Citrine is the pale yellow to brownish orange variety of quartz.
In more detail
Natural citrine is rare. Most citrine on the market is heated amethyst. It has the same hardness and toughness as amethyst.
On a grading report
Labs identify it as (natural) quartz, variety citrine.
Related terms
- Quartz: Quartz is the mineral species of amethyst and citrine. It is silicon dioxide in a trigonal crystal.
- Amethyst: Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz. Iron in the crystal, together with natural radiation, causes its color.
- Ametrine: Ametrine is quartz that is part amethyst and part citrine: purple and yellow zones in one crystal.
- Heat treatment: Heat treatment is controlled heating of a gem to change its color or clarity.