Versatile Citrine; The Romance of Labradorite

Citrines are a favorite gemstone of mine; yes, it seems as though I say this about so many gemstones, but citrine is one of the gemstones I wear 2 or 3 times every week.  It is a versatile gemstone that can look dressy or casual and despite its being yellow, it works well with a lot of different clothing.  The citrine bracelet here has a touch of garnet (another very versatile stone) that grounds it. The three strands of the bracelet feature faceted nuggets of citrine in different sizes, faceted citrine rondelles, smooth rondelles, an artist's lampwork bead as a focal point and tiny little sterling silver Thai Karen Hill Tribes beads.  The final touch is a sterling toggle clasp that has cabochon citrines set into the ends of the toggle bar. Citrine really looks great with beige and khaki, pops with black, and lends a sparkle to white.

I have been working with labradorite quite a bit lately. I find labradorite a romantic gemstone that works greatly on my imagination.  My mind dwells on northern climes, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Canada, and I think of the fairy tales I read as a child about Hans and Gerda, the Snow Queen, and the reindeer of Lapland. I have a romantic image of these Northern countries to this day and cannot wait to visit Scandanavia (alas, it's not high on the list of friends and family who prefer tropical locations). Labradorite will forever remind me of the Aurora Borealis with its flash of blue and other cool colors. The labradorite bracelet, above and below, is made of two strands of labradorite and sterling silver. Every gemstone has been chosen for flash, and the crowning glory of this bracelet is a flashy toggle clasp of sterling silver with a bezel-set labradorite gemstone in the toggle ring.

When I first got this lavender tinted faceted rectangles, I thought to myself, whatever will I do with these? They are an odd color and seem to change color a bit with the light. But I still loved them nonetheless and kept them where I could see them because I found them pleasurable to look at. Then I saw these artist's lampwork beads and realized that they were perfect for the chalcedony. With a minimum of sterling silver so as to let the chalcedony be the star, the necklace is mainly the lampwork, three focals, and the faceted rectangles. It is an odd piece of jewelry, unusual in its color, but one that I find compelling in its difference.

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Citrine: Stone of Success

A bit more on citrine today; it's an under-rated gemstone that is really quite wonderful. One of its best points is that its pretty color ranging from the palest yellow to a deep golden whiskey color plays well with others. It's great in combination with many other gemstones. And that is especially good news for those who want to wear their November birthstone, but feel that all yellow may not work with their wardrobe.  Above, citrine is a stunner with blue aquamarines. (Currently for sale on the Cluny Grey Jewelry site).
    Also, whether you believe in the power of gemstones or not, it is fascinating to read about the various qualities and forces which have been attributed to them, and citrine has some very, very special qualities.

• Citrine is known as the prosperity stone or the success stone.  This belief is so strong for some that they carry or wear a citrine gemstone with them when starting a new business or trying to revive an old one, or when they have had economic setbacks.
• Citrine is also known as a calming gemstone that will turn emotional chaos into order and soothe injured feelings.  It is believed to transform negative energy into positive energy.
• Citrine enhances mental clarity, confidence and willpower.
• Improves psychic awareness and spiritual development.
•  Improves self-awareness.
• Promotes joy and laughter.
• Helps those who have difficulty sleeping. A citrine(s) under one's pillow will eliminate nightmares and improve quality of sleep.

Above, one of my favorite bracelets combined citrine with pale grey ocean jasper rondelles.  Below, apatites lovely aqua is a great foil for light colored citrine.

Two more citrine based combinations:above, a carved amethyst gemstone flower sits atop a large faceted citrine nugget. Below, genuine sapphires ground a citrine bracelet full of carved citrine gemstones.

Citrine and rubies! You bet!They are stunning together, especially so with the addition of intricate pieces of sterling silver (from Bali and the Thai Karen Hill Tribes).  Is it a ruby bracelet or a citrine bracelet?  Perfect for the person who has a November birthday and a special someone with a July birthday.
  In fact, some of the prettiest bracelets that we make combine birthstones of family members, or the two birthstones of a couple. We can make bracelets with gemstone combinations that look beautiful (okay, so you don't think that red, purple, and yellow (July or January, February, and November) will look good together? Wait until you see what we can do! We guarantee that you'll love it!)
  Remember, it is not too early for us to make a memorable gift for you to give to that special someone for Christmas! Our custom pieces are priced just as our website pieces are - there is no special charge to have a custom piece made! And if you don't like it, you don't have to buy it! No money up front - you don't pay until you approve the final bracelet and it is ready to ship!

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Citrine: The November Birthstone

Citrine is one of my favorite gemstones; I have a citrine bracelet and ring that I wear constantly, and oddly enough, citrine seems to go with so many things in my wardrobe. I prefer citrine which is rather dark with a clear true yellow color though it can sometimes be rather difficult to find. I wear citrine all year round, but sometimes tend to think of the lighter citrine as a "summer" gemstone since it looks so good against a tan. But pair citrine with a grey wool outfit and add a pretty scarf with a touch of yellow and you have a winning combination!

The citrine in the bracelets here is a shade that I do love: it's clear and fairly even (sometimes citrines can look mottled).  The top citrine bracelet has two strands: one of chunky citrine nuggets and a single lampwork bead, and a second that is heavy on Thai Karen Hill Tribes sterling silver with a smattering of little citrine rondelles to give it colour and unite it with the main strand. I also like the toggle clasp which features bezel-set citrine cabochons in the ends of the toggle bar, a little touch that sets this bracelet apart.
   The second citrine bracelet, above, is one strand that features some of my favorite chunky faceted citrine nuggets. Again, a single lampwork bead adds interest to the bracelet as do the three charms that dangle near the middle of the bracelet. This bracelet would look wonderful with a dark brown or tan outfit!
     Citrine came to be known  as the "Merchant's Stone" because of its ability to generate income for the person holding the crystal. Some people keep citrine in a cash box to assure protection of their wealth.
     Some qualities people believe citrine has:

• The ability to improve problem-solving skills and memory.
• Balance the yin/yang aspects of a person.
• Improve self-esteem, optimism, confidence, and willpower.
• Improve the digestive system.

