5 Amazing Citrine Crystal Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

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Citrine crystals have long been prized for their vibrant, sunny energy and their purported ability to attract wealth and prosperity. But how much do we really know about this beloved gemstone? Beyond its bright, cheerful energy, the citrine crystal has a rich history and a multitude of fascinating properties that are often ignored or overlooked.

From its surprising rarity to its self-cleansing abilities, this post uncovers five magical facts about citrine crystals that will leave you equally enchanted and enlightened. From debunking common myths to revealing its hidden secrets, we’ll explore the mystical citrine, probing each fact in detail and uncovering the surprising truth behind this captivating crystal.

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The Amplifying Energy Of Citrine Was Understood By The Chinese Emperors

1. Citrine Crystals Only Attract The Energy You Send Out!

Now you probably all know the commonly held view of Citrine. The story tells the tale of a stone that attracts great wealth into your life, ensures prosperity, success and joy and has properties that boost positivity, optimism and enables magical transformation and manifestation.

And to be completely fair. It can do exactly that. But not if you don’t do some hard graft! As far as attracting wealth and ongoing happiness and joy? I find these the sellers of these messages to be dubious at best and blatant scaremongering at worst . Before I go on, I can I assure you that I do not doubt the beneficial properties associated with citrine crystals. And I am not accusing others of painting an overly optimistic picture, The citrine can help you achieve all that is purported.

The fact is, attracting wealth and bringing prosperity are vibrations of Citrine, but the way they are spoken about is faulty. Citrine crystals work with the energy and vibrations of the Universe. They definitely attract, but they can only attract what you are projecting at the time. Citrine is a member of the quartz family, so it is safe to assume it is going to be very effective at taking your thoughts and your intentions and your inner self-messaging and broadcasting them far and wide. And that’s were the issue is!

To attract that wealth and prosperity, you need to ensure that your intention matches what you are thinking, believing and projecting. If you are in a dark place of self-loathing and lacking in confidence the citrine crystal is only able to amplify that message and will send it out into the universe, and it will be the energy that is returned. Remember the law of attraction like attracts like.

If you wish to use citrine crystal properties for manifesting prosperity and wealth you can, BUT you need to ensure you also keep your thoughts and inner talk focused on the goal. If you want the universe to return wealth, you need to portray the thoughts of a wealthy person. Looking for love? Send out the vibrations of someone who loves, allows love, and is loved. Get that part right and you will get verification of how amazing citrine crystals can be in supporting you!

The Energetic Link To Ancient China

Before we move on, lets look at another way of understanding the issue. You also likely know the history of Citrine and the cultures that revered it. It was particularly loved in Ancient China and was known as the “Stone of success.” This gives us a starting point for how the stone starts to gain its reputation. Even centuries ago it was recognized for it properties and associations with wealth and prosperity.

Over hundreds of years, stories and folklore of citrine have been passed along through family lines, and recorded in manuscripts and paintings. So its no surprise that a few hundred years later, we find ourselves with a very similar understanding of the benefits of citrine crystals. The problem is, no one read, or passed along the small print. The part about the Chinese legends, where citrine is revered as the “The Stone of Success,” and able to attract great wealth and prosperity to its wearer are 100% correct.

What is missing from most modern versions of the story is that the Chinese knew one additional detail. A crucial detail. They knew that Citrine should be given to only the happiest, or generous, or successful of people. They were aware that Citrine was a magnificent amplifier of intent particularly for wealth and prosperity however they also knew that to attract wealth it needed to be used by someone who could send the energy and vibration of wealth into the Universe.

Ancient Chinese Emperors deeply appreciated the citrine crystal and were acutely aware of the stones ability to increase intellectual capabilities, to attract success and broaden the bank balance. So they gifted it to those who had the character traits, or the material world benefits, they wanted to energetically call into their reality!

That doesn’t mean you have to be rich to attract wealth. The story of the Emperor who wanted more wealth giving citrine to those who were already rich doesn’t mean that people without wealth are excluded from attracting prosperity. It means they need to learn how to portray the energy of someone that has what they are seeking. So, how do you radiate the energy of wealth? or love? or happiness?

