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Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral / gemstone variety · Natural; common industry optimization (verify with certificate)

Citrine

Also known ascitrine topaz (not to be used as a name) · topaz citrine (not to be used as a name) · topaz quartz (not to be used as a name) · Yellow Quartz

A pale yellow to brownish-orange transparent variety of quartz; its GB/T basic name is “citrine”, and most material on the market is produced by heating amethyst. Also known as Yellow Quartz. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.

Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.

Edited by RalphReviewed by JuneLast updated 2026-10-13Who maintains this page

FAQCare and wear

Questions people ask about Citrine

Every sentence below is followed by the registered fact it rests on; answers add no new facts and promise no outcome.

Q1Is most citrine actually heat-treated amethyst?

Yes: most citrine on the market is not natural but is made by heat-treating amethyst.GIA Citrine DescriptionCIBJO's Gemstone Book records heating of citrine in the trade as almost always applied.CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022Low-temperature heating turns pale violet amethyst yellow, and how rich the yellow becomes depends on the amethyst's original hue.GIA Citrine DescriptionHeated quartz gems keep a stable colour, and the heating is not easy to detect.GB/T 16553—2017

Q2How can you tell natural citrine from heated amethyst or a synthetic?

The yellow colour alone says nothing about origin: separating natural from synthetic citrine takes a gemmologist combining twinning and colour zoning seen under magnification with EDXRF chemical analysis and infrared spectroscopy.G&G Summer 2014Synthetic citrine is common in the trade.CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022Citrine made by heating amethyst is not easy to detect, because heated quartz keeps a stable colour.GB/T 16553—2017Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.What this page can answer

Q3What gives citrine its yellow colour?

In natural citrine, trace impurities in the quartz crystal lattice give the pale yellow to brownish orange colour.GIA Citrine DescriptionIn most citrine on the market the yellow comes from low-temperature heating of amethyst.GIA Citrine Description

Q4Does citrine fade in sunlight?

Some citrine colours can fade after long exposure to intense light.GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)For display, case heat, sunlight and artificial light are all rated relatively safe for citrine.Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)

Q5How should you clean citrine?

Warm soapy water is safe; ultrasonic cleaning is usually fine except for the rare dyed or fracture-filled stone, and steam is not advised.GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)Sudden temperature changes can crack it, so it should not be heated.GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)Hydrofluoric acid, ammonium fluoride and alkaline solutions can damage it.GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)

Q6Is citrine durable enough for an everyday ring?

Citrine is Mohs 7 with good toughness and suits all jewellery, rings included, as long as the wearer knows its hardness has limits: everyday dust is mostly quartz, so it can be scratched.GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)CIBJO advises taking it off for manual work or strenuous activity and avoiding knocks, which can open small fissures, especially where facets meet.CIBJO Retailers' Reference Guide (2021)For settings, prong and bezel are rated relatively safe, channel calls for caution, and flush and pavé are best avoided.Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)

Q7What is citrine, and is it a kind of quartz?

Yes: citrine is a transparent variety of quartz ranging from pale yellow to brownish orange, and it is uncommon in nature.GIA Citrine DescriptionBefore modern gemmology its tawny colour led to it being confused with topaz.GIA Citrine Description

Q8What does citrine symbolize, and does it have healing powers?

There is no scientific evidence that citrine has healing powers: the UK advertising regulators ASA and CAP state that they have not seen evidence that crystal therapy can treat medical conditions.ASA/CAP guidance (UK)Its recorded cultural role is as a November birthstone: Jewelers of America and Japan's JJA list it for November, and the U.K. National Association of Jewellers lists it as an alternative for November.Cultural records

Q9What makes good-quality citrine?

In citrine, a saturated yellow to reddish orange without brownish tints is prized, and stones without colour zoning or visible inclusions are preferred.GIA Citrine Quality Factors

What this page can answer

This page covers

What we cannot conclude

  • Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
  • Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
  • Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.

Material research: formation, causes and history

What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.

How it forms

Citrine is a transparent quartz variety whose hue spans pale yellow to brownish orange (SiO2). Natural citrine is uncommon; most citrine sold is not natural but made by heat-treating amethyst, a process that converts unwanted pale violet into an appealing yellow whose depth reflects the original hue of the amethyst used. Before modern gemology, its tawny colour led to confusion with topaz. The sources define the variety, its natural rarity and its treatment origin, but give no formation temperature/pressure or age for natural citrine.

