Are This Citrine and Green Aventurine Real or Fake?

Most citrine sold today is heat-treated amethyst — real quartz with a Mohs hardness of 7, but not the naturally occurring yellow crystal most buyers picture. The fastest home check is a scratch test: citrine at Mohs 7 scratches glass easily, and any bead that fails is not quartz.

Last updated: September 11, 2026

By Mara Ellison · Founding Editor, Dusk & Relic Journal

What Does 'Fake' Citrine Actually Mean?

Citrine has two separate faking problems. The first is glass or plastic passed off as stone — the USGS lists glass, plastics, and other materials as substitutes for natural gemstones in its 2026 Mineral Commodity Summaries. The second, far more common, is heat-treated amethyst sold under the name citrine without disclosure.

Heat-treated amethyst is real quartz. Citrine and amethyst share a Mohs hardness of 7 and a specific gravity of 2.651, according to the International Gem Society. The dispute around heat-treated citrine is about labeling honesty, not whether the material is genuine stone.

Sunstruck · $115. View this piece’s details →

How Do You Test Citrine at Home?

I'd start with the scratch test — it takes seconds and eliminates glass. Citrine at Mohs 7 scratches glass with no effort. If a bead cannot scratch a glass plate, that bead is not quartz. One limitation: the scratch test does not separate natural citrine from heat-treated amethyst, since both measure Mohs 7.

After the scratch test, look inside the bead. Natural quartz shows color zoning and multi-phase inclusions, per the International Gem Society. A perfectly uniform, bubble-free interior is more consistent with glass. Comparing what real quartz inclusions look like at the bead level against the smooth interior of glass is the most dependable visual method.

What Numbers Should a Gemologist Check?

A gemologist checks two values to confirm quartz. Citrine has a refractive index of 1.544–1.553 and a specific gravity of 2.651, per the International Gem Society. Amethyst and clear quartz show the same numbers, which is why heat-treated amethyst passes every standard lab test as genuine quartz.

If you are buying online and cannot test in person, knowing which visual signs in product photos separate real citrine beads from glass is the next best filter when lab instruments are not available.

Does Heat-Treated Citrine Fade?

Heat-treated citrine may fade when exposed to heat, according to the International Gem Society. Leaving a citrine bracelet near a car windshield or a radiator for extended periods can shift the color toward a paler shade.

Natural citrine is more color-stable because the iron that produces the yellow was set during geological formation. If color permanence matters, asking a seller whether the citrine is natural or heated is the right question — not whether the stone is "real." A bracelet like Dusk & Citrine (10–11.5 mm, $95) uses beads large enough that gradual color shifts stay hard to spot.

What Should a Citrine Bracelet Cost?

Bead size is the biggest price driver after stone grade. Sunstruck (8 mm, $115) has the smallest beads at the highest price. Dusk & Citrine (10–11.5 mm, $95) sits at a mid-range diameter. Happiness Is (11 mm, $90) has the largest beads and the lowest price in this group.

Bead grade and bead size are the main factors behind what drives the price gap between natural and heated citrine bracelets, so comparing those two numbers before shopping is worth the effort.

Why Is Citrine Hard to Authenticate Without Testing?

The U.S. imported 99% of its gemstones by apparent consumption every year from 2021 through 2025, according to USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries. Most citrine passes through multiple middlemen before reaching a retail bracelet, and each handoff is a point where origin data can be lost.

Physical testing — hardness and specific gravity, plus visible inclusions — matters more than seller claims. A citrine bead that measures Mohs 7 and shows a specific gravity of 2.651 with visible color zoning is verified quartz, no matter what the listing said. Bracelets like Happiness Is (11 mm, $90) should pass all of these checks if the stones are real.

FAQ

Can heat-treated citrine still scratch glass?

Yes. Heat-treated or not, citrine is quartz with a Mohs hardness of 7, which means citrine scratches glass easily. The scratch test catches glass fakes but does not distinguish natural citrine from heated amethyst.

Is heat-treated amethyst considered fake citrine?

Heat-treated amethyst is real quartz with the same hardness and specific gravity as natural citrine, plus a refractive index of 1.544–1.553. The issue is whether a seller discloses the heat treatment, not whether the stone is genuine.

Will my citrine bracelet fade over time?

Heat-treated citrine may fade when exposed to heat, per the International Gem Society. Natural citrine is more color-stable. Storing the bracelet away from heat sources when not wearing it is the simplest precaution.

What specific gravity should real citrine have?

Citrine has a specific gravity of 2.651, the same as all quartz varieties including amethyst and clear quartz. A gemologist measures specific gravity with a hydrostatic balance.

Can glass be sold as citrine?

The USGS lists glass, plastics, and other materials as common substitutes for natural gemstones. A bead that cannot scratch glass is not quartz, since all quartz varieties register Mohs 7. The scratch test is the fastest way to catch glass substitutes.

Why is citrine called the merchant's stone?

In crystal lore, citrine is traditionally associated with prosperity and self-belief. Many collectors use this name based on long-standing tradition. The label is a cultural association, not a tested property of the mineral.

What refractive index should citrine show on a refractometer?

Citrine shows a refractive index of 1.544–1.553, per the International Gem Society. The reading confirms the bead is quartz but cannot distinguish between natural and heat-treated citrine.