November Birthstone
November's two birthstones are the gem world's great warm-toned pair: topaz, the traditional stone whose finest 'imperial' shades glow orange-pink like a sunset, and citrine, the golden yellow quartz added to give November buyers an affordable everyday option. On a chart they look interchangeable — two yellow stones — but they are entirely different minerals with different hardness, different sources and very different price ladders.
That mix-up is ancient: for most of history 'topaz' simply meant any golden stone, and plenty of antique 'topaz' jewelry is actually citrine. This page unpicks the pair properly — what each one is, which color counts as November's, how the confusion started, and what to check before paying topaz prices.
The November birthstones
An aluminium fluorosilicate that grows glassy, hard crystals — 8 on the Mohs scale, the hardest silicate mineral on the birthstone chart. Pure topaz is colorless; trace elements and natural irradiation give it sherry gold, pink and blue tints. The celebrated form is imperial topaz from Ouro Preto, Brazil: orange to pink-orange, mined commercially almost nowhere else. Nearly all the cheap blue topaz in chain stores is colorless topaz turned blue by irradiation — real topaz, treated color.
The yellow-to-amber variety of quartz, colored by traces of iron — the same mineral family as amethyst, at 7 on the Mohs scale. Natural citrine is genuinely scarce; most commercial citrine is amethyst gently heated until it turns golden, a stable, centuries-old and accepted practice (much of it around Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Its warmth, size availability and low price made it the obvious 1952 addition beside costly topaz.
What color is the November birthstone?
The November birthstone color is golden yellow — from pale straw through rich amber to the brandy-orange of imperial topaz. Charts and birthstone jewelry represent November with a warm yellow-gold stone, and either topaz or citrine satisfies it.
Both stones range wider than the chart color: topaz also comes colorless, blue (usually treated), pink and sherry; citrine runs lemon to deep 'madeira' orange. If a November gift should look unmistakably 'November,' aim for the golden-to-orange middle of either stone's range.
How November got its birthstones
For most of recorded history 'topaz' was a catch-all for golden gems — the 'topazos' of ancient texts was likely peridot from the Red Sea island of the same name, and medieval 'topaz' could be citrine, sapphire or glass. The name only settled onto today's fluorosilicate mineral in the 18th century, when Brazilian discoveries — above all the imperial topaz of Ouro Preto, named for the Brazilian emperors — gave the stone its own identity.
The 1912 US list gave November to topaz alone; the 1952 revision added citrine, partly to offer an affordable golden stone as topaz prices climbed. The two remain deliberately paired: same color story at two price points, and jewelers still routinely sell citrine under trade names like 'gold topaz' or 'Madeira topaz' — names worth treating as red flags when you're paying for actual topaz.
Choosing & caring for November birthstones
Telling them apart in hand: topaz is noticeably heavier for its size (denser), harder (it scratches quartz — though don't test on a cut stone), and often shows a slippery, glassy feel with perfect cleavage planes; citrine tends toward warmer, softer sparkle. Price sanity checks: genuine imperial topaz costs hundreds per carat; fine natural-color citrine is affordable; any large, cheap 'topaz' in gold tones is almost certainly citrine, and that's fine — as long as it's priced and labeled as citrine. Both wear well in jewelry, but topaz's perfect cleavage means a hard knock can split it — protective settings for rings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the November birthstone?
November has two official birthstones: topaz, the traditional stone on the list since 1912, and citrine, the golden quartz added in the 1952 revision. Either is correct — topaz is the precious pick, citrine the affordable everyday one.
What color is the November birthstone?
Golden yellow — from pale lemon to deep amber-orange. Imperial topaz adds orange-pink at the luxury end; treated blue topaz, though popular, is not the November chart color.
How do I tell topaz from citrine?
Topaz is denser (feels heavier for its size) and harder (Mohs 8 vs 7), with a glassy, slippery luster; citrine is quartz, warmer and lighter. Price is the practical tell: large golden stones sold cheaply are citrine. Trade names like 'gold topaz,' 'Madeira topaz' or 'topaz quartz' actually mean citrine — the word 'quartz' or a suspiciously low price gives it away.
Is blue topaz a November birthstone?
Blue topaz is genuine topaz, so technically yes — but nearly all of it starts as colorless topaz that's irradiated and heated to blue, and blue isn't November's chart color (it's associated with December charts as an alternate). For an unmistakably November stone, choose golden topaz or citrine.
Is most citrine really heated amethyst?
Most commercial citrine, yes — amethyst turns golden when heated, and the treatment is stable, undetectable in wear, and accepted throughout the trade. Natural unheated citrine exists (often paler, smoky-tinged) and commands a premium from collectors. Sellers should disclose treatment when asked.
See the full birthstones-by-month chart or jump to April, August, December, February, January, July, June, March, May, October, September.
Last updated 2026-07-19