Happy birthday to our November babies! You are another of the lucky ones with two birthstones: citrine AND topaz.
Citrine is very rare in nature, and is a yellow/orange variety of quartz. Because of its rarity, most citrine available on the market are actually heat-treated amethyst. The yellow to orange hue is a result of traces of iron that is found in the gem. In Bolivia, amethyst and citrine can actually be present in the same crystal, a unique gem called ametrine. Citrine was particularly popular in the Victorian era, often seen in brooches and rings, because of Queen Victoria’s fascination with the gem.
Citrine brings about joy and happiness, positivity and sunshine, even its name is derived from the French word for lemon! It is also said to activate the imagination and to bring financial successes. Citrine is also the 13th anniversary gemstone.
November’s second birthstone is topaz, a versatile gemstone that can be found in variations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple. Most people are only familiar with blue topaz (December’s birthstone) which rarely occurs naturally.
Ancient Greeks believed that topaz gave them strength, and during the European Renaissance, people thought that topaz could break magic spells. Indian culture has believed that topaz worn near the heart brings long life, intelligence and beauty.
Happy Birthday to you!