# November Birthstone - Topaz or Citrine? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770 "2005-12-15T18:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/1 "2005-12-15T18:57:19Z")
I thought the November birthstone was a golden topaz. What is a citrine? More importantly (and this is what makes it a IMHO thing, not a GQ thing), are citrines considered cheap? Let’s say I wanted to buy a piece of jewelry for between $300-$500 for someone I’ve started dating recently. Should I go with the topaz + diamond or citrine + diamond? Hook a brother up. Please. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/2 "2005-12-15T19:10:23Z")
eBay, honey, eBay. [http://cgi.ebay.com/BEAUTIFUL-CITRINE-and-DIAMOND-RING-WG-nwt-size-7-540\_W0QQitemZ5064380860QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem](http://cgi.ebay.com/BEAUTIFUL-CITRINE-and-DIAMOND-RING-WG-nwt-size-7-540_W0QQitemZ5064380860QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-3-75-ct-Certified-Citrine-VS-Diamond-Ring-14K\_W0QQitemZ5064431126QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem](http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-3-75-ct-Certified-Citrine-VS-Diamond-Ring-14K_W0QQitemZ5064431126QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Style-Citrine-Diamond-Ring-In-14k-White-Gold\_W0QQitemZ5064147062QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem](http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Style-Citrine-Diamond-Ring-In-14k-White-Gold_W0QQitemZ5064147062QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [http://cgi.ebay.com/18K-Huge-Vintage-GOLDEN-Citrine-and-Diamond-Ring\_W0QQitemZ5063196917QQcategoryZ45404QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem](http://cgi.ebay.com/18K-Huge-Vintage-GOLDEN-Citrine-and-Diamond-Ring_W0QQitemZ5063196917QQcategoryZ45404QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/14K-17-2CT-CITRINE-AND-DIAMOND-YELLOW-GOLD-EARRINGS\_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ28258QQitemZ6587375701QQrdZ1](http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/14K-17-2CT-CITRINE-AND-DIAMOND-YELLOW-GOLD-EARRINGS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ28258QQitemZ6587375701QQrdZ1) [http://cgi.ebay.com/CAPTIVATING-TRILLION-FANCY-CUT-CITRINE-DIAMOND-RING\_W0QQitemZ5066416614QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem](http://cgi.ebay.com/CAPTIVATING-TRILLION-FANCY-CUT-CITRINE-DIAMOND-RING_W0QQitemZ5066416614QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [http://cgi.ebay.com/14KT-GOLD-LADIES-DIAMOND-CITRINE-RING\_W0QQitemZ5066494988QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem](http://cgi.ebay.com/14KT-GOLD-LADIES-DIAMOND-CITRINE-RING_W0QQitemZ5066494988QQcategoryZ67727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/3 "2005-12-15T19:13:01Z")
_sigh_ I was going to make those look nicer, but all I did was search for “citrine diamond” on eBay in the Jewelry category. Easy as pie! ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/4 "2005-12-15T19:18:48Z")
I was born in Novebmer, and I’ve always seen it as topaz (usually yellow topaz (which itself usually looks like some kind of vomit colored amalgamation of brown and yellow.)) ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/5 "2005-12-15T19:18:50Z")
Is the citrine a real gemstone? Or what? I’ve never heard of them before. Citrine jewelry on Blue Nile seems to be a bit less expensive than the other birthstones. Thus the query. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/6 "2005-12-15T19:32:55Z")
November b-day here, and it’s been topaz _my_ entire life. I’ve never really heard of a citrine before, either - I mean, I’ve heard the word, and I sort of assumed it was a gemstone of some kind, but I couldn’t have told you anything more than that. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/7 "2005-12-15T19:39:35Z")
Go with the topaz. I say that as a blue-zircon baby with a crap birthstone. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/8 "2005-12-15T19:39:54Z")
Citrine is a type of quartz and is a semiprecious stone, about on the same price level as peridot or amethyst or topaz. It is not seen as often, most likely because most people don’t like yellow stones. Personally, I’d go with blue topaz for the november birthstone, since it is pretty and easy to find. Some people say you can’t use the blue ones for november birthstones, but whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/9 "2005-12-15T19:42:47Z")
Draelin, they’ve recently decreed you can use tanzanite for December birthdays, if you’re shopping for a new birthstone. 🙂 Or Lapis, that’s pretty too. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/10 "2005-12-15T19:49:57Z")
> [@Gaudere](#): > > Draelin, they’ve recently decreed you can use tanzanite for December birthdays, if you’re shopping for a new birthstone. 🙂 Or Lapis, that’s pretty too. Oooh, I like both of those. I just have a problem with the word “zircon.” Like I don’t deserve a _real_ birthstone. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/11 "2005-12-15T20:01:20Z")
Although colorless zircon has been used in the past as “fake” diamonds, it is not the same thing as cubic zirconia. Zircon is dug out of the ground, not manufactured. So it’s just as real as the rest of the birthstones. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/12 "2005-12-15T21:33:09Z")
Topaz comes in a lot of other colors than yellow or blue. Actually, I think the blue ones are almost always heat-treated to make them that color, but I’m not 100% positive about that. I do know that the most valuable color in topaz is the “sherry” colored, but I couldn’t describe that color. My birthday’s in November, and I reject citrine altogether. I feel entitled to choose any color topaz I wish, so I would prefer a pink topaz. But all I’ve ever received is yellow (which might even be citrine, for that matter). ☹ ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/13 "2005-12-15T21:39:14Z")