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How to use citrine Crystals To Attract Wealth, Success and Prosperity

Start by relaxing yourself and taking a few deep breaths. Now start to build a picture of yourself in your head. You want to make this image as detailed as possible. Take as much time as you can. Once you have the image of the wealthy you, or the happy you, firmly in your mind, start to focus on how that makes you feel.

What does it feel like when you have that wealth? What does it look like when you have the wealth? Keep visualizing the wealthy you. How do you walk? How do you speak? How do you spend your time? What makes you smile? How do others treat you? How do you treat others? Make sure you can absolutely see the happy, confident and successful you.

Keep moving from image building to checking your feelings. The key to this is remembering those feelings and energies of the rich, prosperous and happy you. As far as your subconscious, the universe and spiritual realms are concerned it doesn’t matter if you are rich, or you just think your rich.

If you can see the goal in your mind, and hold that feeling with you, the universe is sent the vibration of the “rich you” and it returns it. And that’s were you can make the most of citrine crystal benefits. Once you know the look and feel of the future you adding a piece of citrine is a great idea. It will amplify your feelings, will boost your vibration, and send this out into the universe.

Today, Citrine is still used by the Chinese. Chinese students use it help them succeed in their exams. Many Chinese professors and teachers have a piece in their pocket it when lecturing. In western culture the Citrine is widely used in for crystal healing sessions and manifestation. Both which aim for you to produce the feelings, emotions and thoughts of abundance, or happiness, or joy.

So to “attract” more optimal circumstances, it’s about taking personal responsibility for the energy you project out into the world. Once you’re in a place where you can hold that feeling then you can add the use of amplifying stones like clear quartz, citrine, amethyst or smoky quartz. These stones will enhance and boost your energy, making it bigger and more dynamic.

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The stone to help celebrate your the 13th Anniversary

2. Citrine is recognized as the Gemstone for the 13th anniversary.

When it comes to relationships and their milestones, anniversaries are the most significant, and each year has a traditional gemstone associated with it. While most people will be aware of the popular and publicized, like the diamond for 60th and silver for 25th, very few know that citrine stones hold a special significance for a very specific anniversary – the 13th.

This might seem unusual, but there’s a rich history behind it. It stems from the Middle Ages, where it was a common practice to gift a gemstone to a loved one on special occasions. Citrine at the time was believed to symbolize loyalty, fidelity, and commitment. And the citrine became the gift of choice.

As the traditional gemstone for 13th anniversaries, citrine gemstone energy is a fantastic representation of the growing strength and commitment of the relationship. This juncture of a relationship is a time of being established, yet still new, comfortable but exciting, and much like the crystal’s warm, golden hues that evoke feelings of comfort and stability.

The citrine’s association with this milestone is also rooted in its ancient reputation as the stone of abundance and prosperity. As you know it is said to bring good fortune, success and happiness, and on the 13th anniversary it is said to bestow these energies on to the happy couple. So, if you’re celebrating your 13th anniversary, consider gifting your partner a beautiful citrine crystal as a symbol of your enduring love and commitment.

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Be aware of the Citrine that is baked and faked

3. What’s Rare, Baked, Faked and Yellow? Citrine!

Citrine is a much loved stone and remains a constant favorite in any good crystal guide. This, I am sure, has a lot to do with their vibrant, sunny energy. But what happens when you discover that around 80% of the treasured citrine stones that have been lovingly sat on alters, placed strategically in crystal grids, and that adorn the necks and fingers of a huge percentage of the population are not citrine at all? That’s right they are fake.

The Faked Stone

Beneath that radiant yellow glow and exquisite orange interior lies a complex backstory, a history of rarity, heat-treated transformations, and clever imitations. When you enter the realm of citrine you’ll discover that not everything is as it seems. Those beloved pieces of supposedly natural citrine may in fact be an imposter and produced using techniques that replicate its distinctive hue. The truth about citrine crystals is far more complex than you might believe. So what’s really going on?

