A Buyer’s Guide to Colour, Craftsmanship & Style

Origins & Properties of Citrine

Adding a Splash of Orange

Citrine rings have shown a steady rise in popularity over the last couple of years. This gemstone is decidedly less expensive than fancy orange diamonds (although close-treated versions exist). Citrine has a beautiful range of hues, from pale lemon yellow to intense orange, with a characteristic warmth, unlike any other gemstone. Popular with Asian, Mediterranean and darker skin tones, the colour reflects the healthy, warm glow of sunshine. The name itself originates from Citron, the French word for Lemon. The stone has a vitreous lustre and presents wonderful opportunities for jewellery commissions.

What is the meaning of Citrine?

Courage, Sincerity and Wisdom.

A Birthstone with warmth

Citrine is the alternative birthstone for November.

Origins of Citrine

The gemstone originates from Quartz, and is most commonly found in shades of yellow. The deeper, richer colours tend to be the most desirable. Citrine is mined in Brazil, Spain, Bolivia, and Russia, among other regions. The natural preparation of the gemstone usually involves heat to improve colour. The colour itself derives from the presence of iron within the rock.

Gemstone clarity explained

Citrine rings typically offer a level of clarity consistent with the high-clarity diamonds used. Regarding clarity, Citrine is usually very good, and the stone has a good resistance (toughness) to chipping and cracking. Resistance to wear is a beneficial property for use in engagement rings (available at Serendipity Diamonds by way of personalisation of many of the ring designs.

Hardness, fragility and durability

Exposure to sudden or extreme heat is sometimes damaging, especially during mounting/setting/repair work. Steam cleaning is generally ill-advised; ultrasonic cleaning is preferable.

How to combine Citrine with other gemstones

As a final note, Citrine pairs well with white diamonds. Preferably F, G colour or higher. The contrast between a white diamond halo (see image for example) offers a striking alternative to more traditional all-diamond designs. We can, however, use this gemstone in many of our commissions by creating a custom design.

About Mark Johnson

Mark founded Isle of Wight jewellers Serendipity Diamonds in 2007 after a career on the polished diamonds industry. Today he works in the Serendipity showroom, helping clients with jewellery, creating handmade designs and updating their two jewellery websites SerendipityDiamonds.com and Isle-of-Wight-Jewellery.co.uk