Citrine is a semi-precious stone that is a variety of the crystalline quartz. Its name was derived from the French word 'citron' which means lemon. It has been named so because of its color. It has a pale yellow hue and resembles the appearance of topaz. When it is heat-treated, it becomes a golden yellow stone which acquires the color as a result of the traces of iron.



This stone has been considered as a good alternative to topaz. As one of the least expensive of the gemstones, Citrine is very durable and is a bit softer and less brilliant than the more precious topaz. It has a hardness of 7 on the Moh's scale.

Citrine comes in a very wide range of various calibrated shapes and sizes. It is can mainly be mined in Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. It could be crafted to make beautiful and exquisite jewelry. Aside from its bright and attractive color, Citrine is also noted for its high clarity and large size. It can also occasionally be produced through heating amethysts. Its natural color can blend perfectly well with polished gold's yellow gleam, making it very suitable for jewelry.

Its many holistic benefits include engendering euphoria as well as self-esteem. It is believed to also have preventative properties against the proclivity for self-destruction.

In primitive times, Citrine was also worn or carried to serve as an effective defense and protection from snake venom and evil thoughts. It is also one of the three traditional November birthstones.