Topaz Gemstone is an amazing blue coloured, semi-precious gemstone from the Topaz mineral family. Its name comes from the Sanskrit word “tapas,” meaning fire. Topaz is found in various colours, such as red, orange, pink, yellow, purple, blue, green, and colourless.
Due to its exquisite range of colour, topaz is jewellers favourite and is used in many pieces of jewellery like earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and pendants. It’s a symbol of affection and passion and has been said to help one’s sweetness and disposition.
General Information:
| Varieties / Types | Imperial Topaz, Mystic Topaz |
| Chemical Formula | Al2 SiO4 (OH, F)2 |
| Mohs Hardness | 8 |
| Specific Gravity | 3.46 to 3.57 |
| Fracture | Conchoidal |
| Inclusions in Topaz | Liquid inclusions, two- and three-phase inclusions, healing cracks, needle-like crystals. |
| Topaz Treatments | Irradiation, followed by heat-treatment, produces most blue colours. Irradiation also produces yellow, orange, red, brownish, pinkish and greenish colours: often unstable, may fade upon direct exposure to sunlight. Coated entirely or partially: may show peeled coating at facet junctions, iridescence, spotty colouration. Some surface-treatments are removed only with acids. |
Crystallography of Topaz:
| Crystal System | Orthorhombic |
| Habit | Prisms with multi-faceted ends, often 8-sided in cross-section striations along the length. |
Colour:
The primary concern when it comes to Topaz’s actual value is the intensity of colour, and the rareness of a particular hue, especially in untreated form. All other things being aside, treated stones in blue shades are the most common while pink and intense yellows are the rarest. Antique Topaz tends to have brown shades, which were more common before the introduction of heat treatment, a method by which colourless stones are changed to blue shades. Swiss Blue, London Blue Topaz, and Sky Blue all have blue shades produced by heat treatment.
| Colour | Colourless, yellow, yellow-brown, reddish-brown, blue, green, pink, red, violet |
| Transparency | Transparent |
| Lustre | Vitreous |
Clarity:
Facet grade topaz is one of the rare gemstones which can usually be found “eye clean,” meaning without ‘inclusions’. If the clarity is weak, the stone tends to look milky and opaque. These types of heavily included topaz will probably be used as beads in less expensive jewellery; it is the really clear topaz that is fashioned into more expensive jewellery.
Cut:
Because topaz crystals are usually columnar or elongated, they’re often cut as long pear or oval shapes to improve yield. If the rough is richly coloured, the cutter often chooses the emerald cut because this cutting form maximizes colour and preserves the most weight. It is cut in a wide variety of shapes and forms. Production includes all the standard shapes such as ovals, pears, rounds, cushions, triangles, marquise, emerald cuts as well as designer-inspired fantasy shapes. Cutting styles are also well represented. Step cuts with concentric rows of identical facets, Brilliant cuts with triangular and kite-shaped facets, and mixed cuts usually consisting of step-cut pavilions and brilliant-cut crowns are all very common.
Carat:
Conventional topaz cuts for the jewellery industry include a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The gem is reasonable in smaller sizes, but prices rise for gems above ten carats.
| Heaviest (rough) | 37 kg (El-Dorado Topaz) |
| Lightest (faceted) | 0.43 cts |
| Heaviest (faceted) | 159.14 cts |
Topaz Localities:
Enormous deposits of topaz are located worldwide; some of the documented deposits are followed!
| Country | Mines |
| Afghanistan | Jurm Mine, Paprok Mine |
| Brazil | Topaz Mine, Vermelhão Mine, Capão do Lana Mine, Xanda Mine |
| Cambodia | Piaotang Mine, Koktokay No. 3 pegmatite |
| Kazakhstan | Akchatau Mine |
| Mozambique | Naipa Mine |
| Myanmar | Coconut Tree Mine, Yamethin Township, Shan-konzan |
| Pakistan | Balochistan, Gilgit, Sassi, Mungo, Yunas, Ghundao Hill |
| Russia | Murzinka Mine, Mokrusha Mine, Millionnaya Mine |
| USA | Little Three Mine, Topaz Mountain Gem Mine, Topsham |
| Zimbabwe | St Anns Mine |
Topaz Associations:
| Chakras | Sacral Chakra, Solar Plexus Chakra |
| Birthstone | November |
| Zodiac | Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius |
| Anniversary | 4th, 19th |
Healing Properties of Topaz:
Attraction, Communication, Forgiveness, Good health, and fortune, Joy, Love, Motivation, Problem-solving
- Topaz helps in redirecting energies within the body where it is needed the most.
- Topaz releases tension and brings relaxation, joy, generosity, and good health.
- Topaz stabilizes the emotions, making you open to love.
- Topaz encourages openness and honesty, self-control, and self-realization.
- It helps in generating problem-solving ideas.
- Topaz combats eating disorders and aids in digestion, such as anorexia and bulimia.
- Astrologists recommend topaz gemstones to gain financial stability, fame, self-confidence, and good health.
