The Gemstone of Success – Citrine

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Ring with Marquise Citrine

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Ring with Marquise Citrine

Known as the “success stone,” pale yellow Citrine, the gemstone for November, suffers from a case of mistaken identity that sometimes keeps gem lovers away from its beauty and benefits.

In nature the color of Citrine, a quartz crystal, ranges from pale yellow to brown. When cut into a gemstone, Citrine is virtually impossible to tell visually from the more valuable Yellow Topaz. This has led unscrupulous dealers to substitute Citrine for Yellow Topaz, much to the chagrin of bilked customers when they discover the truth, usually at resale.

Most commercial-grade Citrine is actually amethyst or smoky quartz that has been heated to active the ferric impurities that give its yellow color. Citrines produced in this way tend to have more of a reddish or orange cast than natural Citrines, which are usually pale yellow. Brazil produces most of the world’s gem-grade citrine. Citrine is one of three traditional birthstones for the month of November.

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Pendant with Checkboard Cut Citrine

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Pendant with Checkboard Cut Citrine

Over the centuries, Citrine acquired a reputation as a “success stone” that promotes prosperity and abundance. It’s sometimes nicknamed “merchant’s stone” because superstitious merchants of times past put Citrine in their cashboxes to bring in money. However, Citrine supposedly also brings about success in unexpected ways. In addition to manifesting abundance, Citrine also promotes generosity, leading those who benefit from its powers to share their wealth with others.

Citrine also is thought to enhance mental clarity, confidence and will power. For these reasons, practitioners of New Age healing arts often recommend Citrine crystals for people who suffer from low self-esteem or even depression. Citrine is though to deflect and dissipate all kinds of negative energies, generating stability in thought and emotion. It’s also believed to reduce self-doubt and self-destructive tendencies, instead fostering happiness and good cheer in those who wear it.

Citrine Bronze Ring

Citrine Bronze Ring

Healers also prescribe Citrines to benefit the digestive system, the endocrine system and the immune system. It’s believed to play a role in eliminating toxins from the body and in overcoming various addictions.

Whether chosen merely for its beauty or for its alleged psychic and physical benefits, sunny Citrine bring a gleam of good cheer to its wearers.

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The Endless Shades of Blue Topaz Gemstones

It can be as blue as the sky, a slightly greenish blue, or a highly saturated “electric” blue. Whatever its shade, Blue Topaz has a place in beautiful jewelry and intriguing legends.

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Oval Cut Swiss Blue Topaz Ring

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Oval Cut Swiss Blue Topaz Ring

Like most topazes, which are quartz crystals, Blue Topaz starts out as a nearly clear or lightly shade crystal. The gem is then irradiated to bring out its blue color and heated to make the change permanent. The color depends on which type of radiation is used.

Bombarding topazes with neutrons in a nuclear accelerator changes the color to the deep green-blue or gray-blue known as London Blue Topaz. Irradiating topazes with electrons in a linear accelerator will produce Sky Blue Topaz. To create the highly saturated colors known as Swiss Blue or Electric Blue, topazes are bathed with a combination of both types of radiation. The gems must “rest” for at least a year if treated with neutrons before their radiation levels cool enough to allow them to be worn by people.

Most blue topaz has a modest value, so there’s little incentive for gemologists to create synthetic versions of the gem. Instead, they use various vapor or diffusion coatings (mainly titanium) to create the “mystic” Blue Topaz, a version that sparkles with red, sea green and teal colors. Unfortunately, this

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Earrings London Blue Topaz

14K Gold Filled Wire Wrapped Earrings London Blue Topaz

treatment isn’t permanent, and the coating is extremely fragile, so the stones must be handled very gently.

Despite its unusual production methods, Blue Topaz serves as a wonderful gemstone because it has a high refractive index and polishes up beautifully. With a score of 8 on Moh’s Scale of gemstone hardness, Blue Topaz finds its way into many attractive pieces of jewelry.

In mystical and New Age healing beliefs, Blue Topaz carries the same healing properties as all forms of topaz: regulates heart action, promotes glandular health, stops bleeding and reduces fever and inflammations such as arthritis. However, the color of Blue Topaz has gained repute as a stone particularly help for meditation, discernment and forgiveness. Its calm blue quality is said to help its wearers release their anger, especially from old hurts, fostering forgiveness and reconciliation that leads to a calmer, fuller life.

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