November's Birthstones: Citrine And Topaz

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Fall is probably my favorite season during the year. I love the cooler temperatures, the warm sweaters, and the smells of the crisp outdoors. But my favorite fall thing is the beautiful colors. One of the best birthstones is the citrine, as it falls into the category of one of the best fall colors. Yellowish-orange is an iconic fall color, and if you happen to have been a November baby, citrine is a beautiful and fitting stone to wear. The topaz, which actually comes in several different colors of the rainbow, can be found in fall colors as well. If you love fall and jewelry like I do, then November is a wonderful month to celebrate your birthday!

The Citrine

The citrine is a member of the quartz family and is the second most popular quartz stone, after amethyst. Quartz has been used throughout history as far back as the ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks. There have been citrine gems found in jewelry from the Victorian era, and it became very popular during the early 1900s, when it was discovered that quartz turned yellow when heated. It is quite rare to find the natural stone, the name of which comes from its color in Latin, in nature, although the naturally yellow citrine has been found in several mines in Europe during the past few centuries. The citrine is thought to be a happy stone. Some believe that if you wear the gemstone in a piece of jewelry, it will bring you happiness. It is also thought to remove negative energy, and because of this, some folks even believe that it will rid you of moodiness, depression, and anger.

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The Colors of the Citrine

Although it is rare to find a natural citrine, they have been found in hues of yellow to orange and all shades in between. The natural stone appears lighter in color than those that are treated with heat to obtain their vibrant color. Those heat-treated stones can appear bright yellow, dark orange, orange-brown, and even reddish brown. If there is ever any question about whether a citrine is a natural stone or one that has been heat-treated, it is usually safe to assume that a heat-treated stone will be one that has a reddish tint. There are even stones that have a smoky color, and these can sometimes be confused with the smoky quartz as well. Today, most natural citrine stones are found in Brazil, while the majority of those are located in Rio Grande do Sul. Throughout history, the stone has been found in France, Hungary, the Scottish island of Arran, and Spain.

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The Topaz

The topaz is one of the most popular gemstones because of its color varieties, abundance, and durability, stemming from the stone's hardness. It is believed that the name of the stone is derived from a Greek island in the middle of the Red Sea called Topazios, although today, the island is called Zabargad. The name can be traced to an ancient Indian word that when translated means "fire."

During ancient times, Greeks believed that the topaz provided them with physical power. During the Renaissance, people believed that the topaz took away anger and broke spells. Many people living in India during the past several centuries believed that the topaz would improve the wearer's attractiveness and intellect and help them to live a long and happy life.

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The Color of the Topaz

The topaz is found in a wide range of colors, including colorless, brown, red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, blue, and green. The most common color of topaz seen in jewelry in today's market is the blue topaz. This color became more widespread during the past 100 years or so with the discovery of the ability to create it by treating a lighter or colorless topaz with heat. Brown is also a more common topaz color, sometimes referred to as smoky topaz. More valuable topaz stones are orange-yellow and are called imperial topaz. The orange-red and dark pink-red colors are the most valuable. Topaz can be found in many places all over the world, including the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria, Namibia, Madagascar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar.

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