Citrine color chart: shades, names and which color is finest
By HeyGema™ · Updated
In short
Citrine is transparent quartz from pale yellow to brownish orange. GIA calls a deep brownish or reddish orange the top-selling shade. A round 1 carat citrine measures about 7.1 mm.
- 4shades on the chart
- 7.1 mm1 carat, round
- 7hardness (Mohs)
Citrine colors
Citrine is transparent quartz from pale yellow to brownish orange.
- Pale yellowA light stone.
- Golden yellowA typical stone.
- OrangeA strong orange.
- Deep reddish or brownish orangeThe top-selling shade, according to GIA.
The swatches are illustrations picked to match the color names. Screens and light change how color looks, and a cut stone changes with the light, so judge a stone in person or from a daylight photo.
Which citrine color is finest
GIA calls a deep brownish or reddish orange the top-selling shade. Its buying guide describes the finest as saturated with little brown, from yellow to reddish orange.
How gemologists describe color
Gemologists describe the color of a stone with hue, tone and saturation, and look at the three together. For colored stones they also look at how evenly the color is spread.
- Hue
- The color you would name, such as blue, green or red, or a blend such as bluish green.
- Tone
- How light or dark that color looks, from pale to very dark.
- Saturation
- How strong or pure the color looks, from dull (grayish or brownish) to vivid.
- Evenness
- How evenly the color is spread through the stone. Color zoning is uneven color, such as bands or patches you can see.
Colored stones have no single color scale like the D to Z scale for diamonds, so sellers use their own words. Ask for a daylight photo and for the size in mm as well as the carat weight.
What affects citrine color
- Treatments
- Natural citrine is rare. Most citrine on the market is heat-treated amethyst, and the treatment is nearly impossible to identify. Bolivia's Anahi mine is cited as a source of natural, unheated citrine.
- Wear and care
- Citrine is quartz, so it is hard enough for everyday wear.
Citrine color and size
GIA says citrine comes in a wide range of sizes, up to about 20 carats. Carat is weight, not size. A round 1 carat citrine measures about 7.1 mm, against 6.5 mm for a diamond of the same weight. This table gives the face-up size of a well-cut citrine.
- 1 ct
- Round: 7.1 mm
- Oval: 8.8 x 6.0 mm
- Cushion: 6.2 x 6.2 mm
- 2 ct
- Round: 8.9 mm
- Oval: 11.1 x 7.6 mm
- Cushion: 7.8 x 7.8 mm
- 3 ct
- Round: 10.2 mm
- Oval: 12.7 x 8.7 mm
- Cushion: 8.9 x 8.9 mm
- 5 ct
- Round: 12.1 mm
- Oval: 15.0 x 10.3 mm
- Cushion: 10.5 x 10.5 mm
- 10 ct
- Round: 15.3 mm
- Oval: 18.9 x 13.0 mm
- Cushion: 13.3 x 13.3 mm
- 20 ct
- Round: 19.2 mm
- Oval: 23.9 x 16.4 mm
- Cushion: 16.7 x 16.7 mm
See the full citrine size chart for every shape, or use the carat to mm calculator for any weight.
Citrine properties
- Hardness (Mohs)
- Value: 7
- Refractive index
- Value: 1.544 to 1.553
- Specific gravity
- Value: 2.65
A yellow to orange quartz. Light, so it faces up much bigger than a diamond of the same weight.
How to compare citrine stones
- Look at each stone in daylight and under indoor light. Color shifts with the light.
- Ask for the size in mm as well as the carat weight. A citrine of the same weight can differ in size by shape and cut.
- Ask whether the color is natural or treated, and ask for the answer in writing.
- For a stone that matters, ask for an independent lab report.
Designing with a colored stone? HeyGema lets you choose the stone shade and renders your design with it.