Citrine, which is commonly dubbed as a gold topaz, is the most valuable form of quartz (although other forms of quartz such as red brownish quartz, and radiant yellow quartz are more sought after). This is because over the years, citrine has taken over topaz in both its name and use. topaz is a superior gem compared to citrine, however, the former is too expensive for general use. In reality, citrine has very little in common with real topaz, except for a few similarities in color. Citrine gets its name for the color yellow, and thus it is yellow quartz. Citrine is derived from the old French word “citrin,” which means lemon.

Yellow quartz does exists in nature although very rarely. It forms in places where Amethyst formations are near natural heat sources like deep in the earth’s crust. The synthetic production of citrine is also based on this. Amethyst is heated at 878F, although oftentimes heating manually may not always be uniform, thus the process cannot be perfected unless practiced thoroughly, which is why there are some occurrences of combined purple and yellow colors resulting from it. This form of quartz is called ametrine. Synthetic citrine is distinguishable for genuine citrine due to some burnt streaks, or in some cases some red tints left behind while heating. Genuine quartz is paler in color, and is usually dull and cloudy.

As mentioned, citrine is substituted for topaz. In this aspect, citrine has been known by many names like gold topaz, Madiera topaz (genuine Madiera citrine is valued very highly on its own), Brazilian topaz, and citrine topaz. Because of this connection, citrine and topaz have shared the role of being birthstones for November. Citrine is, of course secondary to topaz. Both stones are also believed to have healing powers.

Citrine is considered to be the stone of self of esteem, and is primarily used to prevent or treat feelings of anxiety, lack of self-confidence, and depression. The power of these stones is believed to be connected to the third chakra (spiritual energy). This kind of chakra is located in the area below the navel and is responsible for personality formation and personal well being. When flow in this area is blocked, a person becomes manipulative and greedy. If the flow is unrestricted, the effects of these negative attitudes are counter acted, making a person feel more confident and well rounded.

In effect, these stones have been believed to allow people to handle negative criticisms better, and also handle the pressure when dealing with problems in finances, fears, and other anxieties. They are also believed to improve the functions of the urinary, digestive, and circulatory systems, resulting in better health and prevention of ailments caused by harmful toxins in the body. Also, because of the stones’ effect to improve body conditions and emotional stability, the stones are also used to help people sleep if they suffer from restlessness, insomnia, and emotional unrest due to stress caused by personal problems. The stones can give people peace of mind and the soothing feeling of relaxation.