Our land is rich in various amazing precious metals and stones, among them citrine is present. What is this citrine stone? Who is it for? Why is it considered unique? These and many other questions can be answered by reading this article.
What is citrine?
Citrine is a type of mineral such as quartz. It differs from ordinary quartz only in color, otherwise it has the same characteristics. This is a relatively inexpensive, but not cheap semiprecious stone. This mineral got its name from the Latin word citrus, which means lemon yellow.
In Russia, citrine stone is found only in the Urals, and Brazil, Madagascar and Spain are considered the richest place in its content. The stone, which has a pale yellow tint, originates in soils in which hydrothermal formations are present.
For its aesthetic beauty, citrine is often referred to as "golden crystal" or "golden topaz." The most common color of citrine is amber-honey, as well as sunny. Less common is a saturated bright orange color, which was given the name "Madeira" for its similarity in color to a noble port.
History of Citrine
The history of this beautiful solar mineral has been known since the Middle Ages. "Citrine" as a term in mineralogy was introduced in 1747, and the stone itself has been known since 1556. Cabochons (a method of processing stones) of citrine are found in crowns, bracelets, rings and other jewelry of European kings. In the 19th century, citrine masters began to widely use jewelers in the manufacture of seals of royalty and nobles.
Citrine is not a very common stone, therefore, in the Middle Ages, jewelers received it artificially, using the firing of amethyst crystals.
The beauty of citrine came to the taste of the nobility, large merchants and the middle class, which served as its wide distribution. Citrine was also widely used in alchemy, pseudoscience, which was very common at that time. Alchemists used this mineral in attempts to create a “philosopher's stone”.
Basic properties
Citrine on the mineralogical scale of Mohs hardness has a seventh degree, which can be attributed to hard stones. For example, a diamond, which is the hardest stone known today, has a 10 degree of hardness.
In nature, citrine stone is not found as often as other varieties of quartz. One of the largest representatives of this species was called "malaga", as well as the city where it was first shown to the general public. After its cutting, the stone has 20,200 carats and a size of 25x25x15 cm.
Another giant citrine is now located at the Smithsonian University Research Center in the United States, reaching 22,580 carats.
It is rare in nature to find a mineral in which two stones are combined at once - these are citrine and amethyst. Such a unique representative of the stone world is called ametrine. This unique looks very impressive after processing by the master and is often used in jewelry along with a citrine stone.
Color palette
The uniqueness of citrine is that after cutting it looks like topaz. However, when rotated at different angles, the mineral begins to change its shades.
This stone can acquire various shades of amber brown, orange and light lemon colors. Its color scheme is affected by the content of iron impurities in its composition.
By the color properties of the citrine stone, the nature of its formation can be easily identified. For example, the most pale are real mountain minerals, and bright stones are artificially burnt quartz. Very bright and saturated colors are not found in nature, they are characterized by transparency and a slight smokiness.
However, in the jewelry market there are a large number of stones that artificially changed color. Such intervention by jewelers does not affect the quality of the stones and does not reduce their value, but only emphasizes their unusual beauty.
Citrine in jewelry
Citrine has long been used not only as a decorative element in underwear. It was widespread in the decoration of stained-glass windows, icons and elements of clothing.
First of all, this stone was popular because of its beauty, but also master jewelers loved to use it, because this mineral did not require large expenditures during processing. During cutting, citrine acquired a rich kaleidoscope of colors and shades and successfully combined with precious metals and other stones. You can see how the citrine stone in the photo plays with its rich color palette, delighting connoisseurs of beauty.
The best combination for citrine is its combination with diamonds, yellow and white gold. It creates an amazing image in which each stone emphasizes each other's beauty.
Jewelers, choosing exactly what to give the cut and shape of citrine, focus primarily on the transparency of the stone. If the stone has no internal defects and is transparent, then it is faceted in the same way as a diamond. If citrine has a heterogeneous structure, a cut called cabochon is used.
The magical properties of citrine stone
Mages, shamans and sorcerers have long used citrine in order to increase their abilities. It is believed that the magical possibilities of citrine are due to its energy, which has a bright beginning.
This mineral cleans all chakras of a person well, for this it is recommended to conduct meditation by placing citrine next to it. This stone also perfectly aligns such energies as Yin and Yang, bringing them into a harmonious state. Citrine fills a person’s energy body with the strength and energy of the sun, strengthens the psychological state.
Amulets and talismans are made of this mineral in our time, as in ancient times in various countries. It is believed that they help people protect themselves from the bites of scorpions and snakes.
In some cultures, it was believed that this stone gives wealth and abundance, and also gives success in all matters to its master. Speakers used citrine talismans to shine with their eloquence at performances.
Properties of Citrine Stone. Zodiac signs
Citrine is considered the patron stone of such zodiac signs as Leo and Gemini. He also helps Aquarius and Libra, as this stone belongs to the elements of air.
The mineral helps these zodiac signs in all endeavors. With it, you can achieve great success, while not putting a lot of effort. Citrine gives feminine power to girls, and when used correctly, meeting their chosen one becomes much easier. Therefore, women are advised to wear various jewelry with citrine, for example, rings, pendants, bracelets.
Citrine helps these signs when they travel. The road with the mineral will be easy, calm and without incident. The stone gives these signs strength and wisdom, which helps in maintaining home comfort and mutual understanding. Citrine also gives peace to overly impulsive and hot-tempered natures, which will help them in communicating with people.
The healing properties of citrine
Since time immemorial, the healing properties of citrine have been known. It was widely used in ancient India as a stone, healing from various diseases that are associated with the genitourinary system and the gastrointestinal tract. It was also used for diseases of the spleen, liver and eyes.
Citrine is considered the energy regenerator of all human chakras, which are responsible for various organs and systems. In Indian tradition, citrine is believed to have a particularly strong effect on the Manipura chakra, which is located in the solar plexus. This mineral has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, vision and the circulatory system. Gives vitality to the body and increases its tone.
Citrine in lithotherapy
In one of the unconventional methods of treatment - lithotherapy, or stone therapy - citrine is considered a very effective and useful stone. Lithotherapists strongly recommend carrying citrine as part of various decorations. In their opinion, this mineral improves brain function and has good prophylactic abilities.
It is recommended to create infusions based on this stone, which are believed to help with diseases of the endocrine system, remove toxins and toxins from the body. Citrine also contributes to the normalization of all life processes and improves metabolism. However, this is not confirmed by scientific research and some people treat such statements with a certain degree of skepticism.
One can perceive differently the properties attributed to the stone of citrine, to whom this mineral is suitable, and to whom not. But one thing is certain - he is unusually beautiful. Citrine will look great in various jewelry, thereby pleasing the eye and giving positive emotions.