Scope: Used to distinguish natural citrine from heat-treated citrine and to explain its varietal classification; does not include data such as formation temperatures or ages for specific localities.

Sources GIA Citrine Description

Where it forms

Natural citrine: a quartz variety crystallizing from silica-bearing fluids under suitable conditions; natural material is rare.

Sources GIA Citrine Description

Treated citrine: produced by heat-treating amethyst feedstock; a treatment/synthetic source rather than a natural geological environment.

Sources GIA Citrine Description

How it forms, step by step

  1. (Natural) Silica-bearing fluids crystallize quartz; trace impurities in the lattice give a pale-yellow to brownish-orange colour, forming natural citrine.

    Sources GIA Citrine Description

  2. (Treatment) Amethyst is selected as feedstock; its original pale-violet hue sets the richness of yellow that can be obtained.

    Sources GIA Citrine Description

  3. (Treatment) Low-temperature heating is applied to the amethyst, turning its unwanted pale violet into an appealing yellow so that it passes as market citrine.

    Sources GIA Citrine Description

Link to appearance

Transparent, warm pale-yellow to brownish-orange appearance; the treated product's shade varies with the amethyst precursor's hue, and the finest colour is a saturated yellow to reddish orange free of brownish tints.

Sources GIA Citrine Description

Timescale

The sources give no absolute age or duration for citrine, whether natural or treated.

Sources GIA Citrine Description

Related base materials

  • Quartz (SiO2): variety-of | Citrine is the yellow variety of quartz
  • Amethyst: heat-treatment precursor | Most citrine on the market is produced by heat-treating amethyst

Recorded localities

Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.

Locality sketch mapLand outlines only; the map does not depict any national or regional boundary. Dots mark approximate positions. Base map: Natural Earth (public domain).

Africa

Europe

North America

South America

These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.

How it is identified

Citrine's yellow hue says nothing on its own about origin: in iron-bearing quartz the natural and the synthetic can be told apart by pairing a visual read of twinning and colour zoning with EDXRF chemical analysis and infrared spectroscopy, since the colour boundary's angle to the optic axis is telling. This is work for a trained gemmologist with instruments, and a definitive call should be issued by a qualified gem laboratory rather than attempted by a reader.

Evidence grade A

Scope: Limited to separating natural from synthetic iron-bearing purple/yellow quartz (e.g. ametrine); the reading relies on instruments and expertise, must be confirmed by a qualified gem laboratory, and is not a self-identification method.

Sources G&G Summer 2014

Other research findings

A transparent quartz variety ranging from pale yellow to brownish orange, citrine is uncommon in nature.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Defines the natural varietal identity and rarity; synthetic quartz and other yellow gems excluded.

Sources GIA Citrine Description

Most citrine on the market is not natural but the product of heat-treating amethyst.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Describes market supply; rare natural citrine sources still exist.

Sources GIA Citrine Description

Low-temperature heat treatment changes amethyst from undesirable pale violet to attractive yellow, and the richness of the resulting yellow depends on the amethyst's original hue.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Applies to the amethyst heat-treatment process; natural citrine does not undergo it.

Sources GIA Citrine Description

Before modern gemology, citrine's tawny colour caused it to be confused with topaz.

Evidence grade B

Scope: A historical identification account; modern gemology distinguishes the two.

Sources GIA Citrine Description

The stone recorded by the 1988 GIA article Faceting Large Gemstones as the largest faceted stone by volume is a citrine of 19,548 ct measuring 25.5 by 14.1 by 10 cm, cut by Michael Gray and held in a private collection; because quartz has a lower specific gravity, it weighs less than the heavier yellow-topaz record of the same period. This figure comes from 1988 literature and may since have been overtaken.

Evidence grade A

Scope: A record statement subject to change; the figure comes from 1988 literature and may since have been superseded. Distinguish 'largest by volume' from 'heaviest', which are not the same record.

Sources G&G Spring 1988

In citrine, a saturated yellow to reddish orange colour free of brownish tints is prized, and stones without colour zoning or visible inclusions are preferred.

Evidence grade B

Scope: Quality factors as described by one educational source; not a grading standard and not a statement about the value of any piece.

