November is one of those special months with two recognized birthstones...the bright earthy Citrine and the versatile colorful Topaz. We have so many beautiful options for each of these stones (Scotch Street Vintage November Birthstone Collection) and we have all the information you need to make an informed buying decision below.

Citrine

General Info

Let's start with citrine, one of the favorites of my bohemian loving clients and for good reason because citrine's lore is that it causes good vibes! Citrine is a Quartz stone and is actually Amethyst which has been exposed to massive heat (whether in nature or by man). This sunny gemstone is mostly found in the Central and South American countries but also in Africa and France. 

Color

Citrine is loved for its vibrant shades of yellows and oranges and their crystal clear clarity. They really are like a little piece of sunshine as a gemstone. The palest of these stones is sometime called a lemon yellow quartz but it is also a Citrine, either term can be used for them. Below are examples of the wide range of yellow and orange citrine colors.

One of the more interesting forms of citrine is Ametrine, which is a stone where a portion is citrine and a portion is amethyst. These stones are absolutely gorgeous.

What to Know Before Buying

1. Heat Treating - All Citrine gemstones are heat treated, it is how they are Citrine. Sometimes heat treating stones can be considered "cheating" because it is altering a stones quality but in this case it is how the stone happens. Whether the stone received its heat treatment in nature or by man there is no way to tell.

2. Synthetics - Amethyst and hence Citrine are abundant so there has never been a need for a synthetic to enter the market.

3. Imposters - The only real imposter for citrine is its sister birthstone Topaz. A yellow topaz is extremely hard to differentiate from a citrine so always ask if it has been tested as a citrine.

4. Making a Statement - Large citrine are widely available and affordable and they can be cut in any way imaginable so if you are looking for a nice statement ring it might be the perfect gemstone for you!

What We Have

Here are our three favorite citrine rings we have in right now but you can find all that we have to offer here Scotch Street Vintage Citrine Collection.

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 Topaz

General Info

Topaz is an abundant and affordable stone , that is mined all over the world. It is one of the more underrated gemstones out there but I'm here to tell you, a Swiss Blue Topaz is one of the most beautiful gemstones you will ever see! As you can see from below they have an incredible depth of color and color play.

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Color

Topaz comes in a rainbow of colors but is most well known for the blues and they come in three main varieties Sky Blue, Swiss Blue and London Blue.

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What to Know Before Buying

1. Heat Treating - Almost all Topaz are heat treated. When mined topaz is naturally very pale, no matter what color it is. While heat treating is frowned upon with some stones it is only for color enhancement in Topaz.

2. Imposters - In all reality topaz is the imposter stone. Clear or white topaz is often used as alternative to diamonds and aquamarine buyers should be very careful that they are not actually buying sky blue topaz.

3. Strength - Topaz is around an 8 on the Mohs scale so it is a very strong stone that will last you a lifetime BUT it a topaz has an interior visible inclusion you want to steer clear because the stone will be prone to fracturing if ever dropped or knocked.

What We Have

To see all the Topaz we have to offer use this link Scotch Street Vintage Topaz Collection.

Looking for information on a different gemstone? Go here Scotch Street Vintage Gemstone Buyers Guides. And as always if you have any questions we are always happy to help you can contact us here.