This yellow sun stone seems to be created to cheer up and give joy. Since ancient times, it was used to create jewelry. Citrine looks equally good with both gold and silver. Of course, more often on the shelves you can see more gold products. For example, gold earrings with citrine. But fans of silver should not despair, because transparent or light citrines can look great in a frame of white metal.
The stone also looks good in company with other gems, which allows craftsmen to create masterpieces of jewelry art.
The natural shade of the stone is so bright and cheerful that many secular fashionistas choose jewelry from this amazing stone.
History
Despite the fact that jewelers have been working with citrine since ancient times, jewelry with this stone was not widely used. This is due to the fact that natural crystals of jewelry quality are quite rare.
In the Middle Ages, faceted crystals of citrine adorned the crowns of European sovereigns. Seals and amulets were also carved from this stone, and many court ladies wore jewelry with yellow quartz. True, in those days the stone was called Spanish or Golden Topaz.
The mineral got its name only in 1747, from the Latin word citreus ("lemon").
Citrine Color
Citrine belongs to a large group of quartz and is a close "relative" of amethyst and rock crystal.
Its chemical formula, silicon dioxide SiO 2 , has long been well known in the art. And the shades of natural citrine depend on the presence and amount of impurities of iron, lithium or aluminum.
In nature, yellow with a touch of green color crystals, making the stones look like topaz, is very rare. Therefore, jewelers highly value every pebble found.
Opaque samples, which are suitable for the manufacture of crafts or decorative inserts in jewelry, are much more often mined. However, mineral samples occur in nature when there are noticeable inclusions of foreign materials in the crystal. It seems to be a useless marriage, but such stones are highly appreciated by professionals because of their uniqueness. They got the name "moss citrine", and it is from such finds that exclusive jewelry from citrines is obtained.
Not only nature
Compared to other quartz, citrine is quite rare. Its deposits in the form of transparent crystals are in Brazil, Russia, the USA, Spain and France.
However, enterprising jewelers from the Middle Ages came up with a replacement for natural citrine. If other quartz group minerals are exposed to elevated temperature (from 300 to 500 ° C), the primary color of the stone changes to saturated yellow, sometimes with a noble reddish tint.
For example, in the Urals they found a lot of smoky quartz, which has almost no jewelry value. But, after the quartz crystals were baked in bread or heated in an ash pot, they turned into a sparkling semblance of citrine. Often the “created” crystals turned out to be more beautiful than natural ones, they have a more saturated shade, and the color scheme is more interesting. In addition, only transparent, clean samples were heated, without cracks and veins, in order to maximize their value.
Nowadays, stones are no longer baked in a loaf of bread; the manufacture of citrine from inexpensive quartz has been put on an industrial stream. And it's not bad, we managed to get a unique shade of stone: a thick wine color with a golden sheen. Kohler received the name "Madera" and such jewelry with citrine is very much appreciated.
Cut or Cabochon
The form that the stone will receive after processing depends on its transparency and the presence of defects. Jewelry stones of class III, completely transparent and with a good shine, are subjected to diamond cut. Then, after processing, the stone begins to sparkle and shimmer with all its faces. Sometimes, in order to fully reveal the beauty of the crystal, a combined jewelry cut is used. Such blanks are used for the manufacture of gold jewelry with citrine.
Opaque minerals or stones with impurities are classified as V class of semiprecious stones. For insertions into rings or pendants, a "cabochon" cut is used, after which the stone acquires luster and texture. And for jewelry inserts in products, the master can simply polish the mineral plate.
By the way, despite the fact that artificially created citrines have a brighter and more juicy color, true craftsmen appreciate faintly colored natural crystals for their rarity. Therefore, do not be surprised if a women's jewelry with citrine of a smaller size and pale color will cost much more than brighter analogues.
Mystical Properties
Since ancient times, people were attracted not only by the sparkling beauty of citrine, but also by its miraculous power. In ancient Rome, jewelry with this stone could only be worn by philosophers and senators, people who are highly respected in society. It was believed that the mineral allows you to reveal natural talents, overcome uncertainty and even cope with depression.
In different centuries, citrine jewelry was considered as a powerful mystical amulet. Many believed that the stone strengthens parapsychological abilities and develops a prophetic gift.
In the East, people believed that possession of citrine brings abundance and wealth, and also protects its owner from the bites of snakes and scorpions.
Features of the choice of jewelry
This sun stone may well become a kind of talisman to its owner. The main thing is to keep citrine with you as often as possible, so it's best to choose a piece of jewelry that you can wear every day. This can be a pendant or earrings with citrine, and for representatives of the stronger sex, a ring with a faceted stone is suitable.
The beneficial effects of citrine are enhanced by other stones. You can safely combine the yellow splinter of the sun with carnelian, garnets and jade. But from the neighborhood with zircon, tourmaline or opal, the properties of citrine weaken.
Like all minerals in the quartz group, citrine can lose its color from exposure to sunlight. It is better to store jewelry in a closed box and not wear them on a very sunny day.
Citrine and zodiac signs
Almost perfectly, citrine jewelry is suitable for representatives of earth signs (Taurus, Capricorn and Virgo). It is to them that the stone will help to find financial well-being and compelling.
The processed crystals will give fiery signs internal comfort and additional inspiration. Signs of Air will also receive creativity and self-confidence.
But for the signs of Water, especially for Scorpio, this stone is contraindicated. In this case, it weakens the energy and deprives its owner of vitality.