November Birthstones

November birthstones include imperial topaz and its less-expensive alternative, citrine, in the western tradition, along with smoky quartz. Pearl is the November birthstone in the mystical/Tibetan tradition. You can read more about pearl HERE.

The most traditional birthstone is golden yellow "imperial" topaz, beloved of Russian royalty - at one time it was forbidden for commoners to wear this gemstone! The famous Russian gemstones were from the Ural Mountains. Today, imperial topaz comes mostly from Brazil, but there are beautiful crystals available from other locations, such as Juab County, Utah, and Zambia.

Imperial topaz is a semi-precious stone; you can find jewelry made with this beautiful mineral in your favorite fine jewelry store. At Taos Rockers we have beautiful specimens of imperial topaz, but no jewelry. You can read more about imperial topaz HERE.

Why choose imperial topaz? In addition to its rich color and sparkle, it is considered by energy workers to be a “stone of true love and success in all endeavors.” It is held to store energy and information that can be tapped into, and to enhance relaxation, lightness of spirit, and feelings of peace.

Imperial topaz jewelry is typically very costly, so the alternative traditional birthstone is citrine. Its  color ranges from pale yellow (natural citrine) to the burnt orange tones of Madeira citrine (named after the fortified Portuguese wine).

Citrine is the variety of quartz with yellow to gold coloration. Natural citrine is a pale gold color and relatively rare; the color is due to natural irradiation. Much citrine on the market is a deeper golden color; often this is created by irradiation of amethyst with pale coloring. You can read more about citrine HERE.

Citrine is perhaps the sunniest mineral, known for bringing positivity, self-confidence and courage. It also supports the creation and accumulation of wealth. Place it in the central area of your home, or your desk at work, to encourage vitality and health.

Place it in the cash register at work to bring greater vitality to your business. It can also be placed in the wealth corner of a room, house or workspace to encourage a healthy flow of money and other forms of abundance. The wealth corner is found in the far left corner of the space when standing at the entrance of the room or house.

The other traditional birthstone for November is smoky quartz, the cairngorm of Scotland. You can read more about smoky quartz HERE.