I think there are two choices each month?? October is opal but then some sort of pink thing as well, which I believe is cheaper. Oh, [here](http://www.jewelbasket.com/birthstone-list.html) (like April has diamond and then a cheaper alternative–they don’t want to price anyone out of buying a birthstone 😉 ) Go for topaz and diamond; even if you have to go smaller it will be pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/14 "2005-12-15T23:04:25Z")
Ok, so if you choose to go topaz and diamond, there’s still plenty out there that’s within your price range: [Earrings](http://cgi.ebay.com/14K-WG-OVAL-4-1CT-BLUE-TOPAZ-DIAMOND-OMEGA-EARRINGS-SET_W0QQitemZ5066222952QQcategoryZ86077QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [A Pendant](http://cgi.ebay.com/14K-OVAL-11CT-BLUE-TOPAZ-DIAMOND-DROP-ENHANCER-PENDANT_W0QQitemZ5066228714QQcategoryZ110958QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [A ring](http://cgi.ebay.com/14K-WG-OVAL-3-5CT-SUNSET-TOPAZ-DIAMOND-ANNIVERSARY-RING_W0QQitemZ5066235444QQcategoryZ92855QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [Another ring](http://cgi.ebay.com/26-00ct-Oval-Blue-Topaz-Diamond-Ring-In-14k-White-Gold_W0QQitemZ5064149549QQcategoryZ110958QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [Ring #3](http://cgi.ebay.com/New-1495-MICHAEL-DAWKINS-Pink-Topaz-Diamond-Ring_W0QQitemZ5063996586QQcategoryZ110476QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [Pendant #2](http://cgi.ebay.com/STRIKING-2-25-CTS-DIAMOND-TOPAZ-PENDANT-IN-14K-GOLD_W0QQitemZ5063168622QQcategoryZ43203QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [Blue Topaz Bracelet](http://cgi.ebay.com/Heavenly-16ctw-Topaz-Diamond-Gold-Bracelet-MSRP-2169_W0QQitemZ5064745809QQcategoryZ92727QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) [Yellow Topaz Bracelet](http://cgi.ebay.com/11-57-CTW-LEMON-TOPAZ-AND-DIAMOND-TENNIS-BRACELET_W0QQitemZ5065832275QQcategoryZ26282QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/15 "2005-12-16T00:01:11Z")
> [@Gaudere](#): > > Although colorless zircon has been used in the past as “fake” diamonds, it is not the same thing as cubic zirconia. Zircon is dug out of the ground, not manufactured. So it’s just as real as the rest of the birthstones. 🙂 Though it should be pointed out that the Cubic Zirconia is superior to a mined zircon in both durability and appearance. I doubt if zircon is much used anymore. Certain zircons have thorium substituting for some of the zirconium atoms, and their mild radioactivity results in a gradual breakdown of the crystal structure. _Citrine_ is yellow quartz with a brownish tinge and generally does not have as good luster as the true topaz. Yellow topaz is quite a bit more expensive than citrine, but blue topaz is quite inexpensive and probably on a part with citrine. On the other hand a well-cut citrine can be very attractive, more so than a badly worked topaz. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/16 "2005-12-16T02:46:34Z")
My birthstone is pearls ( June baby) or some obscure semi-precious gem whose name I can’t remember. I suppose that everyone has two birthstones–one lame one and one acceptable gem? ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/17 "2005-12-16T03:00:48Z")
While natural pink topaz exists, it’s rare; pink stones can be obtained by heat-treating yellow topaz. Blue topaz is the result of heat-treating colorless topaz. I’ve got a small cluster of citrine crystals; they’re a very deep amber-brown color at the tips. It’s quartz; the color is due to iron. ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/18 "2005-12-16T04:03:53Z")
I have a lovely pair of citrine earrings. I have always liked colored gemstones, so I bought these from a jewelry store one Christmas as a treat for myself. They’re large (about 1 ct each), and I get lots of compliments on them. Most folks ask if they’re topaz. They’re really not yellow, and the best description that comes to mind is a bright, clear gold. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/19 "2005-12-16T05:17:08Z")
Unless you know her really, really, extremely, unusually well, I wouldn’t recommend surprising a relatively new girlfriend with jewelry. Women’s taste in these things can be _very_ specific it’s not something that can be picked up very easily. When my boyfriend was first dating me, he bought me a beautiful pair of earing. What he didn’t know is that I’ve worn the same earring for the last ten years, they take twenty minutes to take out and put back in (I’ve got six of them, and they are complicated clasps.) I wore them a few times, but now I rarely do. I feel bad about it. He feels bad about it. But I’m also not going to spend an hour wrestling with my ears to wear some earings I don’t really like outside of sentimental value. As an experiement, I just asked him (who I’ve now lived with for two years) to pick out two things he’d buy me on a jewelry site. Let’s just say I really hope he buys me a sweater for Christmas. He even managed to find the one metal I have never and will never wear. All with a big smile on his face. Maybe you could give her a card and put in a printout of several items in your price range. Then she could chose what she likes, and if she starts ranting about hating her birthstone or whatever you guys can go pick out something else. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2005, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770/20 "2005-12-16T05:27:55Z")
> [@medstar](#): > > My birthstone is pearls ( June baby) or some obscure semi-precious gem whose name I can’t remember. [Alexandrite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandrite). Actually, I have some “alexandrite” jewelry, but the stone in that is more of a violet color. The Wikipedia link makes it sound like it changes from green to red depending on the lighting. Whatever; I prefer pearl anyway. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/november-birthstone-topaz-or-citrine/335770.md?page=2)