Saturday, January 10, 2009

Citrine's Refreshing Brilliance

This unique gemstone is commonly confused with topaz and erroneously referred to as gold topaz.The biggest supply of natural stone comes from Brazil. But Spain, Scotland, Argentina, Namibia and Myanmar also have natural deposits. Since amethyst and smoky quartz are a source for citrine jewelry, anywhere these are mined are also a supply source.The most valuable color is burnt-orange and the most popular is a slightly lighter yellow with a hint of orange.On the Mohs scale of hardness, these stones, like all quartz, rank a 7. This means they are quite durable and are great for every day wear. Cleaning them is also fairly simply. Soak them in warm water with a gentle cleaner and scrub with a toothbrush. Because extreme temperatures cause color changes, avoid exposure to high heat. Do not clean in an ultrasonic machine or use a steamer. It should be easy to find a citrine necklace free of inclusions. Typically, only the clear stones are cut into facets. If there are inclusions, they are used in different cuts that reduce their visibility. The truth is they are completely different and the only thing they share is a similar yellow hue.
Citrine jewelry was very popular either alone in clustered with other colored gemstones like peridot. Brooches and rings were particularly common and are now retro-trendy.

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