T O P A Z

 

Hardness 8
Modern birthstones: blue topaz, December;  yellow topaz, November

 

Precious topaz comes in yellow, red-brown, pinky red, pale green, colourless and light blue. The light blue is called sky blue topaz, a more intense blue which is heat treated is called swiss blue topaz, and then an even more intense, almost teal blue which is heat treated even more intensely is called London blue topaz. Most people would not be able to tell the difference between aqua and sky blue topaz, it is a very similar colour, and possibly a little harder, but still sensitive to pressure with strong cleavage so a good substitute for aquamarine. Blue topaz is a good seller, traditionally in jewellery, blue sells the best and as it is well priced and very attractive. Naturally in topaz, you find the softer colours, pale green, not too different from peridot, a very pretty salmon pink, this being the most valuable. Many people refer to citrine as golden topaz, or smoky quartz as smoky topaz, which is not correct, as they are both part of the quartz family. Topazes with very intense colour have been heat treated, yellow topazes which are the most common turn pink or blue when heated. Most topaz is mined in Brazil, and the Far East, with smaller deposits in many other places in the world.