November Birthstones

Both citrine and topaz are the birthstone for those with November birthdays. Before modern gemmology, the two gemstones would often be confused with each other, even though quartz (citrine) and topaz are unrelated. This is because both stones can appear in yellow hues and can look extremely similar to the untrained eye.

Citrine was a term used to refer to all yellow gemstones from 1385, and citrine itself was identified as ‘gold topaz’ or ‘Spanish’ topaz. In 1556, citrine stopped being referred to generically and was finally officially identified as such. The most common suggestion as to the naming of the stone is that it sounds like the French word for lemon, citron. It is rare to find citrine in nature, and most stones found being sold are often heat-treated forms on amethyst. In Scotland in the 17th century, warriors used citrine on the handles of their swords for decoration; and there is even evidence of some swords having citrine make up the entire handle. During the early 20th century, movie stars wore oversized citrine stones as statement jewellery pieces, particularly Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford.

If your birthday is in November but you are not too fond of citrine, then not to worry, you have the option of topaz! Topaz has a wide range of colours from cool blue to fiery orange, meaning that it covers a number of birth months, not just November. The Greeks thought that topaz gave them strength, while in India it is believed that topaz worn above the heart ensures long life, beauty, and intelligence.

While both are birthstones for November, it is important not to wear them together as they could potentially damage each other - and you don’t want that!