november birthstone

Created by: www.birthstonebrilliance.com

The birthstone for the month of November is

Topaz and Citrine. The name comes from the Greek word

‘topazios’ which was the name of an island in the Red Sea, but there is also evidence that traces the name back the the Indian ancient language of Sanskrit and the word ‘topas’ or ‘tapaz’ which means ‘fire.’

Citrine was named after the French word ‘citron’ which translated to ‘lemon’ although the stone is more golden in colour than lemon yellow.



About Topaz

Topaz measures 8 on the Mohs hardness scale.

There have been a number of large topazes with blue ones weighing 100-kilometres found in 1964 in the Ukraine.

And the most famous is a large one set in the Portuguese Crown named the ‘Braganza’ which was at first believed to be a diamond.


Topaz is an aluminum and fluorine silicate mineral, which comes in various colors including:

Blue

Brown

Orange

Grey

Yellow

Green

Pink

Reddish pink

A colourless variety is considered pure topaz.

Topaz is mined in:

Russia

Afghanistan

Sri Lanka

Czech Republic

Norway

Pakistan

Germany

Sweden


Italy

Japan

Brazil

Mexico

Australia

Nigeria

United States


Folklore Points to the Topaz

Topaz includes the ability to bring great strength, as was believed by ancient Greeks.

During the Renaissance in Europe topaz was believed to relieve anger and dispel evil spells.

In India, the gem was supposed to bring long life, beauty and intelligence if worn above the heart.

Ancient Egyptians thought the golden glow from the Sun God Ra coloured the stone and Romans connected it to their Sun God Jupiter.

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the cosmos were reflected in the topaz and the gem was assigned to the planet Venus.


Healing powers connected to Topaz

Improving eyesight.

The curing of insomnia, asthma and hemorrhages.

The gem was also believed to change colours when near poisoned food or drink.


About Citrine

Citrine is a variety of quartz and can be found in colours ranging from yellow to brown. It measures 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness.

Citrine, known as the ‘stone of the mind,’ was used in ancient cultures that believed it increased psychic powers if placed on the forehead.

It has also been called the ‘merchants stone’ or the ‘success stone’ where the placement of one in a cash register was said to bring about much luck in sales thereby generating increased revenue.


Producers of Citrine

Brazil is the major producer of citrine.

Argentina

Bolivia

France

Madagascar

Burma

Russia

Scotland

Uruguay

Spain

Zambia


Healing properties connected to Citrine

Increasing self-esteem, , protection from negative thoughts, the opening of the mind to new ideas as well as clarity of thought.

It was also used to assist with digestion, calming of nerves, relief from depression and was believed to bring joy and love to whoever owned one.

It was believed to assist with thyroid disorders, heart, liver and kidney issues and was supposed to be very powerful in helping one overcome various physical addictions, fears and phobias.

november birthstone

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