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topaz
Featured Gem TOPAZ
The topaz comes in a variety of colors such as the honey yellow that is usually seen, but also pink, red, blue, green, orange, colorless and a cool blue.
Topaz is mainly mined in Brazil and Russia, and these two places serve much of the world’s supply. The topaz is a unique gem in that it can change color depending on the angle from which it is viewed.
BIRTHSTONE: NOVEMBER
overview
Topaz gemstones can be manmade and grown in laboratories. They have the same chemical and physical properties as the natural gemstones.
10 mev
The icy blue colored topaz is created by irradiating colorless topaz with 10 million electron volts.
1768
Imperial topaz was discovered in Portugal by the royal court.
271 kilos
A transparent topaz crystal discovered in Minas Gerais, Brazil weighs an astounding 596 pounds.
QUALITY FACTORS
Color is a big factor in placing a value on a topaz gem, but so is cut, clarity and carat.
color
The red is the most valuable topaz, and the blue topaz gems are most abundant.
clarity
Topaz usually does not have inclusions that can be seen by the naked eye.
cut
The oval and pear shapes are the most popular shapes, as they improve color.
carat weight
Very large crystals are often found and they can be cut into very large gems.