Lemon Quartz Gemstones - A stone of fresh lemons
Introduction
In the quartz family, there is one unusual gemstone that has the color of citrus fruits. There is one quartz gemstone called Citrine which has a string golden yellow color, which remind one of the color of the sunset. However, lemon quartz has a strong resemblance to the fresh lemons that you find in a lemon grove during the summer. They have a very sensitive tone, which is particularly suited for jewelry designs for ladies, but it is also great for making cufflinks for men.
The main difference between citrine and lemon quartz is the tone and saturation of the color. In fact, there are many gemstone dealers who have a very hard time trying to tell the difference between the two. They therefore use the name citrine for the yellow variety of quartz. This is a gem that is quite vibrant when it is set into yellow gold. When it is set in white gold or silver, it tends to steal the show from these precious metals.
The quartz named for this gemstone comes from the Greek word Krustallos, which means ice. The lemon part of the name comes from the English language due to its color alone. It may be the reason why some people favor this gemstone over its sister, which has a name that is derived from the French word Citrine.
When cutting lemon quartz, it is best that the cutter studies the gemstone and sees how to maximize the fantastic brilliance of the gemstone; most cutters will add a concave cut at the pavilion in order to bring out its fiery nature. There are other people who would order that the gemstone be cut as a cabochon, especially when in large sizes.
Some more about lemon quartz gemstones
This is a refreshingly tangy and cheerful gemstone which has a very attractive color of orange. This is why this is a great gemstone to be included in any fashion that has yellow as the main color. This is a member of the quartz family but should never be confused with the citrine gemstone, also of the same family. The citrine tends to be more golden in color than the lemon quartz. This is a gemstone that is mainly found in Brazil. However Sri Lanka, Uruguay and South Africa are also rich in many minerals and lemon quartz is among them. This is a gemstone that is mainly found in large sized crystals, and it is therefore ideal for bold jewelry that sports large stones. This is a great gemstone for all those who love making fashion statements that make them stand out from the rest.
The Bohemian styles in fashion do welcome the allure of yellow colors and this is also a trend that can be found in geometric designs of fashion and jewelry. Yellow is often combined with other warm tones, such as orange, pink or red, and they make fantastic designs which have a paisley motif, or any fashion that comes from the Far East. Fashionistas are also enthralled by hues that are bright and yellow and they prefer these to be made into fashion that was very popular in the 1940s to 1960s. The fact that this gemstone is very affordable and the vivacious nature of its color make the lemon quartz a great gemstone for accessorizing fashion that is bright in nature.
The lemon quartz owes its name to the refreshing and vibrant yellow color, as mentioned earlier and it is quite an unusual gemstone with a surprisingly high quality. It has a dazzling and radiating beauty especially when it is faceted and the light bounces off the facets making a bright display of light. The color is due to the iron in the crystals which tends to breech the color centers of the stone. The color tome and saturation of the colors are what makes the main difference between citrine and lemon quartz.
Caring for lemon quartz gemstone
This is a gemstone that is rated as great for everyday wear. What one has to bear in mind is that the gem should not be exposed to direct sunlight and should not be placed near a lot of heat; these tend to fade the color of the gemstone. One should also stop the gemstone from coming into contact with any chemicals. In order to clean the gemstone, one should simply scrub it gently using a toothbrush and use a mild solutions of dish soap and warm water. You can also use a home ultrasonic cleaning unit to clean it.
More facts about lemon quartz
The lemon quartz is also known as the Oro Verde Quartz and has a bright yellow color. The key separations of the gemstone are the refractive index of 1.544 to 1.553 and is very constant, a birefringence of 0.0009. It has an optical figure and optical character which is described as uniaxial. After looking at the gemstone carefully, you will find Brazil-Law twinning which is a key factor that separates the lemon quartz from another similar mineral known as scapolite. The lemon color of this gemstone is caused by irradiation, and it has a transparent to translucent clarity. This is a gemstone that is doubly refractive and the fluorescence under long and short wave ultraviolet light is generally inert. It has a very weak pleochroic nature as to be inconsequential. And has a strong dispersion but weak fire value.
This is a gemstone that is basically described as silica and has a Trigonal crystal system. This is a gemstone with a hardness value of 7 on the Mohs scale and has a white streak. It has a specific gravity of 2.64 to 2.69, but basically 2.66. It is quite a tough gemstone.
The lemon quartz is said to be a type I clarity gemstone and it has some zoning in the stone which are said to resemble the stripes on a tiger or a zebra. The stones may also contain other crystals, negative crystals and liquid inclusions. There are also some two-phase inclusions, and some fractures that may have only partially healed. The gemstone has a vitreous luster and is quite stable. It has a conchoidal fracture and a cleavage that is poor or nonexistent at times.
For those who love to wear bright clothes, then the lemon quartz would make a very fine fashion accessory to add to your jewelry. One can only imagine how brilliant it would look when worn as a ring or brooch to a cocktail party, where it could complement the color of the champagne or other drinks. It is great for complementing the skin color too, and makes it seem to glow unusually.
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