What is the difference between citrine and yellow topaz ?
citrine
Citrine is a popular variety of quartz. Citrine's name comes from the French word "citron," which means lemon, which is also reflected in the color of this gemstone. Natural citrine is rare and generally has a light yellow color, but most of the citrines on the market are heat-treated amethysts. Certain smoky quartz can also be heated to produce citrine. Top sources of citrine include Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Russia, Madagascar, Uruguay, and more in East Africa.
yellow topaz
Yellow topaz comes in a variety of colors besides sunshine yellow, including pink and blue. Natural topaz is usually colorless or very pale yellow, and other colors are rarely found in nature. This means that almost all gemstones, topaz, will be heat treated to obtain a more vivid color. In nature, yellow topaz is found in many places, including Russia, Sri Lanka, Brazil, the United States, Madagascar, and Nigeria.
The difference between citrine and yellow topaz
- color range Citrine colors range from pale yellow to light orange-brown, with one color called Madeira Citrine being particularly popular. The color of yellow topaz ranges from very pale yellow to yellowish-orange.
- Yellow topaz is slightly harder than citrine Citrine has a hardness of seven on the Mohs scale, while yellow topaz has a hardness of eight on the Mohs scale. This means that both gemstones are excellent choices for jewelry. Hardness refers to scratch resistance, and although topaz has higher scratch resistance, the natural material is also more prone to splitting. Anecdotal evidence from gem cutters suggests that this cleavage is not a problem with treated (and therefore cheaper) topaz. All gemstones should be treated with care, especially if they are exposed and worn frequently.
- Citrine is more affordable Quartz is more abundant than topaz, so citrine is easier to obtain. As mentioned above, it's also easier to use. Topaz is considered rarer and more valuable, especially the darker topaz.
- Yellow topaz is heavier Weight is a measure of an object's density, not its physical size. Therefore, a five carat yellow topaz will be smaller than a five carat citrine. From another perspective, citrine is less dense, so the demand for 5 carat citrine would appear to be greater than for 5 carat topaz.
Interesting Facts About Citrine and Topaz
Citrine is known as the "Merchant's Stone" because it is believed to bring prosperity and wealth to those who wear it.
The largest faceted citrine gemstone in the world is called the "Malaga" and weighs 20,200 carats, which is nearly 9 pounds!
The heaviest topaz is located at the Museum of Natural History in New York City and weighs 600 pounds!
Never forget that gemstones make anniversary gifts that are worth cherishing. Citrine gemstone celebrates 13th wedding anniversary while Yellow Topaz is a 23rd wedding anniversary gift.
According to the Bible, topaz was one of 12 gemstones used to build the foundations of the walls of Jerusalem.
Madeira Citrine has a warm yellow to orange hue and is the most popular variety of Citrine.
Imperial Topaz is not yellow, but orange-red, and is considered the most valuable and rarest variety of topaz and can challenge the pricing of fine blue sapphires