Sources GIA Citrine Quality Factors

Limits of this research

  • Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
  • The source is a GIA encyclopedia entry giving only the varietal definition and treatment origin; no formation temperature, deposit or age for natural citrine.
  • The specific chromophore of natural citrine is not detailed in this source.

Methodology

Evidence grades

A
Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
B
Institutional educational material
C
Specialist databases or cautious readings

A statement is never graded above its strongest source.

This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.

DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments

Suggested listing name
Citrine

GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 “Citrine”, 5.1.1 a) · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.60 “Citrine”

Construction or treatment status

Natural; common industry optimization (verify with certificate)

Treatments recorded for this material: Heated / Heat-treated, Irradiated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Dyed (via parent material), Coated (via parent material)

Related:Disclosure and cautions

This page cannot answer

Natural? · Origin · Price

A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.

Related:What this page can answer

Answer at a glance

The Chinese standard lists Citrine under a different Chinese name from its common trade name (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1); use "Citrine" for listings.

Evidence

  • GB/T · Table A.1, row 黄晶 (Citrine (GB/T formal))

What this means for you

Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Citrine" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.

Known uncertainty

Last reviewed
2026-09-01

Care and wear

Care

care (cleaning)2 sources compared

Citrine — care (cleaning): ultrasonic and steamer: use caution; note: avoid thermal shock.

Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)

Treatment state
untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
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Citrine — care (cleaning): Warm soapy water is safe; ultrasonic cleaning is usually fine except for the rare dyed or fracture-filled stone; steam is not advised.

GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
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2026-09-26

Citrine — care (heat): Sudden temperature changes can crack it; it should not be heated.

GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
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2026-09-26

Citrine — care (light): Some colours can fade after long exposure to intense light

GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — care (chemicals): Hydrofluoric acid, ammonium fluoride and alkaline solutions can damage it.

GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

care (wear)2 sources compared

Citrine — care (wear): Do not wear it for manual work or strenuous activity, and avoid knocks, which can open small fissures, especially at facet junctions.

CIBJO Retailers' Reference Guide (2021)

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — care (wear): Mohs 7 with good toughness, suitable for all jewellery including rings as long as the wearer knows its hardness has limits; dust is mostly quartz, so avoid scratches.

GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
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2026-09-26

Citrine — care (special care): produced by heating other quartz: normal care.

AGTA Gemstone Information Manual, 17th ed.

Treatment state
treated
Only after these treatments
heating
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
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Citrine — care (setting): prong and bezel: relatively safe; channel: use caution; flush and pavé: avoid.

Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)

Treatment state
untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
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2026-09-26

Citrine — care (repair): polishing: use caution; jeweller's torch, pickle pot and thermal shock: avoid; note: strong heat can bleach it colourless or turn amethyst into citrine and back; avoid thermal shock.

Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)

Treatment state
untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — care (display): heat in the display case, sunlight and artificial light: relatively safe; note: amethyst may fade with long exposure to strong light and heat.

Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)

Treatment state
untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.

Common care questions and matching entries

CleaningCleaning Citrine: the GIA Gem Encyclopedia states for any treatment state that warm soapy water is safe, ultrasonic cleaning is usually fine except for the rare dyed or fracture-filled stone, and steam is not advised; on heat, sudden temperature changes can crack Citrine and it should not be heated; on light, some colours fade under prolonged strong light; on chemicals, hydrofluoric acid, ammonium fluoride and alkaline solutions can damage Citrine. Martin, Gem DurabilityMartin, Gemstone Durability: Design to Display (Gems & Gemology, Summer 1987), states for untreated Citrine that ultrasonic and steam cleaning need caution and thermal shock should be avoided. Wear: the CIBJO Retailer's Reference Guide — Gemstones (November 2021) states for any treatment state that Citrine should not be worn during manual work or vigorous sport and should not be knocked, or fine fractures may appear, especially where facet edges meet. Special care: the AGTA Gemstone Information Manual, 17th edition (August 2026), states that treated Citrine, limited to heated material obtained by heating other quartz, needs only general care.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

