Amethyst Crystal with Natural Citrine
A beautifully polished amethyst crystal with inclusions of natural citrine.
This rare combination occurs naturally under specific geological conditions.
Amethyst's tantalising colour comes from iron impurities that have been 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 and the purple to turn yellow.
This change can also occur when amethyst is heated in a conventional oven. Due to the rarity of natural citrine, much of the citrine sold on the market is heat-treated amethyst.
In this translucent crystal, the citrine is subtle and can only be seen when the amethyst is well illuminated.
Being heavily included, this amethyst crystal is more translucent towards the tip, and the base exhibits less purple colour, which is typical for an amethyst crystal.
This colour zoning is useful when amethyst has been heated to produce citrine because the colourless or white quartz remains visible, even after the purple turns yellow.
Some iridescence can be seen in this crystal as it catches the light at just the right angle.
AMAZONITE
