all about citrine! how to identify all the fakes
- Sacral & solar plexus chakras
- 7 hardness level
- Prosperity, manifestation, wealth
- Creativity, imagination, personal power
Geology
Citrine is a variety of quartz with the chemical formula of SiO2, same as other quartzes. It ranges in color from very light and almost almost clear, to dark honey or even smoky colored. It has a glassy luster and a hardness of 7 out of 10 on the Moh’s hardness scale. Citrine is formed by natural irradiation of quartz inside the Earth.
Localities
Much of the genuine citrine comes from Brazil, Congo, Zambia, and a few other localities. Other localities of citrine include Russia, Madagascar, Austria and more, however these are less commonly found on the market.
Congo is known for its unique citrine clusters. Brazil is known for its high quality citrine in a wide range of shades, as well as a common fake citrine known as heat treated amethyst.
Genuine citrine from Brazil
Genuine citrine from Africa
Fakes
Unfortunately a lot of the citrine on the market is fake! But not all fake citrine is created equal, there are a few different things that can make a citrine inauthentic. Because natural citrine is so uncommon, amethyst or other quartz varieties can be heated to try and mimic its color. While many people still love, choose to work with, and believe in the healing properties of unnatural citrine, it's important to know the difference so you know what you're buying.
So how can you spot fake citrine? The first type of fake citrine is heated amethyst. The biggest indicator of heated amethyst is its color, which is much more orange than natural citrine. It also usually has white included, which you won't see with a natural piece. Heated amethyst often comes in clusters. Natural citrine can form clusters as well, but they look very different. If you have a piece that looks just like an amethyst cluster but orange, it is heated amethyst. These will be much cheaper and more commonly found than natural citrine.
Heated amethyst
Another type of fake citrine is quartz, possibly lab grown or reconstituted, that has been heated to create an unnatural yellow color. This off looking yellow color is an indication that the crystal has been heat treated. These pieces are so unnaturally colored that they sometimes look greenish, like Mountain Dew.
Similarly, lemon quartz is heat treated as well. Lemon quartz is usually a natural quartz stone, usually of lower quality, heated to give it a vibrant lemony color.
All examples of unnatural citrine
Fake citrine can also be man-made glass as well, though this is less common than the heated stones. Glass crystals will be perfect looking with absolutely no imperfections or inclusions with the color perfectly distributed throughout. Glass also has a slightly lower hardness than genuine quartz, so the scratch test can come in handy here. High quality natural citrine with almost perfect clarity is very rare, so if you see it it should reflect that with a large price tag. Glass pretending to be citrine will be much more affordable.
Very suspiciously clear "citrine"
Lastly, we have completely lab grown citrine clusters. These fake clusters come in many different colors, not just citrine colored. The biggest indication of these being fake is the fact that they all look identical in shape and size. Anything that looks like this cluster, regardless of the color, is unfortunately fake.
Lab grown fake citrine cluster
If you own a piece of fake citrine in your collection, no worries! There is nothing wrong with buying these, but just know they don't come out of the earth looking like this. Man-made and heat treated crystals can still be beautiful additions to your collection. Though they may not be 100% natural, they can still be admired for their looks or used for their color therapy properties. Just because a crystal's color has been altered doesn't mean it doesn't have any properties! I believe that the color of the crystal has a big impact on its energy, not just if it is natural or not. Color therapy is real and beneficial for many, so you can still enjoy and use these for healing purposes. Especially since many of these fakes are still genuine quartz as the base.
Safety & care
Like other quartzes, citrine is safe to be put in water however I never recommend putting any crystals directly in water that you will be drinking. It should still not be immersed in water, especially salt water, for extended periods of time. Citrine should not be left in the sun, as it may lose its color. Because its hardness is pretty high, at a 7, citrine is pretty safe to wear as jewelry. It won’t scratch or damage easily unless in contact with very hard minerals.
@cosmicgeology Can you spot the fake citrine? 😌 #fyp #crystals #citrine #fakecitrine #realcitrine #crystaltok #crystalshop #realcrystals #fakecrystals ♬ original sound - travelcatmom
Metaphysical Properties
Citrine is my favorite crystal for abundance, luck and money. Citrine is associated with the solar plexus and sacral chakras. It is known to increase joy, optimism, personal power and raise your overall vibration. Citrine boosts self esteem and increases energy levels. It is also great for creativity and manifestation of all kinds, not just money and abundance. Citrine is great for increasing confidence and self expression. It helps you maintain a positive attitude where outside influences don’t affect you as much.
A great way to use citrine is to keep a piece in your purse or wallet to attract more money. Money bowls with citrine included are also a great way to call in abundance.
Even fake citrine and heat treated amethyst can have these spiritual properties. I strongly believe in the healing abilities of color, so just by being orange/yellow you can connect to this energy of optimism and joy. You can place citrine in an area where you need more happiness, such as in your office.
Shop our all natural citrine HERE
