Amethyst Crystal with Natural Citrine
A beautifully polished amethyst crystal naturally included with citrine.
This rare combination occurs under specific geological conditions.
Amethyst's tantalising colour comes from iron impurities irradiated during the crystal's formation.
Citrine forms when amethyst is heated, usually by natural geological processes or environmental factors. This causes the iron to oxidise, which turns the crystals yellow.
This change can also occur when amethyst is heated in a conventional oven. Due to the rarity of citrine, most stones being sold are heat-treated amethyst.
In this crystal, the citrine is subtle and can only be seen when the amethyst is illuminated.
Being heavily included, it's more translucent towards the tip. The base has less colour because of how amethyst crystals form.
This characteristic is useful for identifying when amethyst has been heated to produce citrine because the white quartz doesn't change colour.
Some iridescence can be seen in this crystal as it catches the light at just the right angle.
In our last photo, this amethyst crystal is on the left.
Amazonite
