Do I Need Citrine? Meaning and Healing Properties
Table of Contents
Citrine is a beautiful yellow gemstone that’s associated with prosperity and abundance. It’s a popular choice for jewelry and is known for its vibrant, sunny color. Citrine is also said to have healing properties and is believed to bring positivity and joy to those who wear it.
A crystal of peace and abundance, citrine has a long history reaching back into the ancient world. Even today, it holds a special place in gemology that’s as high in demand now as it was during Roman or even Victorian times.
In this article, we’ll explore the history, properties, and uses of citrine in more detail.
What is Citrine?
Being a translucent variety of quartz, citrine is a type of quartz that ranges in color from pale yellow to deep amber. Its high clarity, durability, and inexpensive price tag make citrine a popular alternative to wedding and engagement jewelry in lieu of diamonds.
The name citrine applies to any variety of clear quartz with a yellow tint, regardless of hue or saturation. If there’s a distinct and marked reddish brown color within a piece of citrine, gemologists refer to it as Madeira citrine. This sobriquet recalls its main location in Madeira near Portugal.
On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, citrine ranks a 7 out of 10, which is considered quite hard. This makes it a suitable choice for everyday wear in jewelry such as rings, necklaces, and earrings. While it’s not as hard as some other gemstones, such as diamonds or sapphires, citrine is still relatively resistant to scratches and wear.
Do You Need Citrine?
Citrine is an excellent stone for those who want a beautiful wedding or engagement ring but cannot afford real diamonds. In terms of spiritually minded people, it’s a perfect stone for those dealing with immense negativity.
Citrine’s Healing Properties
Citrine is believed by some to have a number of healing properties, although these claims have not been scientifically proven. According to some sources, this stone is thought to have the following healing properties:
- Promotes joy and positivity: Some people believe that citrine can help to lift the mood and promote feelings of joy and positivity.
- Increases energy and vitality: Citrine can help to increase energy levels and enhance vitality.
- Enhances creativity and inspiration: Some believe that citrine can help to stimulate creativity and inspire new ideas.
- Improves mental clarity and concentration: Some people believe that citrine has the ability to improve mental clarity and concentration.
- Helps to balance the chakras: Citrine is believed to help balance the chakras, which are energy centers in the body according to traditional Indian medicine.
It’s important to note that these claims about the healing properties of citrine have not been scientifically proven and should be treated with caution. If you’re interested in using citrine for its alleged healing properties, it’s recommended that you speak with a qualified healthcare professional.
Physical Attributes
In terms of physical healing, making an elixir of citrine can treat digestive disorders and promote good blood circulation. It assists with degenerative disorders, diminishes abnormal growth, and helps with heart, liver, and kidney issues. Some have even used it to improve vision, balance the thyroid, and activate the thymus gland.
Citrine is a stone of abundance, wealth, and plenty. It’s good for merchants and storekeepers to have a piece in their register to bring new customers and unending business. Along with that, it’s also ideal for education and interpersonal relationships.
Citrine can smooth family or group problems that seem insurmountable. It also helps to retain a sense of cohesiveness so positive communication can flourish. It cuts to the source of problems and helps to expedite solutions.
Balancing & Chakra Work
This charming yellow crystal is excellent for all kinds of alignment work, especially where yin-yang and chakra energies come into the picture. It can activate, open, and energize the second and third chakras. This brings about a state of perfection between a sense of personal power combined with creativity and decisiveness. Such a combination also provides both mental focus and endurance.
However, it also has an affinity for the root chakra, providing great grounding while supporting stability with optimism and comfort. In this way, it helps to remove fear and can bring on laughter without restraint. The happy disposition offered by citrine will promote self-radiance.
The crown chakra can also benefit from exposure to citrine. It brings clarity to mental processes and perfection of thought, which influences decisions and choices. This canary-colored gem is excellent to have when someone has to make a decision when neither option will come with desirable consequences.
It can clear out the entire aura and remove any muddy, stuck pools lodged within the chakras. This brings on a sense of peace and an eagerness to approach new beginnings with a full heart.
Spiritual & Emotional Applications of Citrine
Citrine stabilizes emotions, dispels anger, and encourages excellence. It’s one of the few crystals on earth that won’t absorb, attract or hold negative energy. Therefore, citrine has elevated energy that can bring the ultimate emotional balance. It stimulates intuition and promotes contact with higher intelligence centers within the self.