The Rare Stone

Natural citrine is actually incredibly rare. There are very few sites worldwide that have the combination of factors needed to cause it to form naturally. Citrine is a member of the quartz family, siblings to the rock quartz, the amethyst, and the smoky quartz. Coloration of a crystal is caused by the elements that come into contact with the quartz as it develops.

The reason that citrine is so rare actually is an issue of color, rather than crystal. The reasons for the yellow color in natural citrine are still debated and complex. Scientist tell us there are three potential causes for citrine to develop. They are:

  1. Traces of aluminum in the crystal then combined with irradiation creates a yellow color.
  2. Traces of iron oxide allow for charge transfer. When Fe3+ and O2- combine, they form the compound Fe2O3, also known as iron(III) oxide or ferric oxide. OK sorry… all we need to know is that combination produces a yellow color.
  3. Amethysts can turn yellow after heat-treatment. This produces a natural citrine. If Amethyst forms near a super heat source, think volcano, it can be superheated. The heat causes the color to change from purple to yellow.

The Baked Stone.

Today most of the citrine found for sale is not naturally formed. It is produced using an alternative to the volcano. The process involves heating amethysts to temperatures above 300-400°C. This causes them to lose their violet hue and take on a range of orange or brown shades. So how do you tell? How can you distinguish between the heat-treated impostors and the real deal? The giveaway lies in the color and the structure of the crystal.

Faked and baked citrine tends to have a burnt orange or brown color, while the genuine citrine crystals boast a lighter, more vibrant yellow. Plus the points of citrine when in their clusters tend to be much larger than those of amethyst. This subtle detail offers the best clue to their authenticity. However if you think about it, many natural stones also started their life as an amethyst and due to heat transformed into a crystal. The only real difference is today we use an oven not a volcano – and the matter of a few thousand years cut off the baking time!

The Yellow Stone

And then, of course, there’s the name “citrine” itself. The origin of the name is still contested between the Italians and the French. Both claiming their version to be correct, with the Italians laying claim to the stones Latin name. So lets be Switzerland in this most European of battles, and claim neutrality. Lets look at both.

Citrine is said to be derived from the Latin “citrina” meaning yellow, or the French “citron” meaning lemon. The true origin of the name may be lost and relegated to history. However either way this etymology speaks to the crystal’s deep connection to the bright, sunny energy it embodies. Whether its yellow or its lemon what can’t be argued is the stones incredible energy, forged with heat and formed over millennia.

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Citrine crystal colors

4. The Many color variations Of Citrine Healing Crystals

Is it orange? Is it yellow? Was it purple? When it comes to citrine we find a color chart that can be an almost impossible process to navigate. So, lets have a look and answer the question – What color is citrine anyway? Industry standard considers it to be an orange or brownish stone, with variants of reddish-orange every so often. Yellow presenting citrine is also common, but for aficionado and industry experts the deeper the stone moves into orange ray energy the more valuable it is considered to be. 

There is no difference between yellow and lemon citrine, apart from the naming war and the variation in shade or hue. Some sellers use the term “yellow citrine” and others lemon citrine. And that’s OK. They are the same stone. What is important, and an incredible confusion is that lemon citrine and lemon quartz are two very distinct and completely different gemstones.

Sellers confuse the two all the time. To be fair it is confusing. We have yellow citrine and lemon citrine and they are the same stone. But the lemon quartz and the lemon citrine are different stones, even though the lemon citrine is actually a quartz (and possibly also an amethyst)

Honey is the term used for orange citrine that has an amber hue, resembling honey rather than the more known solid orange tone. While the honey is essentially the same as regular citrine, its color is recognized as a individual entity. Ultimately, the benefits of the stone are the same. It just boils down to the color you prefer.

The Golden variety is a term that comes from the crystal healing community. It is used to describe both orange and honey citrine, but has an incredible additional rich golden hue. This golden hue deepens the color and the stone reflects light just like fool’s gold or pyrite. The magic is that, unlike Iron Pyrite the golden citrine remains transparent. So while the faces of the stone reflect light and sparkle you are also able to look through the structure. When you do you are lost in a world of internal rainbows and dancing rays of light.

