Citrine is a popular crystal known for its ability to enhance confidence, manifesting abilities, motivation, creativity, and mental and emotional well-being. It is a powerful crystal that is often used for its ability to enhance confidence, manifesting abilities, motivation, creativity, and mental and emotional well-being. It is a form of quartz crystal that resonates with the solar plexus chakra, which is associated with personal power, self-esteem, and self-worth.

Citrine is often used to attract abundance and prosperity, making it a popular choice for those looking to improve their financial situation. It is also believed to be able to help with decision making, which can be beneficial for those who struggle with making choices.

Additionally, citrine is known for its ability to negate negative energies and vibrations, such as anxiety, depression, fear, worry, and doubt. It is said to help cleanse and purify the aura and the environment, making it a great crystal to have in your home. However, it can be difficult to tell whether a citrine crystal is real or fake. In this article, we will discuss how to identify a genuine citrine crystal and the characteristics of a fake one.

What is Citrine Used For?

Citrine is a powerful crystal that is used to energize and recharge goals - financial and physical. It is also used to negate negative energies and vibrations such as anxiety, depression, fear, worry, and doubt. When working with authentic citrine, it can have a tremendous impact on one's life.

Signs of a Fake Citrine Crystal

One of the most common fake citrines is baked Amethyst. Amethysts are powerful crystal, but they have a different energy than citrine. Amethysts are more ethereal and spiritual, while citrine specializes in making magic in the 3D physical realm and is meant to enhance our human experience.

Another way to tell if a citrine crystal is fake is by looking at its shape. Glass citrines are often made in molds, making them unnaturally perfect in shape with slightly rounded edges. They can look almost like hard plastic with very little variation in color patterns. There may even be internal cracking that occurred when setting the glass, along with potential gas bubbles.

                                                Glass Citrine 

Another subtle way to tell the difference is by feeling the temperature of the crystal. When holding a real citrine crystal in one hand and a fake in the other, the genuine crystal feels cooler than the glass, which is absorbing heat from your body.

A more obvious distinction of a fake citrine is remnants of purple from the Amethyst that can be spotted throughout or at the base of the crystal. Once baked, the Amethyst can become a bright, artificial-looking yellow. This varies greatly from the deep tones found in natural citrine.

Common Crystals Mistaken or Passed off for Citrine

There are several crystals that are often passed off as citrine but are not actually citrine. Some of the most common crystals that are mistaken for citrine include:

Smoky quartz: Smoky quartz is a dark brown or grayish-brown color, and it is often heat-treated to make it look like citrine. It is important to note that smoky quartz is not as yellow as citrine, and it does not have the same energy as citrine.

Amethyst: Amethyst can be heat-treated to turn it into a yellow or orange color, which makes it look like citrine. However, it is important to note that amethyst has a different energy than citrine, and it is not as yellow as citrine.

Glass: Glass can be colored and shaped to look like citrine, but it does not have the same energy as citrine. Additionally, glass is generally lighter in weight than citrine, and it does not feel as cool to the touch as a real citrine.

Topaz: Topaz can be treated to achieve a yellow color, but it is not as yellow as citrine, and it does not have the same energy as citrine.

It is important to be aware of these common crystals that are often passed off as citrine so that you can ensure that you are working with an authentic citrine crystal.

Signature Real Citrine Characteristics

When it comes to signature features of authentic citrine, you'll notice rich, deep, and vibrant hues of smoky yellow, golds, and even cool-toned browns within a natural citrine cluster. Natural citrine will be slightly more expensive than heat-treated/fake citrine.

A real citrine generally will not have a pure white base. There will be color throughout. It may have smooth fault lines that usually run horizontally. And often no bubbles or infractions will be inside the crystal. In genuine citrine, this happens naturally in the earth over time. In heat-treated citrine, it happens in an oven.

Notice the different variances of tones and yellows in these natural citrine points

Other ways to tell if a citrine crystal is genuine include:

• Heat-treated citrine has large portions of white, and the color is concentrated at the top.

• Sharp, white borders around the bottom of a druse or geodes are sure signs of heat-treated citrine. Citrine isn't found in geodes naturally.
  
  
• Genuine citrine has a fairly uniform color from base to tip.
  
  
• Genuine citrine is pretty clear inside even when raw, whereas, with heat-treated citrine, you cannot see through the crystal.
  
  
• Genuine citrine generally has smooth, horizontal fault lines.
  
  
• Heat-treated citrine is kind of crumbly since the oven process can cause damage to the crystal structure.

Determining the Value of a Real Citrine Crystal: Factors to Consider

The value of a real citrine crystal can vary greatly depending on several factors such as size, quality, and origin. Here are a few things to consider when determining the value of a citrine crystal:

Size: Generally, the larger the citrine crystal, the more valuable it is. However, it's also important to consider the quality of the crystal and how well it is formed.

Quality: The quality of a citrine crystal is determined by the color, clarity, and overall appearance of the crystal. A deep, rich yellow color is considered to be the most desirable and valuable.

Origin: Citrine crystals can be found in many locations around the world, and the origin of the crystal can affect its value. Some of the most well-known locations for citrine include Brazil, Madagascar, and Russia.

Here is an example of a high-quality raw and natural 53 lb citrine statement piece!

Based on these factors, the value of a real citrine crystal can range from a few dollars for a small, low-quality specimen to several thousand dollars for a large, high-quality specimen from a rare location.

It is also worth noting that certain citrine crystals with specific shapes, patterns or inclusions can be considered more valuable than others. For example, an elestial citrine is considered more valuable than a simple tumbled stone.

                                  Example of a rare elestial honey citrine 

It's important to note that you can always ask a gemologist to examine the crystal and give you a more accurate assessment of its value.