QuestionMatching entries
Can it go in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner?ultrasonic and steamer: use caution; note: avoid thermal shock; Warm soapy water is safe; ultrasonic cleaning is usually fine except for the rare dyed or fracture-filled stone; steam is not advised
Heat and thermal shockSudden temperature changes can crack it; it should not be heated; polishing: use caution; jeweller's torch, pickle pot and thermal shock: avoid; note: strong heat can bleach it colourless or turn amethyst into citrine and back; avoid thermal shock
Light and displaySome colours can fade after long exposure to intense light; heat in the display case, sunlight and artificial light: relatively safe; note: amethyst may fade with long exposure to strong light and heat
Contact with acids, alkalis and household chemicalsHydrofluoric acid, ammonium fluoride and alkaline solutions can damage it
Wearing limits (knocks, settings)Do not wear it for manual work or strenuous activity, and avoid knocks, which can open small fissures, especially at facet junctions; Mohs 7 with good toughness, suitable for all jewellery including rings as long as the wearer knows its hardness has limits; dust is mostly quartz, so avoid scratches; prong and bezel: relatively safe; channel: use caution; flush and pavé: avoid

Care entries by treatment state

The same entries grouped by the treatment state each applies to; each links to its full wording and source. Letters are CIBJO special-care codes, explained on the gemstone care page.

untreated

any treatment state

treated (Only after these treatments: heating)

Durability and wearing

Toughness

Good toughness

Sources GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)

Treatments and identification leads

Registered treatmentsThe registered treatment for Citrine is heating. Stability and frequencyHeating has the status treated, its stability is stable, and its prevalence is almost always. Identification cluesIdentification leads include that amethyst can turn into citrine or green quartz on heating, and that in quartz-family gems the colour after heating is stable and hard to detect; the source is the heat treatment content of GB/T 16553—2017, which serves only as a reference for these identification leads and does not govern them directly. SyntheticsSynthetic Citrine is common on the market, in any treatment state.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

TreatmentMarket frequency (CIBJO)Stability (CIBJO)GB/T 16552 categoryJJA/AGL listingIdentification leads
heatingStatus: treatedalmost alwaysstableOptimizationheatingSee identification leads
Irradiation——Optimization——
Filling——Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1——
Dyeing——Treatment——
Coating——Treatment——

Where each treatment acts (schematics): Heated / Heat-treated

“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 · GB/T 16553—2017; GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (row for Rock Crystal); JJA/AGL 2025

Whether a treatment has to show in the name differs between the two rule sets (this site’s paraphrase):

  • GB/T 16552—2017: a method classed as treatment has to be stated in the name itself — the method put before the name, or added in brackets after it; a method classed as optimization does not need to appear in the name, though one marked “Optimization (annotation required)” still has to be noted in the quality documents. Source: §5.4.2.1 a), b); §5.4.2.2 a)
  • CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022: no longer splits treatments into ones that need specific disclosure and ones that need only general disclosure: every treatment is to be disclosed, and the seller tells the buyer which treatment was used and what special care it calls for. Source: §4.2.5 Note 2, §4.2.5.1, pp.14–15

What this table covers

What this page can give

  • Registered treatments, their stability and how often they occur (see the table above)
  • Identification leads for each treatment, for use when sending a stone for testing

How lab reports word it

A general LMHC wording rule also covers Citrine (Information Sheet #8): see the LMHC rule “When colour authenticity cannot be determined”.

VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources

Names

For Citrine, "Yellow Quartz" is recorded with no restriction on use as a name, while "citrine topaz", "topaz citrine" and "topaz quartz" must not be used as a name (CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 §4.2.4.5; GB/T 16552—2017 §5.1.2.1 c)).

Standard and listing namesThe GB/T 16552—2017 formal name for Citrine is given in Table A.1, while the Chinese market uses a different common name; the suggested listing name combines the common name with the formal name, which in English is Citrine. Names in four languagesThe four-language names cover Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Citrine) and Japanese, and the GSJ (Japan) formal name is recorded as the Japanese transliteration of citrine. Institution usageOn authority wording, GIA, FTC and CIBJO all use Citrine, and CIBJO carries a qualifier, stripped from the title, that it is a quartz variety and that most material on the market is heat-treated amethyst; Gem-A has not been checked, and the English name shown for bodies without a recorded wording does not represent their position. National standard namesAmong national and regional formal names, Germany (RAL) writes Citrin, and the EU and France (DGCCRF) write Citrine. Trade and mineralogical namesIn the name register, Yellow Quartz is a synonym that may be matched automatically. Candidate search termsCitrine topaz, topaz citrine and topaz quartz are market names that serve only as candidate search terms and may not be used as names, and the CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 lists them word for word as gem-name combinations that must not be used.

