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What Are The Characteristics Of Topaz?

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Topaz commonly occurs in colorless and brown colors. The precious or imperial topaz is the rare golden, orange, pink, red and purple colors that are the foundation of the fine gem market. The yellow and brown topaz owe their color to color centers. The impurity chromium produces pink to red colors and a combination of color centers and chromium produces orange topaz. While some blue topaz is found in nature, most of the material is produced by a combination of irradiation and heating treatment. The blue topaz is also colored by color centers.

Topaz from most sources is reasonably clean. Consequently eye-clean stones are both desirable and possible. The exception is with pink and red topaz, where only small stones are normally available. In those colors, a slightly higher degree of inclusions are tolerated.

While topaz does have a perfect basal cleavage, it is not an easy cleavage, and does not present too much difficulty to the cutter. Yet cutters will often try to ensure that no facet is parallel to the cleavage direction and jewelers try to mount valuable stones in settings that will protect the stone.

Topaz does occur in enormous sizes, where clean gems of over 1000 carats do exist. However, cut stones of the prized imperial colors of orange, pink and red, are more rare. Fine pinks and reds above 5 carats are scarce and fine oranges above 20 carats are also rare.

Topaz is a very hard gemstone but it can be split with a single blow, which is a trait that it shares with diamonds. Because it can be split so easily, it should be protected from hard knocks.

The yellow topaz is the birthstone for those born in the month of November and the blue topaz is the birthstone for those born in the month of December. It is the talisman for the sign of Sagittarius and the suggested anniversary gemstone for the 4th, 19th, or 23rd year of marriage.

The name topaz comes from the Sanskrit and means fire.

Topaz has been found at a number of localities around the world, including Brazil, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Russia, Burma, Pakistan, USA and Mexico. The premier source is near Ouro Prêto in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state.

Topaz has never been synthesized, but a number of limitations do exist, including natural stones such as citrine and smoky quartz and man-made imitations such as glass.

Next Page: What Colors Are Topaz Available In?

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