All about Topaz!

•What is topaz?
Topaz is a form of aluminum silicate that occurs in a range of colors and which is considered a semiprecious gemstone. It is moderately priced and readily available in most colors, although the pink variety tends to be somewhat more rare, and thus, more expensive. The yellow variety of topaz, known as citrine, is used as the November birthstone; in recent years, the blue variety of topaz has replaced turquoise as the December birthstone.

•Where is topaz found?
Topaz is found in the United States, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the former USSR, Australia, Pakistan, Mexico, Japan, and Africa. Much of the finest quality topaz comes from Brazil.

•Color
Topaz occurs in many gorgeous shades of yellow, orange, brown, red, pink, blue, green, and also in a colorless state. There are several variations of topaz used for jewelry, including Precious Imperial and yellow/champagne topaz (both in the orange/gold family); Swiss blue topaz (a deep blue); Sky blue topaz (a pale blue that resembles aquamarine); and London blue topaz, a rich, medium shade of blue.

•Shape
Topaz is cut into all the faceted gemstone shapes, including round brilliant, oval-shaped, emerald cut, cushion-shaped, marquise-shaped, pear-shaped, and trillion. Because of its structure, topaz is rarely cut into cabochons.

•Durability
On the Mohs Scale, topaz is a high 8, which makes it a durable stone for normal wear. However, topaz can easily be chipped or cracked if struck against a hard surface. Topaz does not take well to extreme heat (it can fracture or break) and some of the paler-colored stones can fade if subjected to high temperatures.

•Quality
As with other moderately-priced, semiprecious stones, topaz is usually graded by the intensity of its color first, since it is possible to buy clean, brilliant stones for affordable prices. Thus, a desirable topaz (whether of the gold or blue family) should be bright, well-made (attractively proportioned), and not show any chips or cracks. Also, you should not be able to see any inclusions (black spots, feathers, bubbles) with the naked eye in the larger stones.

•Legend and lore
Topaz is reputed to protect its wearers from harm, bless them with pleasant dreams, and assure a peaceful passing from one life to the next. Topaz is also rumored to improve vision, improve leadership abilities, improve a wearer’s relationship with animals, help its wearers make the right decisions, allow wearers to make full use of all their talents, and encourage honesty and integrity.

•Care
All topaz can be soaked in any good commercial jewelry cleaner, or a mild detergent and ammonia solution. (Do not boil.) Rinse the piece well in hot (but not scalding) water and dry thoroughly. Do not dry your topaz with a heater or blow dryer as this can fade the colors or cause fracturing if the stone is subjected to temperature extremes.