November Birthstone: Citrine & Topaz

Emma Testill, Catalogue Manager from the Jewellery Department at Fellows Auctioneers, has been discussing the beautiful birthstones for November.

November birthstone: Citrine

Citrine is derived from the Latin word ‘citrina,’ meaning ‘yellow’. Citrine is a part of the wider ‘Quartz’ family, as the rarest member with colours ranging from very pale yellow to brownish-orange hues. The main producer and supplier of citrine is Brazil, with further deposits found in Russia, France and the USA.

Ancient Romans were known to have used citrine in their jewellery to symbolise success and good fortune. Citrines were loved by Queen Victoria and she often wore them in her jewellery, as it reminded her of her Scottish home at Balmoral. Traditionally back in the 17th Century, citrines decorated the hilts of daggers belonging to Scottish warriors. Gifted on a 13th wedding anniversary, to represent joy and happiness.

The largest faceted citrine is named the ‘Malaga,’ weighing 20,200 carats, this enormous citrine features as part of a large collection of coloured gemstones on display in Spain’s ‘Art Natura’ museum. A selection of citrines feature in our November Jewellery Sale.

November birthstone – Topaz

Topaz takes its name from the Sanskrit word ‘tapas,’ meaning ‘fire’. Topaz is found in an array of colours, including: yellow, orange, colourless, blue and pink; the most desirable of these being the imperial topaz which is a rich golden reddish-orange hue. The main location and producer of topaz is Brazil, other deposits are found in Russia and Australia.

With a rating of 8 on the Moh’s hardness scale, behind only diamond and corundum; topaz is a durable and resilient gemstone perfect for everyday wear. In antiquity all yellow gemstones were known as topaz. The ancient Egyptians believed topaz was coloured with the golden glow of the Sun God Ra. Blue topaz may be gifted on a 4th wedding anniversary; with Imperial topaz favoured for a 23rd wedding anniversary, associated with loyalty and faithfulness.

One of the most well known examples of topaz in history is the story of the ‘Braganza Diamond,’ this colourless topaz weighing 1,680 carats, was set into the Portuguese royal crown and mistaken for a diamond for many centuries. Many topaz examples can be found in our November Jewellery Sale.