Gemstones always hold a special place in history, culture, and religion. One of the most beautiful gemstones is Citrine. It is yellow and belongs to the ancient period. Citrine shows happiness and joy. Many people in the world love wearing Citrine earrings and rings.
Citrine is available in various shades and shapes. It also comes in colors such as brownish-red and pale yellow. You will also find Citrine in orange and golden colors. This blog lists the history of Citrine gemstones, methods to distinguish between real and fake Citrine stones, and interesting facts about the gemstone.
Meaning of Citrine
Before we discuss everything on Citrine gemstone, let us discuss the meaning of this gemstone. Citrine comes from the quartz family and has a yellowish shade. Iron in the stone is the main reason for its shade. Apart from yellow, rose quartz is also available in different shades.
The most common shade in Citrine is orange. Besides, you can also get a stone with a golden hue and orange flashes. This gemstone comes in 3 kinds as Natural citrines, fake citrines, and treated citrines.
Features of Different Kinds of Citrine Gemstones
We discussed the different types of Citrine stones in the above section. Now, we will discuss the features of all the 3 kinds of Citrine gemstones below:
1. Natural Citrines
The chemical structure of citrine gemstone is made of Iron. Because of the presence of iron, citrine stones get golden-orange hues. In the comparison between real vs fake citrine, the most notable feature is the color. Natural citrine is very rare in the world.
2. Fake Citrine Stones
Fake citrine gemstone is made of heat-treatment and smoking methods. Many jewelers and amethysts use smoking methods to add color to Citrines and enhance their appearance.
Both real and fake Citrine gemstones come from the quartz family. Both of them have a similar look and chemical structure. Dyed glass is used in making fake citrines.
How to Recognize a Real and Fake Citrine Stone?
When you have to identify between real and fake Citrine stones, it is necessary to look at some important factors such as:
Look at The Clarity of The Stones
One easy way to identify real and fake stones is by holding them under bright light. You can hold a stone under a bright light and look for inclusions and flaws. Then you must examine this gem from different angles and sides. If you see any inclusions or spots on the stone, it is a fake gemstone.
Real gemstones have no inclusions or spots on their body. They are well-known for their clarity. Fake Citrine stones have spots and inclusions.
Look at The Color of The Stone
Another simple way to identify a real Citrine stone is to look at its shade. If you see a uniform color on the whole stone, it is a real gem. On the other hand, fake stones have different colors in different parts. If you see a change in the color of the stone, it is a fake stone.
Check Bubbles on The Stone
Fake or treated Citrine gemstones mainly include glass material. One of the best ways to identify a real and fake stone is by checking it with a jeweler’s loupe or microscope. If the stone has air bubbles, it is a fake gemstone. Real Citrine stones do not contain any air bubbles and have a flawless appearance.
This method might work sometimes but you cannot get 100% surety. You can visit a nearby jewelry store and get the stone checked by a professional jeweler. He can tell whether the stone is real or fake.
Interesting Facts About Citrine Gemstone
Citrine gemstone is one of the most exotic gemstones in the world with unique color and appearance. Now, we will discuss many amazing facts related to the Citrine gem that you would love to hear.
1. Natural Citrines are Very Rare
Natural citrines are very rare around the globe. The stones that you get in the market are probably synthetic, fake, or treated. One can find citrine deposits in many countries but Brazil and Uruguay have many deposits of natural citrines.
2. Yellow Color
Citrine gets its name from a Latin word, “Citrina”. This French word means yellow color. Citron also means lemon. The real name of this gem was yellow quartz until 1556. After 1556, the name of the stone changed to Citrine. This is one of the major reasons why French people admire Yellow Citrine stones.
3. Gem Was Worn by Chinese Emperors
Citrine has significance in Chinese history. In ancient China, Citrine was known as a “Success stone”. Many kings and emperors used to believe that Citrine gem brings success and prosperity. It is for this reason why Chinese emperors used to wear Citrine jewelry often.
Chinese people used to believe that Citrine gem also relaxes your mind. Apart from that, it also helps to get positive thoughts and a better mind. It brings success to the wearer.
4. Popular in Hollywood
Do you know the connection of Citrine with Hollywood celebrities? Greta Garbo was a Swedish-American actress who loved to collect pieces of jewelry made from different gemstones. One of her favorites was Citrine gemstone. After she purchased Citrine, the stone became very famous among the people.
Later, this gemstone emerged as the most valuable crystal in the world. It also became a popular gemstone in the Art Deco Era.
5. Merchant’s Stone
One of the most popular names for Citrine is Merchant’s stone. This name was popular in the Middle Ages. It was also known as the “Money stone” because it brings prosperity and success to the wearer.
Many merchants and traders used to buy Citrine as it used to bring wealth and prosperity. It was also purchased by many common people.
6. Color of The Stone
Fake citrines have burnt orange color and brownish points. On the other hand, a real Citrine is light yellow. You can also distinguish between a real and fake Citrine by size. You can look at the size of the stone. Real Citrines are larger than Fake citrines. Treated or fake citrines are available in smaller sizes.
Final Words
Citrine jewelry looks elegant on various occasions and suits every dress. You can get a real or fake Citrine depending on your choice and budget. These are some of the easiest ways to identify a real and fake Citrine gemstone.
You can look for fantastic designs of Citrine jewelry online. Apart from that, it is also a good option to visit any nearby shop of jewelry and choose your favorite Citrine pendant or necklace.
