The November Birthstones - Topaz & Citrine
All twelve months of the year have a unique special gem linked to it called a birthstone. If
you are born during the month of November then luckily for you, you have two different
birthstones to choose from. These are called topaz and citrine. The Topaz stone is the more
colourful gem coming in a rainbow of different colours, whereas the citrine stone is a lovely
shade of yellow or orange.
The Meaning and History Of The Topaz Stone
The word Topaz is said to originate from the Sanskrit word tapas which translates to fire.
Others believed that it comes from the Greek version topazos. It is believed that this
stunning November birthstone has many different benefits.
The ancient Greeks believed this stone would give you great strength. During the 1300s to
the 1600s in Europe, it was believed to be very mystical and stop magic spells put on you
and dispel any anger directed towards you. In India, they have for many centuries worn this
stone above their heart as it is meant to ensure you a long life, intelligence and beauty.
The Meaning and History of the Citrine Stone
This stone has been around for thousands of years and comes in yellow to brownish shades,
but can also be transparent. The citrine stone was sometimes mixed up with Topaz stone,
they do have a shared history and many people thought they had the same powers. So it
was also believed that the Citrine stone could calm to the person wearing it and soothe any
bad tempers.
Back in ancient Greek times, they used to carve this rock crystal into ornaments. Citrine has
been reported to be a popular gem back in the Roman times when the roman pontiffs used
to wear a massive ring. Citrine is very popular as it is very affordable and is available in many
different styles, shades and sizes.
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Where is the Topaz stone found?
This stone is primarily found in Minas Gerais, a state in Brazil. This high-quality Topaz has
been mined there for over two centuries. Many different shades of the stone from yellow to
orange, violet, pink and red are found here. In North-western Pakistan they are also
successful at mining the pink version of the stone. Other locations this gem is found at are
Sri Lanka, Namibia, Nigeria, Myanmar, Madagascar, United States, and some historic Russian
locations.
Where is the Citrine Stone found?
This stone is also mainly mined in Brazil. The Amethyst stone is often heat-treated to make it
a citrine colour. Other top sources for the Citrine stone are Uruguay, Bolivia, Spain, Mexico
and Madagascar.
There is a story about a mine in the freshwater region of Bolivia called Anahi mine. It was
originally discovered in the 1600s by a Spanish conquistador. It was gifted to him when he
married Anahi, a princess in the Ayoreos tribe of Paraguay. This mine was lost for hundreds
of years until it was discovered again in the 1960s. This mine is an important source for
untreated, natural citrine.
Looking After Your Jewellery
The topaz stone might rate a high 8 on the Mohns scaled of hardness, but it actually isn't
very tough and can be easily chipped or cracked so care should be taken when wearing it.
Warm soapy water is the best way to clean this stone, high heat and sudden dramatic
changes in temperature can cause internal breaks within the stone.
The citrine stone is the perfect stone for jewellery that you want to wear every day. This
stone rates at 7 on Mohn's scale of hardness. It is best to keep it clean with warm soapy
water, as high heat can cause gems to crack.
Choosing A Birthstone To Buy
The topaz stone is available in a whole range of colour including blue, yellow, orange, brown,
violet, colourless and very rarely a shade of red. The Blue Topaz stone can also be given on
the 4 TH wedding anniversary, and the Imperial Topaz is the gem associated with the 23 rd
wedding anniversary.
With both these stones, you will have a wide variety of colour and designs to choose from.
They would each look perfect in any piece of jewellery and become a real statement piece to
add to your collection. These stones have been around for many years, and have always
been a very popular choice, so you know you are going to get something that will remain in
fashion for a long time.
