November - another month with 2 gorgeous birthstones
Citrine
Citrine is part of the quartz family and
ranges from a pale yellow to rich brown due to iron impurities. Although natural Citrine is available, it is rare and most of the stones available on the market today are heat treated Amethyst.
Citrine has been a popular gemstone since ancient times and has shared a history of mistaken identities with the other November birthstone, Topaz. As a result, people often thought that Citrine had the same 'powers' as topaz. They believed that it could soothe tempers and calm the wearer.
This stone was very popular in colourful Scottish jewellery from the Victorian era. Like this beautiful brooch combining citrine and Scottish agate.
The name Citrine is believed to derive from the French word for “lemon” (citron) and is given for the thirteenth wedding anniversary as well as being a birthstone.
Citrine is at 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness meaning that it's usually durable enough for normal wear and care. It can be safely cleaned with warm, soapy water.
Topaz
Topaz has a range of colour from clear, to light blue, yellow, orange, pink, violet, brown and, very rarely, red. In it's natural form, although sometimes blue, it tends to be a golden brown to yellow - a characteristic which means it is sometimes confused with citrine.
To create the darker blue topaz, colourless, grey, or pale blue and yellow material is heat treated and irradiated - leading to shades such as London Blue.
The word “topaz” may have originated from the Sanskrit word tapas, which means “fire”. Or it could trace back to the Greek topazos.
This birthstone was long thought to have many benefits, the ancient Greeks believed that topaz gave them strength, while in ancient Europe it was thought Topaz could thwart magic spells and dispel anger.
Blue topaz is the gem of the fourth wedding anniversary and Imperial topaz is the gem of the 23rd anniversary.
Topaz is an 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, but it has poor toughness, so care is required to avoid chipping or cracking. It is best cleaned with warm soapy water.
Source information from GIA.edu