What is topaz?

Topaz is a rare silicate mineral having a chemical composition of Al2SiO4 (F, OH) 2. It usually forms in fractures and cavities of igneous rocks (igneous rocks) such as pegmatite and rhyolite, at an advanced stage of their cooling. It is also found as water-worn pebbles in stream sediments derived from these igneous rocks.

Topaz is also a gemstone sold in a wide variety of attractive colours. Some of these colours are natural, while others are produced by treating pale or colourless topaz with heat, radiation, or metallic coatings.

Blue topaz is the most popular colour on the market today. Most of it is produced by processing. Many people love it for its attractive colour and low price.

Topaz is a traditional birthstone for the month of November, which contributes to the popularity of the gemstone. Topaz jewellery can be found in almost every jewellery store.

Physical properties of topaz

One of the best-known physical properties of topaz is its hardness. It has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it the hardest silicate mineral. It also serves as a Mohs hardness scale index mineral for a hardness of 8. Every student who takes a course in physical geology learns about the hardness of topaz. Diamond, corundum and chrysoberyl are the only known minerals that are harder.

Topaz is available in a wide range of colours. The most valuable colours for use in jewellery are natural pink, orange, red, purple, and blue. These colours are very rare.

The most common natural colours are colourless, pale yellow and brown. Although these colours are not important for the use of jewellery in their natural state, they can be processed in different ways to produce much more desirable colours.

When allowed to grow in an unrestricted cavity, topaz forms orthorhombic crystals, often with streaks parallel to the major axis of the crystal. It also exhibits a distinctive basal cleavage that ruptures to form vitreous fracture surfaces perpendicular to the major axis of the crystal. This cleavage makes topaz a more brittle gemstone than its hardness of 8 would imply. Topaz is very hard, but it is also brittle and splits easily.

Topaz has a density between 3.4 and 3.6. This is quite high for a mineral made up of aluminium, silicon, and gaseous elements. This high density causes it to concentrate in deposits placed by stream currents.

What colour is topaz?

Topaz comes in a wide range of natural colours. However, the most natural topaz is colourless. The most popular colours are reds and pinks, which receive their colour from traces of chrome. Chromium is also responsible for the colour in purple topaz.

Of particular interest is a variety known as “imperial topaz” as people appreciate its colours ranging from orange to orange-red, which are often found in the same crystal. Most of the imperial topaz is found in Brazil. Topaz in natural blue colour is very rare and valuable.

Yellow, brown and colourless topaz have lower values. These colours are often heated, irradiated, coated and otherwise processed to alter the colour.

Use of topaz as a gemstone

The name “topaz” and many linguistic variations have been used for at least two thousand years in yellowish gemstones. At that time, yellowish gems were called “topaz” in many parts of the world. Many of the early gemstone traders did not realize that these yellowish stones were actually different materials.

Then, about two hundred years ago, gemstone traders began to realize that these yellowish gems could be topaz, quartz, beryl, olivine, sapphire, or any of the many others. minerals. They also learned that topaz comes in a wide range of colours other than yellow.

If you had visited a jewellery store just fifty years ago and asked to see topaz, you would probably have been shown gems in shades of yellow, orange and brown.

From the 1970s and 1980s, the most common colour you were shown started to be blue. This blue colour was typically produced by treatments that turned colourless topaz into a more marketable gemstone.

11 things to know about Topaz

1. Topaz can be found in all colours of the rainbow. The most valuable colour is red and is often referred to as imperial topaz. Less than 1% of all gem-grade topazes exhibit this colour.

1. Topaz is one of the two designated birthstones for November. The amber version of topaz is best known as the November birthstone, since it is similar in appearance to the other November birthstone, citrine. Blue topaz is even considered by some to be a December birthstone (although there are already three designated birthstones for that month).
2. The ancient Greeks believed that topaz had the power to increase its strength in the event of a problem.
3. One of the most well-known topaz stones is a 1680 carat colourless topaz located in the Portuguese crown. Originally, the gemstone was believed to be the largest diamond ever discovered until its true identity was discovered.
4. Topaz is the designated gemstone for the 4th and 23rd birthdays. Blue topaz is reserved for the 4th anniversary, while Imperial topaz is reserved for the 23rd anniversary.
5. When worn as a necklace, topaz was believed to drive away sadness and strengthen the intellect.
6. The majority of topaz is found in Brazil. Russia, Germany, Zimbabwe and Nigeria are other notable places for this gemstone.
7. Topaz has been rated 8 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale for gemstones, making it a durable stone that can be worn daily without much risk of damage.
8. There are two theories about the origin of the name topaz. The first is that the name comes from a small island in the Red Sea called Topazios. This island never produced topaz gemstones, but peridot. In fact, before the invention of modern methods of detecting minerals, topaz was often confused with peridot. The other theory surrounding the origin of its name comes from the Sanskrit word “tapas” which means fire.
9. Pink topaz was first discovered in 19th century Russia. As the gemstone was highly coveted, only the Tsar, his family, and those to whom he had gifted it had the right to own and wear the gemstone.
10. Topaz is associated with loyalty, friendship, and faithfulness, making it an ideal gift for a wedding or anniversary.