Name register

Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

NameTypeMatchingUse as a nameBasis
no restriction recorded (1)
Yellow QuartzEnglishsynonymmatched automaticallyno restriction recordedCIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 Annex 8 “Yellow Quartz”
not to be used as a name (3)
citrine topazEnglishmarket namesearch candidate onlynot to be used as a nameCIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 4.2.4.5; GB/T 16552—2017 5.1.2.1 c); Note: CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 §4.2.4.5 lists this combination of gem names, word for word, as one that shall not be used.
topaz citrineEnglishmarket namesearch candidate onlynot to be used as a nameCIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 4.2.4.5; GB/T 16552—2017 5.1.2.1 c); Note: CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 §4.2.4.5 lists this combination of gem names, word for word, as one that shall not be used.
topaz quartzEnglishmarket namesearch candidate onlynot to be used as a nameCIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 4.2.4.5; GB/T 16552—2017 5.1.2.1 c); Note: CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 §4.2.4.5 lists this combination of gem names, word for word, as one that shall not be used.

How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.

Authority wording

GIA, FTC, CIBJO, Gem-A
Citrine (on record for GIA, FTC, CIBJO; Gem-A unchecked — bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name)
GSJ (Japan) formal name
シトリン
Chinese formal name
黄晶 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1)
Mineralogical name
Transparent pale-yellow to brownish-orange quartz variety
Trade names and synonyms
Yellow Quartz (synonym)Not to be used as a name: topaz quartz (market name) · citrine topaz (market name) · topaz citrine (market name)
GB/T formal-name entry
黄晶 / Citrine (GB/T formal)

Four-language names

简体中文
黄水晶
繁體中文
黃水晶
English
Citrine
日本語
シトリン／黄水晶

National and regional formal names

Germany (RAL)
Citrin
European Union
Citrine
France (DGCCRF)
Citrine

Qualifiers stripped from the headline name

  • CIBJO: (quartz variety; most market material is heat-treated amethyst)

See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index

Classification

Origin
Natural materials
Material domain
Natural inorganic gem materials
Browsing family
Quartz and chalcedony materials
Identity tier
Mineral / gemstone variety
Mineral chemical class
Silicates
Construction or treatment status
Natural; common industry optimization (verify with certificate)

Treatments listed by standards

GB/T 16552-2017, Annex B, Table B.1

Under the “Rock Crystal” row of Table B.1: Heating Optimization; Irradiation Optimization; Filling Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1; Dyeing Treatment; Coating Treatment. The full row, with the effect column, is on the Rock Crystal page.

What Table B.1 is, and how the “see 5.4.1” grades are defined: see the GB/T 16552: optimization vs treatment page.

JJA/AGL (Japan) table of principal gem names, 2025

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

Gem nameSpeciesColourListed in the tableNotes
CitrineQuartzyellow to reddish yellowan untreated tier is listed; heating (Heated / Heat-treated)

JJA/AGL definitions and nomenclature (2025 revision), table of principal gem names, p.10

How to read the JJA/AGL table: see the Gem treatments page.

What it is and how it's identified

The composition (phase) of Citrine is quartz. GB/T 16553—2017 gives values for rock crystal as a whole category: crystalline, trigonal, with hexagonal prismatic crystals and distinct horizontal striations on the prism faces; Mohs hardness 7, no cleavage; density 2.64–2.69 g/cm³, derived from the clause value of 2.66 with an allowed deviation of +0.03/−0.02; optically anisotropic, uniaxial, positive, possibly showing a bull's-eye interference figure; refractive index 1.544–1.553, birefringence 0.009; vitreous lustre, treatment status untreated. For body colour, GB/T 16553—2017 gives light yellow to deep yellow, treatment status untreated, and the colour item of variety clauses in Chapter 5 of GB/T 16553—2017, such as ivory, emerald and peridot, also mentions yellow or yellowish tones; the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book gives yellow to orange to brownish orange, treatment status untreated, and the colour descriptions of entries such as andalusite, canary tourmaline and fire opal in Chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book also mention yellow or yellowish tones. The body colour descriptions complement each other: GB/T addresses depth of colour, while CIBJO extends to orange and brownish orange.

Registered material facts

Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.

