Citrine
ZOE GEMS / CRYSTAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
Citrine
Chakra Connections
Cultural symbolism · not a scientific property
ZG-QTZ-CITRINE · Yellow Quartz
Mineralogy
Citrine is yellow to orange transparent quartz. Its mineral identity is quartz, even where older commercial names associate it with topaz.
- Formula
- SiO2 Source: gia-properties
- Mineral
- Quartz Source: gia-properties
- Hardness Mohs
- 7 Source: gia-properties
- Refractive Index
- 1.544–1.553 Source: gia-properties
- Specific Gravity
- 2.66; GIA gemological reference value, not a test of individual beads Source: gia-properties
- Crystal System
- Trigonal Source: museum
Reference values describe the mineral. They are not laboratory results for an individual product.
How Color Forms
GIA attributes yellow-to-orange coloration to iron in the structure. Color is only one part of the identity and does not establish whether the material was heated.
Varieties & Names
Natural-color citrine and heat-treated quartz sold as citrine require clear disclosure. Orange-brown color alone does not establish a particular treatment history.
Localities
Natural citrine is uncommon. GIA describes Brazilian amethyst geodes heated to yellow-orange colors; the place of processing should not be confused with a documented mining locality.
Identification & Treatments
Much market citrine is heated amethyst. Ask whether color is natural or treated, and avoid treating a warm hue as evidence of authenticity, rarity or an untreated origin.
Care
For finished bead jewelry, begin with a soft cloth and follow the instructions for the whole piece, including cord, metal and any coatings. Avoid impacts and sudden heat changes. Do not use abrasive home authenticity tests; they can damage a finished surface.
CULTURE & PERSONAL MEANING
Cultural Symbolism
Zoe Gems uses solar plexus as contemporary symbolic connections. The Five Elements association is an editorial cultural interpretation. These are personal meaning-making frameworks, not measured mineral properties or evidence of medical benefit.
Five Elements Connections
These associations are not treatments and do not replace healthcare.
Related Jewelry
No directly linked jewelry is currently listed for this entry.
Sources & Editorial Review
- Mindat: Quartz (indexed reference; full page access limited) [quartz]
Mineral identity and varieties - GIA: Citrine [gia]
Variety description, naming and occurrence context - GIA: Amethyst care and cleaning (quartz jewelry precautions; assembly care is Zoe Gems guidance) [care]
Hardness, heat and cleaning precautions; not a certification of other components - Australian Museum: Quartz [museum]
Crystalline quartz properties, variety names and Australian occurrences - GIA: Quartz variety reference properties (Amethyst) [gia-properties]
Quartz composition, hardness, refractive index and gemological specific gravity
Checked 2026-10-30 · Zoe Gems editorial research. This is an editorial reference, not an identification report for a specimen.