The green variety is a lemon citrine that doesn’t have a pure yellow color. All crystals have variation of hue and shade. When lemon or yellow stones vary they can take on a subtle, but noticeable green undertone. This gives them a hue similar to lime. So, in essence calling a lemon citrine with a greenish tint “green citrine” is actually accurate. They are however found in very small quantities, and now mainly used for crafting jewelry.

Unlike the green citrine, I recommend you don’t spend hours searching through the crystal market in pursuit of the perfect piece of blue citrine for your collection. Because if you find it, its not citrine. You may very well come across retailers selling blue citrine but trust me its not citrine. Often its actually a confused and mislabeled topaz, which while still beautiful will not act and energize in the way expected.

The Red is a unique variation of the natural orange citrine. This stone has been through a deep and dark formation process, and has transitioned seamlessly into red ray energy. It represents the darkest orange hue that is achievable before reaching the brown or black tones. Red citrine is a powerful stone, and while it retains the same qualities and properties they are significantly amplified.

Brown citrine is a variation that occurs when the red intensifies and darkens, and becomes what is referred to as brown ray energy. Despite this change, the brown variety maintains the same beneficial properties as the regular stone. The only distinction lies in the stone’s energy which is even more concentrated and potent.

Yes, there is a white variety! It is created during the process of heating amethyst or smokey quartz, and can be likened to ‘bleaching’. During the heating process, the original colors of amethyst are removed. The purple tones are usually replaced by shades of yellow or orange. As a result, some parts of the stone are left completely clear with no coloration, giving rise to white, or the clear, citrine. Rather than seen as waste, these small pieces of white or clear stone are incredibly sought after. This is due to them having all of citrines energy benefits and gaining the purifying and protective energies associated with white.

Isn’t that just Amethyst? Yes and No! The purple citrine (or Ametrine) is formed because of amethyst being heat-treated, however in some circumstances we are left with patches or traces of the purple ray energy. This produces a magnificent and highly unique hybrid. It is a visually stunning gemstone being half amethyst and half citrine. You also have a powerful crystalline vibration, containing all the energies of positivity, warmth and wealth expected from citrine as well as all the protective, nurturing and spiritual benefits that are the hallmarks of amethyst.

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Scottish Citrine

5. The Scottish Obsession With Citrine.

Sometimes its difficult to imagine that the gemstones we admire today played a significant role in people’s lives hundreds or thousands of years ago. Even less well known is the link between the Medieval Celts and Scots and the cirtine.

We normally expect to hear of ancient Egyptians, Roman soldiers and perhaps the Sumerians when we discuss the history of crystals and the origins of using them for healing. However if we explore the records and remaining items from Medieval Scotland we find a history that is littered with the most magnificent citrine jewelry and fashion accessories.

The Scots and Celts were seemingly obsessed with this beautiful orange stone. And for good reason, as they believed that citrine pendants could protect them from almost everything, including the plague, battle wounds, hair loss, teeth loss, bad skin and even “evil thoughts:, just to name a few.

Medieval Scots even went as far as believing that citrine could heal the bite of Scotland’s only venomous snake, the adder. (top tip of you are intending to visit Scotland – the citrine won’t cure snake bite). By the time the 17th century rolled around, Scottish men had started using November’s birthstone as decorative pieces and included it in the handles of their swords and daggers as a protection from evil, continued luck and good fortune.

Citrine while it can be found worldwide is, as you know, exceptionally rare. But nothing is quite as rare as the citrine found in Scotland. Because of the Scottish obsession and vast history of citrine use, teamed with the exceptional clarity and depth of color as well as the rarity of the stones, Scottish grown citrines are highly collectible and very sought after. If you have a piece of Scottish citrine, keep it safe and treat it well!

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HolisticJB
DipTchg, BEd, NPQH - Education and International Leadership Consultant with over 20 years Senior Management and Leadership experience! Qualified and Licensed Reiki Master Teacher, Hypnotherapist and Energy Body Worker. A traveler, a foodie and a knowledge seeker with a passion for all things healthy, herbal and energy holistic! Say Hi at my page on Mastodon

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