Citrine is found in several sultry hues from lemon drop yellow to golden honey and fiery orange like the embers in a camp fire. All of these mesmerizing shades invoke thoughts of the sun from dawn until dusk on a long, hot summer day. Citrine is mined in Brazil, Spain and Bolivia. It is a variety of quartz. Citrine is fairly hard, commanding a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale (diamonds are a 10), so it is a good candidate for jewelry that will be worn on a regular basis. Untreated Citrine is rare. Much of the citrine on the market is heat treated amethyst or occasionally, heat treated smoky quartz. The lovely yellow hue of lemon citrine is achieved by irradiation. If you are fond of sultry sun-splashed citrine, there are four alternative gemstones that are also guaranteed to make you melt:

Fire Opal

If you love the sun-kissed, deep orange hues of citrine, fire opal is the gemstone for you. Fire opal is mined in Mexico, Brazil, Oregon and Ethiopia. It has a Mohs hardness rating of 5.5 to 6 so it is very susceptible to scratching. If you are going to wear fire opal on a daily basis, select pendants or earrings featuring this gemstone rather than bracelets or rings. Bracelets and rings tend to get knocked around more often than pendants or earrings. Fire opal can be impregnated with wax or oil to enhance its attributes. Less often, it can be dyed or stained.

Heliodor

If you love the yellow hues of citrine, heliodor is alternative gemstone for you. Heliodor is the golden variety of beryl and is named after the Greek word for “sun.” Its luscious pale yellow to golden  hues are typically enhanced by irradiation. Heliodor is mined in the United States, Brazil, Russia, Madagascar and Namibia. It is also found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Heliodor has a Mohs hardness rating of 7.5 to 8 so it can be worn on a daily basis without worry of scratches or other damage.

Orange and Yellow Sapphire

Orange and yellow sapphires will captivate all those who love any of the sun-drenched hues of citrine. Orange and yellow sapphires are mined extensively in Africa, Tanzania, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Like all sapphire, orange and yellow sapphires have a Mohs hardness rating of 9, so they are perfect for jewelry that will be worn on a daily basis without worry about scratches or incidental damage. Orange and yellow sapphires usually undergo color enhancement. This is accomplished by heat treatment or lattice diffusion whereby chemicals are infused within the sapphire’s surface layers.

Orange and Yellow Zircon

Zircon is another gorgeous gemstone that can have sultry yellow and orange hues like citrine. It also has exceptional fire, almost as brilliant as that of diamonds.  It is mined extensively in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Tanzania and Thailand. Zircon has a Mohs hardness rating of 6 to 7.5. It can be worn everyday as long as you avoid rough handling that might cause scratches. Orange and yellow zircon may be heat treated to enhance color.

If you love the sunny hues of citrine, consider adding some captivating alternative gemstones to your collection. Fire opal and heliodor are gorgeous, sun-drenched gemstones that could easily pass for sultry citrine. Orange and yellow sapphires and zircon are also irresistible sun-kissed alternatives to citrine.