Topaz and citrine are two lovely birthstones that can be worn by people born in November. While topaz is available in a wide range of colours, citrine is renowned for its lovely yellow and orange tones. Both birthstones for November are thought to provide relaxing qualities that also bring luck and warmth to the bearer. Since high-quality gems like topaz and citrine are not as scarce as for many of their contemporaries, these birthstones are often priced reasonably. As a result, people who were born in November have a wide range of alternatives. Choosing one will be your biggest issue.
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Why do November have two birthstones?
The 12 stones of the High Priest’s breastplate recorded in Exodus are thought to be the origin of the concept of birthstones. Wearing one stone per month of the year was formerly a widespread habit. The Jewelers of America sought to standardize birthstones in 1912. Modern birthstones are chosen primarily on what can be sold in huge quantities the quickest. Thus, there are two birthstones for November. The original birthstone was topaz, but citrine was eventually introduced as a less expensive substitute.
What shade of stone is topaz?
Aside from brown, topaz actually has a very diverse color spectrum that also includes numerous shades and saturations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple. Topaz that is colorless is widely available and frequently dyed blue. Topaz is also pleochroic, which means that it can exhibit many hues depending on the crystal direction.
What color is my birthday?
See What Yours Is: Each Birth Month Has a Different Color and Meaning!
- January. the hue caramel.
- February. Lilac color, sheer.
- March. Fair Aqua in color.
- Cayenne color. April.
- Color: Bud Green. May.
- June. Aspen Gold in color.
- July. Coral-colored blush.
- Color: Sun Orange; August.
Is topaz pricey?
Like any stone, topaz prices vary according to quality. Nevertheless, a few generalizations are possible. The most popular type of topaz used in jewelry today, blue topaz, has been produced in such large numbers that it is now typically sold for $25 per carat at retail for ring sizes. Larger sizes could cost a little extra. Even though treated blue topaz is widely produced, the price of natural blue topaz has practically decreased to match that of the treated stone.
Blue topaz is created (by irradiation and heat) from colorless topaz, which is offered in sizes up to 100 ct and higher and costs less than $8/ct. The cost of brown topaz is comparable.
Contrarily, valuable topaz, often known as “imperial” topaz, can sell for more than $1000 per carat (ct) in big (10 ct+) proportions. Richly colored topaz with a pink or red hue is the most expensive; its retail price can approach $3500/ct. Over 5 ct. sizes of these are uncommon.
What hue represents topaz for November?
Two gems, citrine and topaz, are related to November birthdays. Citrine is thought to be a healing gemstone and its warm color is regarded to be a gift from the sun. Topaz comes in a number of rich colors, including blue, pink, and yellow, but its deep orange Imperial Topaz color is the most sought-after.
Why Does November Have Two Birthstones?
Although Citrine replaced Topaz as the official birthstone for November in the early 1910s after jewelers discovered that adding heat and pressure to amethyst would enable it to become yellow, Topaz is still the traditional birthstone for November due to the rarity of yellow Topaz. Iron imperfections in the gem’s structure are what give it its magnificent color. One of the most well-liked and commonly bought yellow gemstones is this one.
What is the History about the November Birthstones?
Some people think the Sanskrit word tapas, which meaning “fire,” is where the word “topaz” originates. Some attribute it to the Greek topazos. It has long been believed that the birthstone for November has several advantages. Topaz was regarded by the ancient Greeks as a source of power. Given for the thirteenth wedding anniversary, citrine, which is thought to have descended from the French word for “lemon” (citron), has a history of being confused with topaz. People thus believed that citrine possessed the same abilities as topaz. The citrine gemstone was thought to calm the person and settle their anger.
What is the November Birthstone Color?
Topaz and citrine are the two birthstone possibilities for people born in November. Golden yellow is the hue of the birthstone for November. Although topaz comes in a range of hues, yellow is the birthstone for November’s symbol. Since blue topaz is a more common color for topaz and is more accessible than yellow topaz, some people pick it as an alternative. Golden yellow gemstone known as citrine has hues that vary from light yellow to brownish orange.
What is the November Birthstone Meaning?
The word topaz is derived from the Sanskrit tapas, which means fire, and the Greek word topazion. This captivating diamond, one of the most colorful, is available in various varieties. Citrine is thought to be a healing gemstone and is said to be a gift from the sun.
What are Typical November Birthstone Rings?
Finding a yellow topaz is challenging, especially for a reasonable price. Citrine is a lovely birthstone for November since it provides possibilities at cheaper costs. The birthstone rings from Joseph’s Jewelry collection, which come in white, yellow, and rose 14k gold, vividly display the eye-catching color of citrine.
Topaz or citrine, which is superior?
Imperial topaz is the gem used to commemorate a marriage’s 23rd anniversary, while blue topaz is customarily chosen to honor a couple’s fourth wedding anniversary.
Topaz was regarded to give power to the ancient Greeks, and from the 1300s to the 1600s, it was believed to be able to ward off evil spells and calm rage throughout Europe. For many years, Indians believed that wearing a topaz pendant above the heart would bring about long life, wisdom, and beauty.
