Topaz received its golden color from Ra, the god of the sun. The sun god Apollo was also connected to topaz across the world, and a common healing connection to topaz in the Middle Ages was to raise the wearer's body heat and protect against colds or cold-related ailments. 

5 Facts about Citrine

1. Citrine is the golden variety of Quartz, a diverse family of silicate minerals that forms in many colors. Amethyst, Smoky Quartz, Rose Quartz, all jaspers, all agates, and all chalcedony is technically part of the Quartz family. As a Quartz variety, Citrine is a 7 on moh's scale. 

2. Citrine's warm golden glow is caused to iron ions within the chemical structure as it comes into contact with heat. When natural amethyst meets heat sources within the earth, one type of ionic iron content causes the once purple gem to turn green (Prasiolite), and another type of content causes the once purple gem to become golden yellow (Citrine).

3. As heat is the magical ingredient for Citrine's formation, it is unsurprising that much of the modern Citrine on the market is heat-treated by man. While this isn't a judgement on a gem's "good or bad" energy or status, it's crucial that a reputable Citrine dealer discloses any treatment to the buyer. If it has been heated, it will commonly be a brasher shade of orange or brown, and resemble a purple amethyst but only yellow. If it is natural, the citrine will be more likely to resemble a softly shaded yellow or gold quartz crystal or cluster. Not all of these pieces can be determined to be natural or treated simply visually, however--please make sure you're buying from a reputable source that is disclosing the natural or enhanced status of their citrine.

4. In the modern healing community, natural Citrine in particular is believed to be one of the most potent healing gems. It is associated with will, manifestation, money drawing, and creativity, and all of this is connected to the solar plexus chakra. Heated citrine may or may not be associated with the same healing powers; this depends on the wearer's personal beliefs. Here at Phenomenal Gems, we believe you make your own magic, and encourage you to explore and discover your own personal beliefs on gemstone healing.

5. In ancient times, Citrine was used to make healing amulets in cultures such as Egypt and Greece. Legends gave citrine such diverse healing properties as manifesting wealth, protecting against snakebites, repelling negative energy, making men more handsome, and helping women bear more children. While we certainly can't verify these properties, it's interesting to see how wide the range of beliefs for this gem truly was!

No gems are better for bringing a golden glow to one's life and jewelry wardrobe as Topaz and Citrine. Check back next month for December's lucky birthstone babies' set of 4 stones!

Which do you prefer: topaz or tourmaline, and why? Do you prefer natural citrine or heat-treated citrine, or no preference? Leave a comment below! Thanks for reading, and rock on my friends!

See more blog posts on Rock Talk with Angel, located at PhenomenalGems.com.