Topaz

Brazil is the the largest producer of all topaz worldwide, but it is also mined in Russia, Zimbabwe, Germany and the USA. It is the official stone for the states of Utah and Texas.

Topaz is a fairly common and inexpensive gemstone.

Pure topaz is colourless and transparent but is usually tinted by impurities.  Naturally occurring topaz is often golden brown to yellow and is sometimes confused with the less valuable gemstone citrine. Other colours are wine red, pale grey, reddish-orange, pale green, or very rarely pink.

Natural blue topaz is incredibly rare and almost always very pale. Colourless topaz is irradiated and heat-treated to artificially create the hues known as “London blue” and “Swiss blue. Diffusion treatment (heating with a coating of an element such as beryllium) creates a light blue. These treatments are stable and it will not fade or deteriorate over time.

Imperial topaz is yellow, pink or pink-orange. The pink and red varieties come from chromium replacing aluminium in its crystalline structure. Brazilian imperial topaz can often have a bright yellow to deep golden brown hue, sometimes even violet.  Many brown or pale topaz are treated to make them bright yellow, gold, pink or violet coloured. Some imperial topaz stones can fade on exposure to sunlight for an extended period of time.

Mystic topaz is colourless topaz which has been artificially coated via a vapour deposition process giving it a rainbow effect on its surface.

Topaz is also a plechroic gemstone. This means it can have varied colour intensity when viewed at different angles.

Topaz can be opaque to translucent to transparent depending on the impurities.  It can form in very large sizes and tends to be naturally free of inclusions.

Blue Topaz is known as the stone of good fortune, and good health. The stone is acclaimed for emotional healing, combating stress and encouraging feelings of relaxation and peace. It promotes self confidence, self-realization, openness, honesty, and self-control. It can also make people more receptive to affection and love from various sources.

Blue topaz enhances metabolism, decreases anxiety and helps to combat eating issues such as anorexia and bulimia. It also eases pains related to arthritis, inflammations, and discomforts.

In traditional Indian belief systems, topaz is said to unlock the throat chakra, which facilitates communication and self-expression.

Topaz is a hard (8 on the Moh’s scale) and durable gemstone, and will not dissolve in most chemical solvents.  However, it does have perfect cleavage which can make it prone to chipping or forming flaws if it receives a sharp impact along a particular plane.

Care should be taken when storing them with other gems and jewelry as topaz can scratch softer gemstones and be scratched by harder gems such as sapphire.  If possible, wrap them individually in a soft cloth or place them separately inside a fabric-lined jewelry box to prevent stones from rubbing against each other.  Use only a mild soap or detergent and warm to room-temperature water to wipe down your stones with a soft cloth or brush.