All clear yellow, orange, or brown gemstones were referred to as topaz until the turn of the 20th century. As a result, topaz was supposed to have a golden colour and attract wealth and gold to the wearer.
Topaz is quite harda Mohs scale 8but not extremely tough, thus it needs to be cleaned carefully. (Recall that the Mohs’ scale of hardness is used to categorize minerals.) Because topaz is sensitive to high heat, avoid using steam or ultrasonic cleaners on the stone. Topaz should be cleaned with warm, soapy water, advises Southern California-based bespoke jeweler Shmukler Design, to stop cracking.
Topaz is usually stable in the presence of light, but extended exposure to heat or too much sunlight can cause the yellow-to-brown varieties of the gem to lose their color. To be safe, remove the topaz gem when washing jewelry with chemicals. Topaz may also be somewhat impacted by some chemicals.
The handcrafted coating of the Mystic Topaz can survive normal wear, but it does require gentle cleaning. If you have treated your birthstone in this manner, clean it with a gentle soap solution.
Let’s move on to Citrine now:
Citrine is a clear yellow to brownish-orange form of quartz that has been used in jewelry for hundreds of years but wasn’t initially recognized as the birthstone for November. It was initially mistaken for topaz, the other birthstone for November. Citrine is said to have been named after the French word for lemon, citron, as its citrus tints would imply. Instead of lemon, residues of iron are what give the food its yellow to orange color.
Ancient Greeks fashioned citrine into jewellery made of rock crystal, while Roman pontiffs wore rings with enormous amethysts that were likely citrine. In Victorian jewelry, citrine was also quite popular in Scotland, and today, citrine is the customary gift on a 13th wedding anniversary.
Because natural citrine is so rare, the majority of it that is currently available on the market was created by heating amethyst.
Spain, Bolivia, Mexico, Madagascar, and Uruguay are the main exporters of this gemstone for November. Brazil is a popular mining location for amethyst that has been heated to a citrine hue.
Many people originally thought citrine had the same alleged calming properties as November’s second birthstone since it is often confused with topaz. Today, supporters of citrine extol its unique “powers, including fostering individual clarity and creativity and reducing negative inclinations. The qualities of hope, youth, vigor, health, happiness, and fidelity are also considered to be connected to citrine.
Finally, from the second millennium BCE until the end of the Han dynasty in 220 CE, people who lived in China termed citrine the “The emperors of that era believed that wearing the gem helped them develop their minds and sharpen their intellects, and they referred to it as the “stone of success.”
Citrine, which rates a 7 on the Mohs scale, is as hard as topaz, the other November birthstone, but citrine has superior toughness characteristics. Citrine can be cleaned with warm, soapy water and is resilient enough for everyday use. If you’d like, you can clean your citrine jewelry with an ultrasonic cleaner, but since steam cleaning could result in cracks, we strongly advise against it.
How does topaz appear?
The fluoro-silicate mineral topaz is made of aluminum and is typically colorless, though it can also be white, yellow, light grey, blue, orange, brown, green, or pink. In contrast to other gem stones, topaz’s color isn’t necessarily a result of crystal imperfections. Topaz crystals have two main color centers that are either caused by a gap or an additional electron in the crystal structure. Aspects of the light shining into the crystal can be absorbed by these aberrations, producing hues of yellow or blue. The centers of green topaz are a combination of yellow and blue. Chromium takes the role of aluminum in the topaz crystal structure, giving the crystal a pink or red appearance. An orange topaz is a crystal with a yellow center and chromium impurities.
Topaz crystals have excellent cleavage, which means that they frequently break perpendicular to the crystal’s long axis along specific plains. Topaz has a hardness of 8, although due to its fragility, it is typically found as pieces rather than entire crystals. Tenacity is the capacity to withstand breakage; hardness is the resistance to being scratched. Topaz is incredibly delicate, making it challenging to cut and set.
Some Brazilian topaz crystals are enormous, weighing kilos and being the size of boulders. A well-known gemstone is the American Golden Topaz. A 11.8 kilogram stone that was cut into 172 facets over the course of two years resulted in the current 4.6 kg weight. Also from Brazil, the El Dorado Topaz was found in 1984. It weighed about 36 kg but was reduced to 6.2 kg after being faceted and polished into an emerald form (still 31 000 carats). It is the world’s largest faceted stone.
What birthstone has the rarest stone?
While some birthstones are more accessible than others, precious gemstones in particular are thought to be relatively scarce. However, given that some really expensive stones are not all that rare and vice versa, price tags can be deceiving when it comes to rarity. For instance, although expensive, April’s diamond is less rare than rubies, emeralds, and alexandrite. Speaking of alexandrite, it is now the most expensive and rarest gemstone on the list of birthstones. Additionally extremely rare, black opals are.
Birthstones provide an intriguing way to select jewelry. They enable people to investigate jewels that they might otherwise avoid. However, birthstones are not always what people think they are, so make sure you are buying birthstone jewelry for the right reasons while making your selection.
