All About Citrine and How to Spot a Fake

Hi Crystal Fam!

Citrine’s gorgeous honey hues bring warmth to any space, clear the chakras, and boost a struggling immune system. For cloudy days, or cloudy minds, Citrine brings joyful energy and abundance. Also known as ‘The Merchant Stone’, Citrine is believed to attract money, wealth, and fortune to those in its presence. It encourages generosity and goodness, cultivating the best version of oneself. 

Where It’s Found

A member of the Quartz family, Citrine gets its stunning hues from iron and heat. The higher the heat, the deeper the color. It can be found in Brazil, Congo, the Ural mountains of Russia, and Madagascar. 

What It Looks Like

Citrine comes in many shades from a more translucent yellow to a deep golden honey, even appearing in hues of brown. Some contain stunning rainbow inclusions that add more depth and dimension to an already stunning structure. It comes in many shapes, most commonly short, terminated crystals, single or druzy aggregates, and occasionally as long prism shaped crystals, singular or grouped.

Imitation vs Real

How do you know if it’s real? Imitation Citrine has become a big business over the years. There are two primary types of imitation citrine. The most common is created using purple amethyst. It is heated (baked) at temperatures of 800 to 900 degrees. The largest producers of imitation citrine from amethyst come from Brazil and Uruguay. The other main imitator is Lemon Quartz, also primarily mined in Brazil. Lemon Quartz is formed by heating Amethyst, Yellow Quartz, and Iron together at extremely high temperatures. 

How To Tell The Difference

Citrine is a popular request of sellers and unfortunately there are some shops that lump all "yellow" stones into the Citrine category. Although Amethyst, Lemon Quartz, and others have their own amazing benefits, they are not the same as Citrine. Here are some ways you can tell the difference between real and imitation. The base color of Citrine should be relatively similar throughout. There may be some slight variation but it should have a cohesive color structure. Citrine does not appear in geode form, so that would be a good clue it is an imitation. Other tell tale signs include white coloring at the base of the gem. Citrine is rarely found with deep burnt yellow-orange or bright yellow hues. When found with these colors, it is a higher likelihood of the stone being imitation Citrine. One last indicator is the price. Real Citrine is quite rare and its price reflects that. If you are finding large pieces of “Citrine” for a fraction of other retail prices, there's a good chance it's an imitation. 

 

Benefits of Citrine

Physical

When our metabolism is sluggish, we are sluggish. Citrine is know to support improved metabolic function, support the endocrine system, and is believed to balance the thyroid. People have claimed to experience improved digestion, spleen, and pancreas function. This can result in outward manifestations such as healthy hair and nails, clear skin, and allergy relief. It is an amazing stone for people with chronic fatigue and people with degenerative diseases have claimed improvements after using Citrine in their daily routines. From bed-wetting youth to menopausal women, Citrine balances the body's endocrine system.

Emotional

In today’s climate, it is easy to harbor resentment and anger for so many things. Citrine allows the mind to release deep rooted negativities like anger, fear, destructive patterns, depression, and more. This allows us the opportunity to replace them with positivity, hope, optimism, and peace. Taking back our personal power and directing it towards a healthier focus. Citrine works on the mind and activates the nerves that promote concentration and memory.

Metaphysical

The sunny and earthy tones of citrine rejuvenate the sacral and solar plexus chakras. When these chakras are flowing without blocks, it allows us to feel balanced and in control. Our thoughts tend to be positive and we feel more confident. Boundaries become easier to set and hold, and our artistic expression flourishes. Use Citrine to manifest your positive desires and it will draw them back to you like a magnet. 

 

How To Use

If your personal or professional world holds tension or stress, adding Citrine to the space will help protect you from taking it on. Include Citrine in your meditation arsenal to manifest abundance and improve mental clarity. Keep a small piece in your pocket, wear it as jewelry, or display where you frequently interact with others. If able, display where light can filter through. This amplifies its healing properties and extends its reach further into the space. Keep in mind, Citrine can begin to fade in direct sunlight.

Citrine is one of my very favorite crystals and I would love to share more. If you have any questions about what it can do for you, message me on Instagram or e-mail me: victoria.setnstone@gmail.com

To find the perfect piece for your situation, check out our stunning Citrine pieces.