“True citrine” will have bright colors when viewed in the bluish glare of direct sunlight, or even when shaded under a tree. Bright yellow and bright gold citrine quartz are rare finds, especially if the crystal is water clear.
“Smoky Citrine” changes its appearance, depending on the light bulb positions around it. Outdoors, it generally looks tan, brown or nearly black when the sun hits its front facets. To see a magic color change, hold the citrine directly between you and the bright sun, which acts like an intense spot light. The tan crystal now looks gold, while the colors and density of the quartz protect your eyes from the bright light. Since the sun is SO bright (and dangerous to look at), try back-lighting your smoky citrine with a small desk lamp, spot light, or even a candle. The color changes are amazing. I recommend back lighting ALL colored crystals to see the range of tones in different lighting conditions. The darker the stone, the more important it is to pump lots of light through it. Even black quartz picks up beautiful color palettes when a strong light is behind it.
“Smoky Citrine” changes its appearance, depending on the light bulb positions around it. Outdoors, it generally looks tan, brown or nearly black when the sun hits its front facets. To see a magic color change, hold the citrine directly between you and the bright sun, which acts like an intense spot light. The tan crystal now looks gold, while the colors and density of the quartz protect your eyes from the bright light. Since the sun is SO bright (and dangerous to look at), try back-lighting your smoky citrine with a small desk lamp, spot light, or even a candle. The color changes are amazing. I recommend back lighting ALL colored crystals to see the range of tones in different lighting conditions. The darker the stone, the more important it is to pump lots of light through it. Even black quartz picks up beautiful color palettes when a strong light is behind it.
