Unlike most months, November has two birthstones. This is because both gemstones were found in the antiquity on the same Mediterranean island, Topazinos, and possess similar qualities.

People kept confusing the two, so when the jewelers settled the birthstones, they’ve given November both imperial topaz and citrine.

Most topaz stones come in brown, yellow, yellow-gold, and orange, which are strikingly similar with those of the citrine. Thanks to its numerous other colors, this gem is easily mistaken for other precious stone.

For instance, The Imperial topaz, with a reddish-orange color, looks strikingly similar with the Padparadscha sapphire.

November Birthstone - Topaz

The November birthstone has an impressive list of magical properties attributed to it. It was thought to prevent colds and other diseases, strengthen breathing, control angry passions, enhance creativity, increase understanding, bring relaxation, restore energy, and help in tissue regeneration.

In medieval times, it was believed that topaz would bring wisdom to its bearer, which explains why it was so common to give topaz jewels to heads of state, ambassadors and other officials.

One of 20th century’s important discoveries was the blue topaz, which is not found in nature. Instead, the technology made it possible to irradiate a transparent topaz in such a way that it’ll turn to blue.

The more intense the color, the more valuable the stone.

Citrine

The November birthstone is pretty delicate, so it needs special care. When purchasing, make sure there are mounting that protect the stone in case it is dropped. To clean it, it’s sufficient to use cold water and soap.