Citrine
Citrine is a beautiful stone and is in fact the yellow or golden yellow variety of quartz. The stone is suitable for many different types of jewellery and this article explains its properties.
Citrine is a beautiful stone and is in fact the yellow or golden yellow variety of quartz. The yellow colour found in citrine is due to the presence of iron and the colour has a lot to do with its name, derived from the word ‘citrus’.
Most citrines on the market are heat-treated amethysts; however the much rarer natural citrine is usually a beautiful pale yellow. The best places to find gem quality citrine are Brazil, Spain, Madagascar and the former USSR.
Citrine has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale and as a relatively durable stone it is suitable for all types of jewellery, even rings. Not only is it suitable for many different pieces of jewellery, citrine gemstones can be found in many shapes including pears, princess, round, trillion, ovals and many more. The most common of these cuts are round brilliant and oval as they tend to maximize colour and dispersion.
The warm colour is thought to radiate positive energy and is believed to bring prosperity, especially in business. As such a versatile stone, which even in large sizes can be moderately priced, it is hard not to love citrine.
It is the gemstone of the 13th wedding anniversary so would be absolutely perfect for an eternity ring. Here is a wonderful example of how you can use brilliant cut citrines and diamonds to create a simple yet striking eternity ring.
The yellow gold really highlights the warmth of the citrine’s colour and is perfectly contrasted with the white colour of the diamonds. Citrine also looks stunning mounted in white metal and here is a perfect example below.
The 9ct white gold still has a creamy tone to it, however the contrast between the white metal and the orange citrine is more dramatic than yellow gold.
We receive quite a few requests here at HK Bespoke for engagement rings using amber as the central stone. Amber is only 2.5 on the Mohs scale and is an incredibly soft stone, so is not ideal for a ring you intend to wear for the rest of your life. Citrine can be a perfect alternative as stones can range from a pale yellow to darker oranges. If you wanted to bring a hint of colour to your diamond engagement ring citrine could also be used as an accent stone, giving the traditional diamond engagement ring a ‘zesty twist’.