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Sunday, April 18, 2010

More than you ever wanted to know about Citrine

This edition of my ongoing series of blog posts about gem and mineral fact, fiction and lore, features citrine, a member of the the quartz family.

Often mistaken for topaz, citrine is a variety of quartz, the color ranges from yellow to golden brown to burnt amber. The name citrine is derived from the French word citrus, meaning "lemon," denoting, of course, its color.


Lore

Sometimes known as a "merchant’s stone", citrine was a stone of success in the acquisition of wealth.

Citrine has been used since at least the Hellenistic Age in Greece (323 - 280 BC) when it was worn as a protective talisman. For medicinal purposes it was thought to aid with digestion problems and to cleanse the body of poisons (good for the urinary system eg. kidneys).

In more recent times citrine is being used to help one hold back when the urge is to rush ahead no matter what the problem.

Citrine " . . . influences, in a positive manner, the areas of education, business pursuits, and interpersonal relationships. It is an excellent stone for smoothing family or group problems and, subsequently, producing cohesiveness within the associative members." 1

"Wearing a citrine on a necklace with the point of the stone facing downward is also said to benefit those in need of self-confidence." 2

"Citrine ". . . was a prized stone among Celtic and Scottish peoples. It is energizing, invigorating, and positive. It increases motivation and relieves feeling of inertia, thereby improving digestion and clearing congestion from the internal organs. Citrine may work to purify the blood as well. 3

Citrine is one of the birthstones for November.


1) A. Melody "Love is in the Earth- A Kaleidoscope of Crystals" pg. 123

2) Gerina Dunwich "Dunwich's Guide to Gemstone Sorcery" pg 48

3) Marguerite Elsbeth "Crystal Medicine" pg. 185

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