When a user is in a situation of survival, this stone can convey the necessary messages to help a person succeed against all the odds. It provides clarity to problems while removing hysterical or panicked outbursts due to nervousness.
This means it can shine a light in the darkness when all other lights seem to go out in a person’s life. After all, perception is everything and citrine provides the impetus to see through problems and troubles.
Citrine Meaning and Symbolism
Due to its color, citrine is often associated with the sun, warmth, and happiness. In some ancient cultures, citrine was believed to have healing properties and was used to treat ailments of the skin and digestive system.
Citrine is also believed to have energizing and purifying properties and is sometimes used in crystal healing to promote mental clarity and focus. In the metaphysical community, citrine is often used to attract abundance and prosperity and is thought to be a powerful manifestation stone.
How to Use Citrine
1. Citrine in Jewelry
Citrine is often used in jewelry because of its bright, sunny appearance and its durability. It can be cut into a variety of shapes and sizes and used in rings, pendants, earrings, and other types of jewelry. It’s also sometimes used as a substitute for the more expensive gemstone topaz.
Citrine is typically set in gold or silver and often paired with other gemstones, such as diamonds or pearls. Because of its vibrant color, citrine is a popular choice for use in statement pieces, such as bold rings or pendants, or in more delicate pieces, such as simple stud earrings or a simple pendant necklace.
2. Citrine as a Decorative Object
Citrine can be used as a decorative object in a variety of ways. For example, it can be carved or shaped into small figurines or sculptures that can be displayed on a shelf or mantel. It can also be used as paperweights, coasters, vase fillers, bookends, or candlesticks.
Small pieces of citrine can also be used to create decorative knick-knacks for the home, such as figurines or decorative objects for a mantle or shelf.
3. Citrine as a Healing Stone
There are many ways to use citrine as a healing stone. Some common methods include wearing it as a piece of jewelry, carrying it with you in your pocket or purse, or placing it in a specific area of your home or office to enhance certain qualities, such as abundance, creativity, or happiness.
You can also use citrine for meditation. Hold a piece of citrine in your hand or place it on your third eye, heart, or solar plexus chakra during meditation to enhance its healing properties. In addition to this, you can create a crystal grid with citrine and other stones to focus and amplify their energy.
4. Citrine in Feng Shui
Citrine is often used in Feng shui, a traditional Chinese practice that involves the use of energy, or chi, to create balance and harmony in a space. The stone is believed to have a number of properties that make it particularly useful in Feng shui.
In Feng shui, citrine is used to:
- Promote abundance and prosperity
- Bring in positive energy and good luck
- Enhance creativity and personal expression
- Boost confidence and self-esteem
- Promote feelings of happiness and joy
Citrine is often placed in specific areas of a home or office to enhance these qualities. For example, it may be placed in the wealth corner of a room (the back left corner as you enter) to promote prosperity, or in a window to bring in positive energy and good luck. It may also be placed on a desk or in a workspace to enhance creativity and focus.
How to Clean and Care for Citrine
To clean and maintain a citrine piece, you can follow these steps:
- Cleanse the citrine regularly. You can cleanse the citrine by placing it in sunlight or moonlight for a few hours, burying it in the earth for a few days, or smudging it with sage. This will help to clear away any negative energy that may have accumulated on the stone.
- Handle the citrine with care. Citrine is a relatively hard and durable stone, but it can still be damaged if it’s dropped or subjected to rough handling. Handle the citrine gently and store it in a safe place to avoid damage.
- Store the citrine away from other crystals. Citrine can absorb the energy of other crystals, so it’s best to store it separately from your other stones. This will help to keep the citrine charged and ready for use.
- Avoid exposing the citrine to harsh chemicals or extreme temperatures. Citrine can be sensitive to chemicals and extreme temperatures, so it’s best to avoid exposing it to these conditions.
By following these steps, you can help to keep your citrine piece clean, charged, and ready for use as a healing stone.
What Gemstones Pair Well with Citrine?
Citrine is a beautiful gemstone that can be used on its own, but it can also be paired with several other gemstones.
1. Diamonds
Citrine’s warm, golden tones look beautiful paired with diamonds, which add a touch of sparkle and elegance. This combination creates a sophisticated and stylish look that’s perfect for a variety of occasions.
Citrine and diamonds can be used together in a variety of different jewelry designs, such as rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. They can also be used in combination with other gemstones, such as pearls or amethyst, to create a more colorful and dynamic look.