The bangle bracelet above is made with gem-quality citrine rectangles that are finely faceted.  The curved bangles are sterling silver as are the other elements. This is what I call an "everyday" bracelet, one of those that you reach for almost everyday, no matter what you are wearing because it is simple and sits easily on the wrist. It's great to wear for work since it does not get in the way when working on the computer or doing other workday tasks. And it can go casually elegant or formal business.

The earrings above hang from some of our favorite earwires, a modern curve of sterling silver.  The simple rectangles are also gem-quality and faceted like a gemstone for a ring - with a flat surface, edge beveling, and a pointed back.  These stones are a real favorite!
  Looking for a birthday gift for someone in November? Check our Citrine Bracelets page (although we have a page of citrine earrings and citrine necklaces as well).  Many of our citrine bracelets are mixed with different gemstone such as aquamarine, garnet, ruby, sapphire, and chalcedony so that they are very wearable and versatile for the woman who does not often wear yellow!

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A Few Citrine Pieces for November

The word "busy" does not begin to describe the last few weeks! Here are some of the citrine jewelry pieces I managed to make along the way when I could find quiet stretches of time to work. I am one of those people who has to have hours ahead of me to create - knowing I have a spare hour or two just doesn't work for me. I've been mixing citrine with some of my favorite gemstones (citrine is a personal favorite that I wear often in the form of 2 rings, earrings, and bracelets). Above is a citrine and ruby bracelet with sterling silver. Below is a citrine bracelet with a mixture of artist's lampwork beads, crazy lace agate, yellow calcite.

Below are two views of a bracelet with aquamarines and citrines mixed with sterling silver.  The two colours are a wonderful combination, and the pretty box clasp with a bezel-set citrine really makes it special.

The bracelets below are first, a citrine and silver one-strand bracelet with a carved amethyst flower atop the focal citrine.  The center of the amethyst flower is a deep yellow sapphire.

    Next is a first for me: a bracelet with a magnetic clasp.  I've stayed away from magnetic clasps thinking that they were probably ineffective and because not many look very good.  This one however is really pretty with a carved lion on both sides; it is sterling silver, and the magnet is very, very strong!

The earrings above are made of fantastic faceted rectangles of citrine.  They have a very elegant look.

    Below, the earrings feature carved citrines and faceted citrines in one set of earrings.

Above,gorgeous carved gemstone leaves have dark yellow faceted nuggets hanging in front of them.

Below, more of the pretty dark citrine earrings with a flower them - all sterling silver, of course!
Citrine jewelry can be found on our Cluny Grey Jewelry website under Citrine Bracelets and Citrine Earrings.

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The November Birthstone: Citrine

I'm very fond of citrine, the gemstone ranging from a pale yellow to a dark orange. First, I just love the colour yellow; second, citrine is an extremely versatile gemstone that looks great with many different colours. I wear it often with black because I like the contrast of the yellow against dark colours. I like a neutral colour that I call champagne or sand - it's a version of khaki almost, but with golden tones instead of brown - Anne Klein calls it safari. A paler citrine is gorgeous with it. In the summer, nothing looks fresher than citrine bracelets and necklaces paired with white linen or cotton.
Citrine is a variety of quartz with a moh's hardness of 7, a relatively durable stone although it can be scratched, and prolonged exposure to heat and sunlight will change its colour .
Citrine is believed to have many mystical qualities. It is known as the "money" stone or "merchant's" stone; some merchants will put a citrine in their cash registers to draw money to them. The ancients believed that putting a citrine on the forehead would increase psychic powers, and it supposedly will increase memory, aid in curing depression and diabetes, and foster creative expression, especially for writers.
The citrine's name comes from the French word for lemon, citron. The yellow colour is from the presence of iron. Ironically, if you own a citrine, you probably also own an amethyst! This is because the natural citrine is rather rare and most today are made by exposing an amethyst or smoky quartz to high heat to turn it into a citrine. You will be able to find the citrine bracelets on this page on the Cluny Grey Jewelry website at Citrine Bracelets.
Happy Birthday, November!

The New Fall Collection - Part II

The following jewelry pieces feature gemstones in colours that are based on Pantone's colour guide (Pantone produces the dyes that are used by the fashion world, so that they are the true forecaster of the hottest colours). Above, the double strand bracelet has three of the season's hottest colours: olivine (in Swarovski crystals); majolica (kyanite); grey (rutilated quartz). The second strand is a type of bangle accented only by the Swarovski crystals.
Below, more rutilated quartz celebrates another big trend for Fall: the chunky necklace. The large, flat faceted nuggets (over an inch long) are primarily grey with touches of tan/brown. Each nugget is over an inch in length.
Citrine is always a favorite stone, and one of Fall's newest colours is honey yellow. With its range of colours from pale yellow to a deep golden colour, citrine can add a touch of this year's colour to an older outfit or blend with a new one.

Below, this unique bracelet has quartz (creme brulee), chalcedony (majolica), and carnelian (American Beauty) for a blend of colours exceedingly versatile. The next bracelet has chalcedony and yellow opal (majolica and honey yellow), and the bottom bracelet of African opal and vermeil will go equally well with both the off-white creme brulee and a neutral colour called nougat that is a pale taupe.


More tomorrow!