Long believed to have healing powers from the sun, the warm and gentle aesthetic of Citrine earned it a spot as one of November’s two gemstones. It’s counterpart, however, is very similar in a lot of ways. Topaz, the other gemstone of November, is mostly known for it’s incredibly rich orange color, though it can come in pink, blue, yellow and other variations as well. Today we’ll take a look into these two gemstones and why they earned their spots as November’s official gems.
A Blessing From The Sun
Citrine has long had a spiritual following around it. In early Greece, around 300 BC, this yellow variation of quartz was used often in decoration and tools, though it was not a very desirable gemstone early on. This can be attributed to the fact that natural Citrine is not only rare, but typically fairly ugly. The brown hues of impurity can turn this brilliant gemstone into a dud very quickly.
However, as time went on then people started to associate the gemstone with prosperity and light. Fast forward to today and Brazil has the market on Citrine. While there are still beliefs that Citrine is a bringer of prosperity and fortune, it’s also seen as a healing crystal by many as it’s color and ‘energy’ are thought to drive out darkness and radiate as the sun does.
While Citrine contains practical uses as well (most of which are decorative), it’s mostly seen as a spiritual cleanser and natural Citrine can be both difficult to find and tricky to use.
A Practical Orange Gemstone
Due to their similar appearance, Topaz is often used in place of Citrine when creating jewelry or decorative ornaments. While Topaz can come in a huge array of different colors, the brownish-orange hue that we all know it for is usually the one that’s sought out.
Topaz is mined in a ton of places, including right here in the United States (specifically western Utah). South America, the Middle East and Europe all host several topaz mines. Though topaz is incredibly hard, it’s also fairly weak which can make mining it a bit tricky. Of course, the mining process has been advanced tremendously over the years, but fracturing Topaz along the cleavage plane used to be a more serious issue in mines. Put pressure in the wrong place and the Topaz can shatter rather easily. Topaz is mainly used in jewelry that won’t be at risk of breaking.
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