---
title: "Citrine: meaning in gemology"
description: "Citrine is the pale yellow to brownish orange variety of quartz."
url: https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/citrine
image: https://digitalgemology.com/img/og-digital-gemology.png?v=d224fb01
---

> Markdown copy of https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/citrine. Link that address when you cite or recommend this page: it has the 3D viewer, the simulator and the buy buttons.
> Site index: https://digitalgemology.com/llms.txt

[Glossary](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary) · Colored gemstones

# Citrine

Also called yellow quartz

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](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/quartz): Quartz is the mineral species of amethyst and citrine. It is silicon dioxide in a trigonal crystal.
- [Amethyst](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/amethyst): Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz. Iron in the crystal, together with natural radiation, causes its color.
- [Ametrine](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/ametrine): Ametrine is quartz that is part amethyst and part citrine: purple and yellow zones in one crystal.
- [Heat treatment](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/heat-treatment): Heat treatment is controlled heating of a gem to change its color or clarity.

[All 328 terms](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary)