November birthstone: topaz and citrine, history and care

Two stones for November

Topaz is the November birthstone in every modern list. Citrine was added to the American list during the 1952 revision, and also appears in the British list. The older list, for its part, associated topaz with pearl.

The two stones are close in their warm colour (yellow, honey, orange), but belong to very different species.

Topaz: an ancient name, a stone in every colour

Topaz is an aluminium silicate containing fluorine; its hardness is 8. It occurs colourless, yellow, golden brown, pink, orange (the “imperial topaz”) or blue. It comes mainly from Brazil (Minas Gerais region), but also from Sri Lanka, Russia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Namibia. It has a perfect cleavage: it can split under a knock, despite its hardness.

The history of the word is instructive. For the Greeks and Romans, topazos referred to a yellow-green stone mined on an island in the Red Sea: today it is thought this was more likely peridot. The name was later given to the stone we call by that name today. Its origin is debated (the island, or a Sanskrit word meaning “fire”).

Citrine: a quartz the colour of lemon

Citrine is a yellow to orange quartz, with a hardness of 7. Its name comes from the word citron (lemon). It does occur naturally, but it is rare and pale yellow. The citrine seen in shops, often a deep orange, is generally heated amethyst (or sometimes smoky quartz). This is not deception if it is stated: citrine is a quartz, which has long been heated to change its colour.

Citrine is the “merchant's stone” in some modern traditions: it is associated with prosperity. This idea is recent and has no scientific basis; it nonetheless gives you an idea of the imagination surrounding the stone.

Traditional symbolism

In tradition, topaz evokes the sun, warmth and sincere friendship. Citrine, through its golden colour, is associated with joy and energy, and, in modern chakra systems, with the solar plexus chakra. These correspondences are traditions, which vary from one author to another, with no scientific proof.

A little history: which stones were called topaz?

The case of topaz illustrates the main pitfall in the history of birthstones: ancient names do not always refer to the stones we think. The topaz mentioned in Exodus (according to the Greek version) would be peridot, and the ancient “chrysolite” referred at different times to topaz, peridot or other stones. We should therefore not conclude that a text from antiquity is talking about our modern topaz.

Citrine, for its part, only became a birthstone in the 20th century. Lists evolve: the November list was revised in 1952, and the name “topaz” is still sometimes used loosely in the trade for yellow or smoky quartz (“golden topaz”, “smoky topaz”).

Other possible stones in November

• the smoky quartz, sometimes wrongly sold as “smoky topaz”;
• the amber, fossil resin in honey tones;
• the orange calcite, soft and brightly orange;
• the tiger's eye, golden brown and banded.

Giving a November birthstone

Citrine is an accessible gift: a pendant, a ring, a bracelet or a tumbled stone. Topaz, brighter and more expensive, suits a second-hand piece of jewellery. Blue topaz in the trade is very affordable, but it is almost always treated (see below): if this matters to you, ask.

Browse our jewellery, bracelets and gift ideas collections.

Care, treatments and imitations

Topaz. Although it is hard, topaz is sensitive to knocks (cleavage) and to sudden temperature changes. Lukewarm water, mild soap, soft cloth; no ultrasonic cleaning or steam. Remove the ring for manual work.

Blue topaz: an almost systematic treatment. Blue topaz in the trade (sold under names such as “Swiss blue”, “London blue” or “Sky blue”) is colourless topaz that has been irradiated, then heated. It is stable, safe once on sale, and very common. Natural blue topaz is rare. “Mystic topaz” (with rainbow reflections) is colourless topaz covered with a thin coating: it scratches easily, so do not clean it with abrasive products.

Citrine. Sturdy: water, mild soap, cloth. Avoid prolonged intense sunlight: some shades may fade. Deep orange citrine is almost always heated amethyst.

See our guide to choosing and caring for your stones.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to birthstones.