Topaz and Citrine for November: Katlang Pink, Treated Blue and Heated Quartz

Born in November? You get two warm, golden stones to pick from. Topaz is the traditional birthstone, and citrine, a yellow quartz some people here call sunehla, was added on the modern list. Yellow topaz is also often asked for as pukhraj here; more on that below. Topaz has a proper Pakistani chapter, so we start there.

Katlang and its pink topaz

The Katlang area near Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is one of a handful of places in the world that give naturally pink and sherry-pink topaz. Most pink topaz on the world market started life yellow and was heated to turn it pink. Katlang stones can come out of the ground already pink, and the best of them rank among the finest pink topaz anyone has found. Natural colour sells for a good deal more than treated colour, so if you are buying topaz here, ask where it was mined.

How topaz colours rank

1. Imperial topaz, a warm orange with pink undertones, and natural pink are at the top.
2. Sherry, golden and yellow topaz follow.
3. Colourless and blue topaz are plentiful and cheap.

About blue. Almost every blue topaz you'll see began as colourless topaz that was irradiated and then heated. It is stable and legitimate, but the blue isn't natural and the price should reflect that. Naturally blue topaz exists, though it is rare and pale. Topaz generally grows clean, so inclusions you can see are a real fault.

Citrine is usually heated amethyst

Natural citrine is not common. Most of what's sold is amethyst that was heated until it went yellow or orange. The change is permanent and the trade accepts it, but it should be disclosed because it affects what the stone is worth. One handy clue: heated stones often have a reddish or burnt-orange tint, sometimes stronger at one end, while natural citrine leans toward an even, softer lemon or golden yellow.

Fakes and look-alikes

Yellow glass gets sold as both topaz and citrine. For a long time "topaz" was also used loosely for any yellow stone, citrine included, so make sure a stone sold as topaz really is one. Topaz feels heavy for its size in the hand and is harder than quartz. A certificate is available on request, and we can arrange independent testing for any important stone.

Every listing on the topaz and citrine pages shows the price of that particular stone.

Care: a hard stone is not always a tough one

Topaz sits at 8 on the Mohs scale, yet it has perfect cleavage, which means one sharp knock at the wrong angle can split it clean through. A bezel or other protective setting is worth paying for. Citrine is 7 on the scale and, like amethyst, can fade if it spends a long time in strong sun, so put it away somewhere shaded when you aren't wearing it. Both clean up well in warm soapy water with a soft brush.

Giving a November stone

A Katlang pink topaz is a memorable gift with a story from close to home. Citrine is cheerful and affordable, good for a first gemstone piece or a bold pendant.

Why topaz gets called pukhraj

The November pairings come from the Western tradition. In Vedic practice, yellow topaz and citrine are both worn as cheaper substitutes for yellow sapphire, the true pukhraj, which is linked with Jupiter. That is why yellow topaz so often goes by that name here. Substitutes like these are picked by chart and budget, not birth month. Read more in gemstones by rashi and our birthstone guide.

Ordering from Authentic Gems

Each topaz and citrine we list is photographed as it is, weighed and priced on its own, with any known treatment stated. Have a look at the topaz collection or the citrine collection. We dispatch from Karachi, where delivery usually takes 1 to 2 working days, with other cities a little longer. You pay Cash on Delivery once you've inspected the stone, and you can return it within 7 days if it isn't right. Interested in Katlang material? Ask us on WhatsApp.