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Citrine boasts beautiful autumn hues that can range from light yellow to bright orange. Its sunny bright color reminds us of pumpkins, cider and crisp fall days. Citrine is the birthstone of November and the gemstone for the 13th wedding anniversary.
The well-known origin for the “citrine” gemstone is the French word “citron”, which means lemon. It wasn’t until 1556 that citrine went by the name we recognize today. Citrine is associated with the values of hope, strength, cheerfulness, youth, health and fidelity. According to Chinese legend it is “The Stone of Success”.
Citrine has been used ornamentally for thousands of years. In fact, in Ancient Greece, the stone was used as a decorative gem during the Hellenistic Age between 300 and 150 B.C. In addition, 17th century Scottish men used citrine on the handles of daggers and swords for decorative purposes. However, there is also record of entire sword handles that were crafted from citrine. More recently, citrine was particularly popular during the Art Deco era between World War I and World War II. During this time, movie stars wore oversized and elaborate citrine jewelry. Hollywood stars like Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford favored jewelry made of citrine gems.
Today, citrine is primarily used for its color and clarity in designer jewelry pieces and is crafted into a variety of designs. The majority of modern-day citrine comes from Brazil; however, natural citrine can also be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia, France and Madagascar, among other places. Darker colors, including medium golden orange, are typically considered rarer, and command a higher price. Citrine has a Mohs Scale Hardness of 7, which means it is not easily scratched and is durable enough to scratching and chipping with daily wear.
The well-known origin for the “citrine” gemstone is the French word “citron”, which means lemon. It wasn’t until 1556 that citrine went by the name we recognize today. Citrine is associated with the values of hope, strength, cheerfulness, youth, health and fidelity. According to Chinese legend it is “The Stone of Success”.
Citrine has been used ornamentally for thousands of years. In fact, in Ancient Greece, the stone was used as a decorative gem during the Hellenistic Age between 300 and 150 B.C. In addition, 17th century Scottish men used citrine on the handles of daggers and swords for decorative purposes. However, there is also record of entire sword handles that were crafted from citrine. More recently, citrine was particularly popular during the Art Deco era between World War I and World War II. During this time, movie stars wore oversized and elaborate citrine jewelry. Hollywood stars like Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford favored jewelry made of citrine gems.
This Citrine set from M.S. Rau Antiques was displayed at NYC's Park Avenue Armory in October 2014. From a description of the show on jewelsdujour.com" "A citrine necklace and bracelet set fprmerly in the collection of Joan Crawford garnered attention for its important provenance but also for the sheer size of the citrine stones in the suite. Crafted by renowned American jeweler Raymond Yard in 1940, the necklace features a citrine weighing a whopping 350 carats and its matching bracelet boasts a pair of citrines whose combined carat weight totals 130 carats." M.S. Rau's asking price is $285,000.
The largest Citrine in the world weighs an astonishing 20,200 carats. In 1990 this monstrous gem was discovered in the Mina Gerais mine in Brazil and was faceted into what is now called “Malaga”. Weighing almost nine pounds, this Citrine at one time was is in the “Special Exhibition Gems” section of Art Natura in Spain. Its whereabouts is now a mystery.