When pairing citrine with diamonds, it’s important to consider the color and quality of the gemstones. For the best results, choose diamonds that are clear and well-cut, and citrine that is a vibrant, golden color. This will help ensure that the combination looks beautiful and high quality.
2. Amethyst
The golden tones of citrine and the deep purple of amethyst create a bold and eye-catching look that is perfect for a variety of occasions. It’s important to choose high-quality gemstones in a vibrant, golden color for citrine and a deep, rich purple color for amethyst for the best results.
3. Pearls
The soft, creamy tones of pearls complement the warm, golden hues of citrine, creating a classic and sophisticated look. It’s important to choose high-quality gemstones in a vibrant, golden color for citrine and well-matched, lustrous pearls.
4. Garnet
Garnet is a deep red gemstone that pairs well with citrine and can be used for various types of jewelry. It’s important to choose high-quality gemstones in a vibrant, golden color for citrine and a deep, rich red color for garnet for the best results.
The healing properties of garnet and citrine are complementary, with garnet believed to provide grounding and stability and citrine believed to bring positivity and joy. When combined, they may be thought to enhance these properties and provide both physical and emotional support.
Where to Find Citrine
Citrine is found in a variety of locations around the world, including Brazil, Madagascar, Spain, and the United States. Brazil is the largest producer of citrine, and it’s also found in other countries in South America, such as Uruguay and Argentina. Citrine can also be found in Africa, specifically in Madagascar and Zambia.
In Europe, citrine is found in Spain, as well as in other countries in the region such as France, Germany, and Russia. This unique mineral is also found in California, Nevada, and Colorado, as well as in other locations around the world, such as Canada, Mexico, and Australia.
Five Types of Citrine
The beautiful yellow color of citrine comes from small amounts of iron injected into the stone from its immediate environment. The more iron, the darker the yellow will be. However, modern techniques to produce yellow citrine aren’t all from rock formations in an as-is form. There are actually five types of citrine, all of which are valid and legitimate.
1. Natural
Natural citrine is found in nature and has not been treated or altered in any way. It’s a variety of quartz that’s characterized by its yellow or orange color, which is due to the presence of iron impurities in the crystal structure.
Natural citrine is relatively rare and is prized for its natural color. It’s often used as a gemstone in jewelry and decorative items. Natural citrine can vary in color, ranging from pale yellow to deep orange, and it can also exhibit other characteristics, such as clarity, transparency, and brightness.
2. Heat Treated
The process of heat-treating citrine, or more specifically, amethyst, to produce a yellow or orange color that is similar to natural citrine has been known for centuries. The ancient Greeks and Romans are known to have used heat treatment to change the color of amethyst, and the technique has been used by various cultures throughout history.
It’s likely that this discovery was made through experimentation and the observation of natural processes, as heat treatment is a relatively simple process that can be carried out using basic equipment.
Heat treatment involves heating amethyst to a high temperature, typically around 500-550 degrees Celsius (932-1022 degrees Fahrenheit), in a reducing atmosphere, which means that the air is depleted of oxygen. This process causes the iron impurities in the amethyst to oxidize, resulting in a yellow or orange color.
The specific color that’s produced depends on the starting color of the amethyst and the temperature and duration of the heat treatment. Heat-treated amethyst is often referred to as citrine, although it’s not a natural form of the mineral.
3. Synthetic Citrine
Synthetic citrine is produced in a laboratory and does not occur naturally. It’s created through a process called hydrothermal synthesis, in which a mixture of silica and other chemicals is subjected to high pressure and heat to form a crystal.
Synthetic citrine is often used in jewelry and decorative items because it’s less expensive than natural citrine and can be produced in a wide range of colors and sizes. Synthetic citrine does not have the same physical and chemical properties as natural citrine, but it’s still a popular choice for use in jewelry and other decorative items.
4. Imitation Citrine
Imitation citrine is a type of gemstone that’s made to look like natural citrine but is not actually made of the same material. It can be made from a variety of materials, including glass, plastic, and other synthetic substances.
It’s often used in costume jewelry and decorative items because it’s less expensive than natural citrine and can be produced in a wide range of colors and sizes.
Imitation citrine does not have the same physical and chemical properties as natural citrine and is not as durable, but it can still be used to create attractive and affordable jewelry and decorative items.
The Color of Citrine
Citrine ranges in color from pale yellow to deep orange. The color of citrine is caused by the presence of iron impurities within the crystal. The specific shade of citrine depends on the concentration and type of iron present in the gemstone. Citrine can be found in shades of yellow, orange, and golden brown, depending on the specific impurities present in the gemstone.
