Happy Birthday Citrine --The Other November Birthstone

I’m not a big fan of the whole birthstone thing. Partly because it seems as if I am always explaining the list. At first it seems simple –doesn’t it always? Inherently birthstones should be simple. For me, it is always easiest to begin the list with the November birthstone, Topaz, and the other November birthstone, Citrine. Yes, there are two.

The idea of birthstones should be so simple. A stone assigned to a particular month. If you know someone’s birthday you can find a thoughtful gift. But most months have more than one accepted birthstone. (Some months have a lot of “birthstones” –the reasons for varying lists vary from problems of availability, to problems of translation, to simple fashion.)

November’s two birthstones make a certain amount of sense. Topaz and Citrine look a lot alike. (Yes, I know, the Topaz you may be most familiar with is blue. However, the very rare and beautiful golden Topaz that is meant to be the November birthstone does look a lot like the yellow variety of Quartz known as Citrine.)

But Golden Topaz is rare, and often quite expensive. Citrine is less rare, less expensive, and often very beautiful. (Even better, while it is often hard to find a large Imperial Topaz of cuttable quality, large Citrine is relatively easy to find.)

Rough Citrine can be just as beautiful as faceted or polished stones. This necklace features rough chunks of light yellow Brazilian Citrine interspersed with discs of blue Turquoise from northern Nevada.

Both are –or can be, natural stones always come in a range of shades– a lovely yellow. Citrine in particular can range from a near limey shade of lemon to a dark and smokey color reminiscent of the last inch of cognac from a very old bottle.

So happy birthday Citrine and to all November babies… Remember you have two options… And a range of yellows…

Oh… And if you are looking for a custom one of a kind necklace featuring Citrine we have a few options…

If you like the rough and wild look our Rough Citrine and Lapis Lazuli cube necklace might be an ideal statement choice…

And if you prefer the sparkle of a faceted stone our faceted Citrine and Turquoise necklace would be ideal for clean colors… Bright blue and golden sunlight! Bright Faceted Citrine and Turquoise Necklace