Chemical composition, luminescence, UV-visible spectrum, infrared spectrum, magnification: these whole-class features are given in the cited clause for rock crystal (the whole class), so they are not repeated on the Citrine page; see the material facts on the Rock Crystal entry.

Items below that name the class they cover give the cited clause’s value for that whole class, not a measurement of Citrine (how to read class-level values).

Definition

Citrine — composition (phase): quartz

CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024

Source & check 2026-09-22
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-22

Structure

Citrine — structure (overall): crystalline

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — structure (crystal system): trigonal

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — structure (crystal habit): hexagonal prisms with prominent horizontal striations on the prism faces

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Durability

Citrine — Mohs hardness: 7

GB/T 16553—2017

123456789107References (diamond = value, bar = range; below)

Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))

Mohs hardnessSource: GB/T 16553—2017
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — cleavage: none

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

For Citrine, the stability of heating is “stable”.

CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022

Treatment state
treated
Treatment
heating
Qualification

This says how well the treatment holds up, not how durable Citrine itself is.

General note
no durability verdict here
Source & check 2026-09-22
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-22

Physical properties

Citrine — density: 2.64–2.69 g/cm³

GB/T 16553—2017

0.51.52.53.54.55.56.57.52.64–2.69
Specific gravitySource: GB/T 16553—2017
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Qualification

The clause we cite gives 2.66, with a stated tolerance of +0.03 / -0.02. The range shown here is worked out from that.

Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Optical

Optical effects on record: chatoyancyrepresentative example: cause in Tiger’s Eye (schematic)asterismrepresentative example: cause in Star Sapphire (schematic)

Citrine — optic character: anisotropic material, uniaxial, with positive optic character; a “Bull's eye” interference figure may be present, and Brazil-law twinning is common in amethyst.

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — refractive index: 1.544–1.553

GB/T 16553—2017

1.31.72.12.52.93.31.544–1.553
Refractive indexSource: GB/T 16553—2017
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — birefringence: 0.009

GB/T 16553—2017

00.050.10.150.20.250.30.009
BirefringenceSource: GB/T 16553—2017
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — pleochroism: weak; it depends on the body colour.

GB/T 16553—2017

Treatment state
untreated
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — optical effect (chatoyancy): seen

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — optical effect (asterism): seen; a six-rayed star, common in rose quartz.

GB/T 16553—2017

Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

body colour2 sources compared

Citrine — body colour: light yellow to dark yellow

GB/T 16553—2017

Treatment state
untreated
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
Qualification

In chapter 5 of GB/T 16553—2017, the colour entries of Ivory, Emerald, Peridot and other variety clauses also name yellow or a yellowish colour.

General note
colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 Colour · Citrine (locator checked 2026-09-28)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — body colour: Yellow to orange to brownish orange.

CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024

Treatment state
untreated
Qualification

In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Andalusite, Canary Tourmaline, Fire Opal and other entries also name yellow or a yellowish colour.

General note
colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-22
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-22

How the sources relate

GB/T 16553—2017 and CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024

complementary, no conflict

Both give yellow. GB/T 16553—2017 describes the depth (light to dark yellow); the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book extends the range to orange and brownish orange.

CIBJO definitions
chatoyancy, asterism

Quality factors

Citrine — quality factor (lustre): vitreous

GB/T 16553—2017

Treatment state
untreated
Does this standard apply
applies to this entry
What this covers
rock crystal (the whole class)
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.

1.531.541.551.561.571.582.52.62.72.82.9Refractive indexSpecific gravity12345Citrine

This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.548 / 2.67; Closest values: 1Agate 1.537 / 2.63, 2Shoushan Stone 1.56 / 2.7, 3Changhua Stone 1.56 / 2.6, 4Bamboo Coral 1.57 / 2.65, 5Synthetic Beryl 1.57 / 2.69

Show the full chart (330 registered materials)1.41.51.61.71.81.922.12.22.32.41234567Refractive indexSpecific gravity12345Citrine

Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22

Refractive index × specific gravity (all registered materials)Each dot is one material's registered refractive index and specific gravity (range midpoints, not measurements); gold = this material, dark = the nearest few (picked on this site by distance in RI ÷ 0.02 and SG ÷ 0.1, leaving out near-identical varieties of the same species)Source: each material's registered refractive index and specific gravity facts (GB/T 16553 and others; sources on each entry)

Testing and market

The identification leads for heat-treated Citrine are that amethyst can be turned into citrine or green quartz by heating, and that the colour of heat-treated quartz gems is stable and hard to detect; GB/T 16553—2017 can only be used as a reference for Citrine and does not govern it directly. The CIBJO Blue Book 2022 records that synthetic Citrine is common on the market, and gives the reported frequency of heat treatment in Citrine in trade as “almost always”. The CIBJO laboratory protocol places Citrine under Quartz; its identification section is on the Quartz entry, and the list of required methods is on the laboratory testing page.

