Actually it’s not raining here but it is rather overcast. And citrine has long be treasured as a gift from the sun. Natural citrine is pretty rare, although it does exist, and ranges from pale straw to deep amber. Generally the darker the colour, the more expensive it is. Madeira citrine, for example, is a beautiful, deep brandy colour, you can see the difference in William White’s Citrine Double Trillion ring below. This goes for treated citrine as well, and really a lot of citrine on the market is treated. Let’s just get that out of the way right now – it’s heated amethyst. It’s fairly safe to assume that most of the citrine you come across is going to be treated, and it’s fine, it’s an accepted treatment, but as always, with treatments it does need to be disclosed. The good thing is that this ensures there is a plentiful supply and therefore it remains affordable even in large sizes.

Citrine takes its name from the Latin ‘citrus’ and the French ‘citron’ – fairly self-explanatory, meaning lemon. It is said to carry the power of the sun giving strength, warmth, energy and pleasure. Its last period of real popularity was in the 1940s, set with stones like ruby, peridot and aquamarine in colourful pieces. Now, I think it’s pretty underrated, and there are plenty of people who would agree – here’s Brittany Siminitz at JCK news making a plea for the stone If you think it’s just for cheap birthstone jewellery, take a look at any of the pieces on this page. It even cropped up in Wallis Simpson’s iconic Cartier Flamingo Brooch. Below is a cocktail ring from Laing Antiques and Wallis’ iconic piece

It really pops with white metals, whilst yellow metal settings amplify and deepen its warmth and vibrancy, as can be seen in this beautiful, undulating de Grisogono ring below.

Citrine is a quartz, so it’s pretty durable at Mohs 7 making it a versatile stone that can be used in a number of different kinds of jewellery. We carry a variety of sizes and shapes at Joopy Gems, you can shop them here.

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