November
Birthstone : Citrine
Birthstone Color: Yellow Gold
November's gemstone, Citrine, is as warm as a Van
Gogh painting of sunflowers. The name Citrine
comes from an old French word, "citrin", meaning lemon.
One of the more rare forms of quartz, this gemstone
ranges in color from the palest yellow to a dark amber
named Madeira because of its resemblance to the red
wine.
Perhaps
because of its scarcity, there is little mention of
Citrine used as a gemstone prior to the first century
B.C. The Romans were thought to be the first
to wear the yellow quartz, crafting it into cabochon,
or highly polished but unfaceted cuts of stone set
into jewelry. Citrine became more popular during
the Romantic Period, when artisans often favored these
warm colored gems to enhance gold jewelry. Citrine,
like all forms of quartz, was believed to have magical
powers and was worn as a talisman against evil thoughts
and snake venom. It was also considered to have
medicinal properties and was commonly used as a remedy
for urinary and kidney ailments.
Sister
stone to the purple quartz known as Amethyst, Citrine
crystals are found in igneous metamorphic and sedimentary
rocks. It is believed that some Citrine may
have actually begun as Amethyst, but heat from nearby
molten rock changed it to the yellow form of quartz.
Citrine is known to change color when subjected to
heat and is routinely heated in the jewelry-making
process to intensify its color. For this same
reason, though, this gemstone should not be left in
direct sunlight for a long time because it will permanently
alter the color. Most Citrine is mined in Brazil,
but other sources of the quartz are Bolivia and Madagascar.
A
gift of Citrine is symbolic for hope and strength.
With its sunny brightness, this gemstone is ideal
for helping anyone to get through the tough times
in life!
Alternate
Birthstone
Yellow Topaz is an alternate gemstone for those born
in November. It's golden color was believed
by the Egyptians to be the glow cast by the sun god
Ra. Yellow Topaz ranges in color from a peachy
blush to a deep cognac. A gift of this gemstone
is said to symbolize friendship and to strengthen
one's capacity to give and receive love.
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