Field report · 681
Citrine vs heat-treated amethyst: how to tell them apart
Most commercial citrine isn't citrine at all — it's amethyst that's been baked. Here's how to tell the difference.
Natural citrine — quartz with iron impurities that give it a yellow-to-orange color — is uncommon in the wild. The vast majority of citrine sold globally is heat-treated amethyst, and the trade has decided this is fine to call "citrine" without further disclosure. We disagree, and we disclose treatment on every listing. Here's how to tell the difference yourself.
Color zoning is the giveaway
Natural citrine has uniform color throughout the crystal. Heat-treated amethyst typically shows color zoning — bands of slightly different intensity or hue, sometimes with a white or smoky core. Hold the stone up to strong light and rotate it.
Color hue is different
Natural citrine tends toward a true yellow or yellow-orange (sometimes called "madeira" when deep). Heat-treated amethyst usually has a slightly redder or browner cast — a "burnt orange" rather than "lemon yellow." Once you've seen a few of each, the difference becomes obvious.
Origin labels are a hint
Almost all natural citrine on the market comes from Brazil (specifically Rio Grande do Sul) and Madagascar. Heat-treated amethyst-citrine often comes labeled "Brazilian citrine" with no other origin detail. "Bahia citrine," "ametrine" (a natural amethyst-citrine mix from Bolivia), and "Madeira citrine" are usually natural; generic "citrine" without origin is usually treated.
Price is the strongest signal
Natural citrine in any size above 5 carats is genuinely scarce and commands a premium — typically $40-150 per carat for cleaned, faceted material. If you're seeing 10-carat citrine cabochons for $30, it's treated amethyst.
Does it matter?
For appearance and durability, treated amethyst-citrine performs identically to natural citrine. The heat treatment is stable — it won't fade or revert. The question is whether disclosure matters to you. The trade convention says "if it's universal, don't disclose," which we think gets the convention exactly wrong. Treatment information belongs on every listing. We list both natural and treated, but the listing always says which.