How do I care for my citrine jewellery?

Gemstones take centuries to emerge from the earth. But some can be ruined with just a few hours of exposure to sunlight, perfume or water. Here’s how to care for your citrine jewellery.

What is citrine?

Citrine is a quartz stone with a beautiful yellow hue. It’s a hugely popular manifestation stone, and prized as ‘the sunshine stone’ because it’s thought to bring joy and abundance.

How hard is citrine?

The hardness of crystals and gemstones is ranked on what’s called a Mohs scale. A high rank on the Mohs scale means a gemstone or crystal is very hard. A low score means it is very soft, and could be damaged by light, scratches or water.

Citrine ranks at a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness. That means citrine is fairly hard, and suited for all kinds of jewellery, including rings. Citrine has lots of potential for catching and reflecting light, called ‘brilliance’, which makes it beautiful stone to choose to wear as jewellery.

How do I care for my citrine jewellery?

With a robust Mohs score, your citrine crystal is unlikely to crack or shatter. But as a quartz, its colour can fade if left in sunlight. Citrine can be washed in water, but try to be quick about it — regular exposure to water can cause tiny cracks to develop in the stone.

You’ll also want to be mindful of the fastings, which are the bits and pieces that make the stones a complete piece of jewellery. Cunningfolk citrine jewellery is strung on 100% real silk. To preserve the silk, set your citrine jewellery aside when you shower or go swimming.

Many pieces of citrine jewellery will also use gold filled, gold plated or gold vermeil clasps. These can tarnish, so try to avoid showering or swimming with your citrine jewellery on.

Citrine jewellery from Cunningfolk can be washed quickly in warm, soapy water, then rinsed and hung to dry. Check our blog for incense blends and rituals to recharge the magical properties of your gemstones.