Heat treatment is often used to enhance the color of citrine, as it can remove any brown hues and leave the gemstone with a more vibrant, yellow or orange color. This treatment is permanent and does not affect the durability of the gemstone.
Citrine is also sometimes found in shades of pink, red, or violet, but these colors are rarer and are typically caused by the presence of other impurities, such as titanium or manganese.
History and Lore of Citrine
The history of citrine dates back thousands of years, and the mineral has been prized for its beauty and alleged healing properties by various cultures throughout history.
Citrine in Ancient Greece and Rome
Citrine was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who used it as a gemstone and believed that it had a number of healing properties. The name “citrine” comes from the Latin word “citrina,” which means “yellow,” and the mineral was often associated with the sun and the warmth of summer.
Citrine was also used in ancient times to make decorative objects and was believed to have protective powers.
The ancient Greeks found it so beautiful, they carved many practical items out of it. The Romans thought it could protect against evil while almost all cultures thought it would bring luck, prosperity, and wealth.
Citrine in Ancient Egypt
According to some sources, the ancient Egyptians believed that citrine had several healing properties and used it to treat a range of ailments, including digestive problems and skin conditions. Citrine was also believed to have protective powers and was often used to make amulets and other objects that were believed to ward off evil.
In addition to its medicinal and protective uses, citrine was also used by the ancient Egyptians as a decorative element in jewelry and other objects. It was prized for its yellow or orange color, which was associated with the sun and the warmth of summer.
The mineral was often used to make beads, pendants, and other jewelry items, and it was also used to decorate objects such as figurines and other decorative items.
Citrine in the Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages, citrine was a popular gemstone in Europe and was often used to decorate religious objects and other items of importance. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it became more widely available and was used in a range of jewelry and decorative items.
Throughout the Middle Ages, people believed it would protect against snake venom and evil thoughts. Men who held a piece of citrine became more attractive which would provide fertility and increased happiness in women. Regardless of the culture, citrine was and still is synonymous with a negativity repellant.
1930s to Modern Times
Some of the finest samples of citrine jewelry come from the 17th century, beset on dagger handles. However, in the 1930s, this xanthous crystal gained growing popularity. Gem cutters from South Africa up to Germany prized it for its gorgeousness, clarity, and color. The Art Deco movement produced designs just for Hollywood stars.
Today, citrine is still popular and is often used in a variety of jewelry, including rings, earrings, and pendants.
Citrine FAQs
Citrine is generally considered to be an affordable gemstone, with prices ranging from $50 to $100 per carat for smaller stones, and up to $300 per carat for larger, higher-quality stones.
It’s believed that citrine can help to bring happiness, abundance, and good fortune to the wearer. It’s also thought to have healing properties, such as helping to boost the immune system and reduce stress and anxiety. Citrine is also believed to help improve mental clarity and stimulate creativity.
Citrine can remove negative energy and bring you pleasant and inspiring dreams if you keep it next to you as you sleep.
Yes, place your citrine on a selenite charging plate or leave it out for several hours to absorb moonlight.
You can wear your citrine stone over your root chakra which is located at the base of the spine.
Citrine, also called the ‘Lucky Merchant’s Stone’, can help manifest good luck and prosperity.
Citrine balances and heals the solar plexus chakra.
Citrine harnesses the sun’s energy to bring light and sunshine into your life.
Ametrine is a stone that has zones of both citrine and amethyst within a single crystal. Therefore, citrine is the same as ametrine.
Yes, amethyst is the same as citrine. They are not only both varieties of quartz but much of the citrine on the market is actually amethyst heat treated to become yellow as well.
While citrine is a popular birthstone for November, it could also apply to March, April, May, June, August, and September. This is because the National Jewelers Association didn’t add citrine as a secondary birthstone for November until 1952. Topaz has been the primary November birthstone since 1912.
Due to the wide range that citrine comes in, it has associations with Gemini, Aries, Libra, and Leo. However, since it is a birthstone for November, it could connect to Scorpio and Sagittarius as well.
Wrapping Up
Citrine is a powerful and versatile healing stone with a bright and uplifting energy that can help to enhance your overall well-being and bring a sense of abundance and prosperity into your life. Whether you wear it as a piece of jewelry, carry it with you, or use it in your meditation or crystal healing practices, citrine is an excellent stone to have in your collection.
