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Topaz an old common gem that is experiencing a new popularity.
Topaz has been around for centuries. It is relatively common and plentiful.
It is found all over the world including Australia, Brazil, Russia, Sri Lanka, Japan, Nigeria, Mozambique, Pakistan, Norway and China.
Topaz comes in a wide array of colors including Pink, Blue, Yellow, Orange-Pink, Green, Blue-Green, White and even Bi-color.
In recent years Mystic Topaz has taken the world by storm, although not completely "natural" these gems are stunning.
White Topaz Octagons
Enhanced Blue Topaz
Champagne Topaz
A 9 carat concave cushion cut Mystic Topaz
White Topaz
Pure natural untreated White Topaz
White topaz is the most common variety of Topaz.It's pure clear color can be confused with diamonds when cut well.
The purest from of White Topaz is Glacier Topaz
Glacier Topaz is mined at one location on the planet, the famous Murzinka mines of the Neiva River Valley in the Middle Urals, approximately 120 km North of Ekaterinburg. These gems are so pure that they are never treated.
fancy concave cut Glacier Topaz
Blue Topaz
Blue Topaz the Birthstone of November
Blue and green are the rarest natural colors of Topaz.99.9% of all blue Topaz is enhanced to achieve the blue color.
In all my years dealing in gems a have see a total of 5 natural untreated blue topaz gems and they were a very light blue.
London Blue and Swiss Blue Topaz are enhanced to a vivid blue color that is become very popular.
London Blue Topaz Octagon
Swiss Blue Marquises
Imperial Topaz
Imperial, or Golden Topaz is the second most common variety of Topaz
Golden TopazGolden Topaz is not to be confused with Citrine.
The term "madeiria topaz" Is a word unscrupulous jewelers use to refer to yellow Citrine.
Citrine is a type of Quartz. Topaz is not Quartz.
Golden Topaz sometimes contains Chromium, these gems
are heated to bring out a rosy-red to pink colors in the gem.
Imperial Topaz
A fine quality Imperial Topaz gem has golden-orange-pink color under daylight. Under incandescent light it has orange-pink color.
The highest quality and most valuable of these gems are natural untreated and unheated. They are very expensive and highly sought after by gem collectors.
Imperial Topaz Baguette
Mystic Topaz
Various kinds of Mystic Topaz
Mystic Fire Ring
Mystic Topaz was first introduced 1998 at the Hong Kong Jewelry Fair it was a total flop!
It was reintroduced in 2003 at the Tucson gem show in, Tucson, Arizona. This time it was a huge hit!
If you plan on having jewelry made with Mystic Topaz please be advised, this is not a gem you should wear every day.
Jewelry made with Mystic Topaz should be worn with care. When you are not wearing it you should store separately for other jewels.
The gem can fade over time. The coating can be scratched and repeated emersion in hot soapy water can dual the gem and even damage the coating.
There are several kinds of Mystic Topaz on the market.
Some of the best-known ones are:
Mystic fire ( seen above)
Red Topaz, Magenta Topaz, Pink Topaz, Flamingo Topaz, Twilight Topaz, Cornish Blue Topaz, Moonlight Topaz, Canary Topaz, Kiwi Topaz & Neptune Topaz.
Moonlight Topaz
Flamingo Topaz
Kaleidoscope Mystic Topaz
Other Topaz Colors
While not 100% natural these other Topaz gems are still worth noting
Green Topaz
On a vary rare occasion you may see a watery light green natural Green Topaz they are very rare.
Emerald Green Topaz
Teal Green Topaz
Red, Pink and Hot pink Topaz
Pink Topaz
Red Topaz
Hot pink Topaz
Like these gems?
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Book on Gems and Gemstones
Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals (Smithsonian Handbooks) by Chris Pellant
The Smithsonian Handbook of Rocks and Minerals com more...0 points
Gemstones of the World: Newly Revised & Expanded Third Edition by Walter Schumann
Gemstones of the World is truly the single volume more...0 points
The Jeweler's Directory of Gemstones: A Complete Guide to Appraising and Using Precious Stones From Cut and Color to Shape and Settings by Judith Crowe
For goldsmiths, collectors, jewelry-makers, inves more...0 points
Gem Identification Made Easy, Third Edition: A Hands-On Guide to More Confident Buying & Selling by Antoinette L . Matlins, Antonio C. Bonanno
New, revised, expanded edition of the first and o more...0 points
What do you think about our lens? Did you learn something new?
Tell use what you think.
mdvaldosta wrote...
Always been one of the most beautiful stones to me, it's a shame they don't carry more value.
Posted November 01, 2008
jfield wrote...
Very nice! Topaz is my birthstone, and I was always under the mistaken impression that it had to be that brown-yellow color. Now that I know they come in myriad colors, maybe I won't shy away from it anymore:-)
Posted October 20, 2008
Treasures-By-Brenda wrote...
Nice to meet you, Shawna! Beautiful gemstones on a nicely done lens.
Brenda
Posted October 16, 2008
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