November Birthstone - Citrine and Topaz
Both of November's birthstones are abundant and affordably priced, even in large sizes, which means everyone can find a way to fit topaz and citrine into their budget.
Where it can be found
- Most Citrine comes from Brazil, but almost all of the Brazilian material is heat-treated amethyst. Natural citrine though can be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia, in Dauphine, France, and in Madagascar.
- Topaz can be found in various areas including the Ural and Ilmen mountains of Russia as well as the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Japan, Sweden, Italy and Norway.
Citrine Facts
- The pale yellow color of citrine closely resembles topaz, which explains why November’s two birthstones have been so easily confused throughout history.
- Citrine’s yellow hues are caused by traces of iron in quartz crystals. This occurs rarely in nature, so most citrine gems on the market are made by heat treating other varieties of quartz—usually the more common, less expensive purple amethyst and smoky quartz to produce golden gemstones.
- Brazil is the largest supplier of citrine. Other sources include Spain, Bolivia, France, Russia, Madagascar and the U.S. (Colorado, North Carolina and California). Different geographies yield different shades of citrine.
- With a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, citrine is very durable against scratches and everyday wear-and-tear—making it a lovely option for large, wearable jewelry.
Topaz Facts
- Throughout much of history, all yellow gemstones were considered topaz and all “topaz” was thought to be yellow. Topaz is available in many colors, and it’s likely not even related to the stones that first donned its name.
- The name topaz derives from Topazios, the ancient Greek name for St. John’s Island in the Red Sea. Although the yellow gemstones famously mined there probably weren’t topaz, it soon became the name for most yellowish stones.
- Pure topaz is colorless, but it can become tinted by impurities to take on any color of the rainbow. Precious topaz ranges in color from brownish orange to yellow and is often mistaken for smoky quartz or citrine quartz, respectively—although quartz and topaz are unrelated minerals.
- The most prized color is Imperial topaz, which features a vibrant orange hue with pink undertones. Blue topaz, although increasingly abundant in the market, very rarely occurs naturally and is often caused by irradiation treatment.
Meaning
Through much of history, all yellow gemstones were considered topaz and all topaz was thought to be yellow. Topaz is available in many colors, and it’s likely not even related to the stones that first donned its name. November’s second birthstone, citrine, is a variety of quartz that ranges from pale yellow to brownish orange in color. It takes its name from the citron fruit because of these lemon-inspired shades.
Famous Women with November Birthdays
November 3 - Kendall Jenner - American television personality and model.
November 5 - Tilda Swinton - British actress, performance artist, model, and fashion muse, known for her roles in independent and Hollywood films.
November 6 - Emma Stone - American actress.
November 13 - Whoopi Goldberg - American comedian, actress, author and television host.
November 22 - Scarlett Johansson - American actress, model, and singer.
November 23 - Miley Cyrus - American singer, songwriter, and actress.
Popular November Birthstone
Raw Citrine Gemstone Necklace
Grandma Birthstone Cluster Necklace
Four Birthstones Cluster Necklace
Large Infinity Row Necklace
Fall Birthstone Rings
November Freebie
Just click on the image below to get your birthstone print! See different ways to style them HERE.
Or click HERE to get your free print!
