November has two birthstones: topaz and citrine. Topaz occurs in golden, pink, blue and other colors and measures 8 on the Mohs scale; citrine is a yellow to brownish-orange quartz, often made by heating amethyst.
The harder November birthstone is the more fragile one. Topaz measures 8 on the Mohs scale, but it has “poor toughness” because of a cleavage plane, and “a hard blow might split it,” according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Citrine, at 7, has good toughness and suits everyday rings.
Most blue topaz does not come out of the ground blue: it is made by “treating colorless topaz with irradiation and heating.” Natural, unheated citrine is uncommon; much citrine on the market is heat-treated amethyst.
Table of Contents
What are the November birthstones?
Topaz and citrine are both official November birthstones on the U.S. and British lists. The table compares them.
| Property | Topaz | Citrine |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral | Topaz | Quartz (yellow to brownish-orange variety) |
| Mohs hardness | 8 | 7 |
| Toughness | Poor (basal cleavage) | Good |
| Colors | Colorless, light blue, yellow, orange, pink, violet, brown; very rarely red | Yellow to brownish orange |
| Main sources | Brazil (Minas Gerais), Pakistan (Ghundao Hill, pink), Namibia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, United States, Russia | Bolivia (Anahà mine, natural citrine and ametrine), Brazil, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico, Uruguay |
| Wedding anniversaries | 4th (blue topaz); 23rd (Imperial topaz) | 13th |
| Zodiac signs for November birthdays | Scorpio (to about November 21) and Sagittarius (from about November 22) | Same |
Why does November have two birthstones?
Topaz is the traditional November stone; citrine was added to the U.S. list in 1952 as a similarly colored, more affordable alternative. November is one of the three months where the U.S. and UK lists match exactly; the full comparison is in the Birthstones by Month chart.
November birthstone colors
The classic November birthstone color is golden yellow to orange, but topaz also comes in blue, pink and colorless. Blue is the most widely sold topaz color today, because it is produced from abundant colorless topaz. The table shows the main color options.
| Stone | Color | How the color forms |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial topaz | Pinkish orange | Natural; carries “aristocratic cachet” |
| Golden and yellow topaz | Yellow to orange-brown | Natural; brownish colors can fade in prolonged sunlight |
| Pink topaz | Pink | Natural (Ghundao Hill, Pakistan) or heat-treated |
| Blue topaz | Light to deep blue | Colorless topaz treated with irradiation and heating |
| Mystic Topaz | Rainbow surface effect | Artificial coating on colorless topaz |
| Citrine | Yellow to brownish orange | Natural, or heat treatment of amethyst |
Why citrine is often heated amethyst
Citrine and amethyst are both quartz, and heating purple amethyst can turn it yellow or orange. GIA describes citrine as often resulting from “heat treatment of amethyst.” Bolivia’s Anahà mine is a notable source of natural, unheated citrine, and it also produces ametrine, a single crystal with purple amethyst and yellow citrine zones. The February Birthstone guide covers amethyst.
Blue topaz vs. aquamarine: telling November and March birthstones apart
| Feature | Blue topaz (November) | Aquamarine (March) |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral | Topaz | Beryl |
| Mohs hardness | 8 | 7.5–8 |
| Origin of color | Irradiation and heating of colorless topaz | Natural; often heat-treated to be bluer |
| Typical blue | Sky blue to deep, saturated blue | Pale to medium greenish blue |
| Birthstone guide | This page | March Birthstone |
November birthstone meaning and history
Topaz’s name may come from the Sanskrit tapas, meaning “fire,” or the Greek topazos; citrine’s from the French citron, meaning lemon. GIA records this history:
| Stone | History and lore |
|---|---|
| Topaz | Ancient Greeks believed it gave strength |
| Topaz | Medieval Europeans thought it “could thwart magic spells and dispel anger” |
| Topaz | Brazil’s Minas Gerais has been mined for topaz for more than 200 years |
| Citrine | Popular since ancient times; especially favored in colorful Scottish jewelry of the Victorian era |
These beliefs are folklore; they describe tradition, not gemological properties.
Choosing and caring for a November birthstone
Choose citrine for an everyday ring and topaz for pendants, earrings and protected settings. Topaz is harder, but its cleavage makes it more likely to split from a knock. GIA gives these care rules:
- Topaz: clean with warm, soapy water only; never use steam or ultrasonic cleaners. Protect it from hard blows, high heat and sudden temperature changes. Keep yellow and brown topaz out of prolonged sunlight, which can fade them (GIA topaz care).
- Coated topaz: avoid abrasive cleaners and buffing wheels, which remove surface coatings such as Mystic Topaz.
- Citrine: warm, soapy water is safest; ultrasonic cleaners are generally safe except for dyed or fracture-filled stones; never steam-clean, because “citrine should not be subjected to heat” (GIA citrine care).
- Both: avoid abrupt temperature changes, and keep citrine away from hydrofluoric acid, ammonium fluoride and alkaline solutions.
What the November birthstone is not
The November birthstones are often misunderstood. The points below separate the facts.
- Topaz is not only yellow. It occurs in blue, pink, colorless, violet and brown.
- Blue topaz is not usually natural blue. It is typically produced by irradiating and heating colorless topaz.
- Citrine is not a different mineral from amethyst. Both are quartz.
- The harder stone is not the tougher one. Topaz (8) splits more easily than citrine (7).
Frequently asked questions
What color is the November birthstone?
The November birthstone is golden yellow to orange for citrine and traditional topaz, but topaz also comes in blue, pink and colorless, and blue topaz is the most widely sold.
Which November birthstone is better for a ring?
Citrine is better for an everyday ring, because it has good toughness. Topaz is harder, at 8 on the Mohs scale, but its cleavage makes it more likely to split from a hard knock.
What anniversary is topaz for?
Blue topaz is given for the 4th wedding anniversary and Imperial topaz for the 23rd; citrine marks the 13th, according to GIA.