The CIBJO laboratory protocol covers Citrine under “Quartz” (§6.1.65): see identification on the Quartz entry; the required tests are listed on the CIBJO laboratory protocol table for Quartz.

How far testing can go

Citrine that has undergone heating can be identified by the following features: Amethyst may turn into citrine or green quartz on heating; heated quartz gems are stable in colour and not easy to detect.

GB/T 16553—2017

Treatment state
treated
Does this standard apply
can be followed as a reference only
Treatment
heating
Source & check 2026-09-26
Source
  • GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.16 (heating) (locator checked 2026-09-26)
Fact checked on
2026-09-26

Citrine — synthetic counterpart on the market: Synthetic counterparts of this material are common in the trade

CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022

Treatment state
any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-25
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-25

For Citrine in trade, the reported frequency of heating is “almost always”.

CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022

Treatment state
treated
Treatment
heating
Source & check 2026-09-22
Source
Fact checked on
2026-09-22

Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.

Clause-level definitions

Citrine is defined directly in CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024, listed under the entry name Citrine. The registered definition is mineral species quartz, mineral/gem variety citrine, noting that the CIBJO wording is quoted in full under Clause-level definitions on this page. The cross-check result is that it is defined directly by CIBJO and also appears in the GB/T annex.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

TermClauseDefinitionCross-check
Citrine7.2.1.60Yellow to orange to brownish orange macrocrystalline variety of quartzDefined directly by CIBJO; also present in the GB/T annex.

Evidence and sources

Authority basis and clause sources

GB/T 16552—2017
Listed Table A.1 “Citrine” · Source
GB/T 16552—2017
Naming rule 5.1.1 a) · Source
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Listed §7.2.1.60 “Citrine” · Source
IMA Mineral List 2026-07
Listed “Quartz” · Source

Sources

Further reading

Related pages

Treatments recorded for this material

Recorded cultural contexts

Birthstone list

The U.S. Jewelers of America roster lists Citrine for November; the U.K. National Association of Jewellers chart lists Citrine as an alternative for November; and Japan's JJA 2021 revised roster lists Citrine for November. This records trade-association convention only; it does not establish material identity, natural origin, treatment, provenance, or effect.

Relation
Industry list inclusion

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

Publisher or holderRegionFrom / periodSource and locator
Jewelers of AmericaUnited Statesfrom 1952Jewelers of America, “Birthstone Jewelry” (web page, consulted 2026-08-22)
Birthstone roster table, November row: Citrine
Japan Jewellery AssociationJapanfrom 20 December 2021Tanjoseki (Japanese birthstone roster, Japan Jewellery Association page; revision of 20 December 2021)
2021 revised birthstone roster, November row: Citrine
National Association of JewellersUnited Kingdom—National Association of Jewellers, “Zodiac Birthstones Jewellery: Star Signs, Gemstones and Their Meaning” (web page, consulted 2026-08-22)
Zodiac birthstone chart, November row: Citrine (Alternative)

Related entries and topic cluster

Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.

Related-entry tree for Quartz on this site: 74 entries listed by this site's parent-entry links; synthetic, treated and similar entries carry their recorded state after the name; this page (Citrine) is marked.

This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.

PageContentStatus
Browsing familyQuartz and chalcedony materialsLive
Treatments recorded for this materialHeated / Heat-treated, Irradiated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Dyed (via parent material), Coated (via parent material)Live
Related articlesTo be added (placeholder)Planned

Who maintains this page

The material facts in the Citrine entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.

Facts editor
Ralph
Reviewer
June
How facts are checked
Each fact is matched to the clause it cites; facts checked between 2026-09-22 and 2026-09-26
Last revised
2026-10-13
Purpose
Lets buyers and sellers check naming, disclosure and material facts clause by clause.

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