Topaz is a stone that will suit everyone. Topaz - everyone's blue dream Natural color of topaz

About the beautiful without embellishment. Our many faces

Today we’ll talk about gems very popular all over the world - about Topaz. And - about the "topazes" too. Topaz is perhaps the most common and most used gem for jewelry (not counting the ubiquitous diamonds of course).

For starters - general information about topazes.

Brief gemological information.

Color spectrum:   colorless, blue, yellow, green, pink, red, orange, brown.
Refractive Index: 1.629 - 1.637
Chemical formula: AL (F, OH) 2SIO4
Hardness: 8
Density: 3.52 - 3.56
Type of crystal lattice:   prismatic
Main deposits:   Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, Ireland, Canada, Zimbabwe. Non-deposits have been explored in more than 20 countries, but the estimated material reserves are considered insufficient for industrial development.

The natural color of yellow, green, blue and brown topazes is due to electronic color centers, and the color of red and pink topazs is due to chromium impurities. Orange topazes are colored both due to electronic color centers and chromium microimpurities simultaneously. The less impurities of chromium, the more light slides into yellow.

Topaz is an aluminosilicate mineral with inclusions of fluorine and / or hydroxyl anions. Hydroxyl topases are much more rare, a significant excess of the concentration of hydroxyl on fluorine leads to an increase in the refractive index, bringing it closer to the maximum possible value.

In appearance, the color of topaz can be confused with aquamarine, green and yellow varieties of beryl, with zircon, citrine, peridot and even sapphire. Topaz is easily distinguishable from all these stones in its optical characteristics. With appatite, andalusite, danburite and tourmaline, which are also able to “pretend” to be topazs in color, the optical characteristics of topaz intersect. In this case, the easiest way to identify would be to use a refractive fluid (methylene iodide) to test for the "drowning" of the stone. Due to its higher density, topaz in methylene iodide will sink, the rest of the false topaz variants will float on the surface layer.

Topaz is synthesized, but until recently, synthetic material has not found commercial use. Since 2007, synthetic orange, yellow and pink corundums produced by the method of sublimation (deposition) from the gas phase began to go on sale under the guise of topaz in the local markets of Minas Jeiras in Brazil.

Topazes in the history of modern civilization ..

In the list of historically significant stones, topaz occupies a single line. But on the significance of this line, on the mysteriousness of its history, the most famous topaz of the world is one of the clear leaders. The "Braganza" diamond, a huge colorless (according to some sources, with a very faint blue overtone) free fantasy cut stone weighing (according to various sources) from 1600 to 1900 carats. The diamond, which claimed to be the largest diamond of the world at that time, turned out to be a topaz!

The first mention in the official chronicles of the “Braganz diamond” dates back to 1797, when the stone was presented to the future King of Portugal John VI during the ceremony of introducing him as Prince Regent. Later, in 1807, already becoming king, John was forced to leave with his whole family and court to Brazil for a long 14 years, fleeing the occupation of Portugal by Napoleon Bonaparte's troops. According to legend, in 1818, in Rio de Janeiro, John ordered the manufacture of a new crown, during which he discovered the true mineral essence of the famous stone.

Whether the new crown was completed or not, whether the topaz “Braganz diamond” was installed in it is not known for certain. No one has ever seen this crown, no one has ever mentioned that he saw a stone after the death of King John VI in 1826. "Braganza Diamond" disappeared without a trace! The royal crown stored in the Lisbon Museum of the Palacio Nacional da Ajuda is made of gold without the use of any gems.

Such rather big topazes.

Nature gave topaz the ability to grow very well! Large topazes are not at all uncommon ... Among faceted topazes, as many as ten stones have a weight of more than 3 thousand carats. The largest officially registered topaz in the world is called "Topaz El Dorado", is stored in Brazil and weighs 31,000 carats!

Topaz "El Dorado"

The largest blue topaz in the world with natural color - light blue "Brazilian Princess" square emerald cut weighs 20005 carats!

And the largest blue topaz of a very saturated color, it could well be attributed to the Topaz Swiss group, takes 7th place in the world by weight among all faceted topazes. Topaz "Azuli", its second name is Topaz "Marbella":

Red topazes   hundreds of times rarer than pinks! It is impossible to give topaz a red color by conventional refinement methods, heat treatment and irradiation. The cost of natural red topaz is calculated in four-digit numbers per carat. Such stones practically do not enter the free market, and it is safe to say that all the modern red topazes offered for sale went through magnetron sputtering of the ink film.

Numerous "Imperial" topazes - bright yellow, yellow-orange, red-orange - were born like this in nature .. But - at times less saturated. Their color can be pulled up to a “decent” heat treatment, but the result of this procedure is not always predictable - pink topazes can also turn out. Unprocessed saturated imperials prevail on the market, their cost is low .. They are not respected in the gemological and jewelry environment, there are also few lovers on them .. It is only important to keep in mind - under the guise of Imperial topaz bottle glass is often sold either (in in the best case) - superheated, formerly near-colorless, quartz, from which for one reason or another it was not possible to make either amethyst or citrine ..

Colorless topazes.

Perhaps the only variety of topaz does not raise doubts about the naturalness of its "color". Colorless topazes cannot retain their colorlessness either during heating or during irradiation .. If you have a product with colorless topaz, do not keep it in the sun for a long time, do not go to the beach to sunbathe. It can become very cloudy .. Colorless topazes almost never fake - rock crystal is even more expensive! The jewelery value of colorless topaz was widely recognized in only one country in the world - in the USSR.

Historical reference.

The oldest written mention of the thermal treatment of topazes dates back to the 1st millennium BC! A certain Greek learned to make topazes, which today we would call sky blue or suisse. He boiled the first in olive oil, and the second he annealed them wrapped in grape leaves in clay.

Beautiful and amazing stone - pink topaz. It symbolizes purity, sublimity, innocence and romance. This stone can play a very important role in the relationship of man and woman.

Stones of this color are very rare in nature. The bulk of the crystals that are mined from underground have a faded yellow-brown or milky-gray color. Therefore, finding a pink stone is a great success for minerologists. Topaz of this color is very sensitive to sunlight, so in the light, its color quickly fades and the stone can become colorless within a week. To consolidate the effect, all stones undergo at least minimal heat treatment. Otherwise, jewelry with topaz will soon become unattractive. That is why topaz is considered an evening stone. It shines with all shades in the rays of artificial light. Its amazing color will delight the owner for many years.

Red topazes are even more rare. Bright stones of intense intense red color are only of natural origin. No heat treatment is able to give topaz such a depth. A gold ring with red topaz will cost a lot of money. Therefore, such instances rarely go on sale - they are immediately bought up by collectors.

Natural pink color also costs a lot of money. A 1-carat gem will cost about $ 500. It is not difficult to check the natural origin of the stone, but it is better not to experiment, but to pay attention to its cost. If a stone left in the sun fades after a week, then its color is natural. Unfortunately, it will be impossible to return to its original form. Unlike such topazes, stones that have passed the magnetron sputtering procedure are very resistant to ultraviolet radiation. When reprocessed, it can return the lost color.

Topaz jewelry is a wonderful talisman gift for Sagittarius, Lviv, Scorpions. manifest carefully. This stone is able to improve the mood of its owner, establish spiritual harmony and balance, sharpen intuition. The variety of jewelry with topaz will allow you to choose the most beautiful and suitable thing for any woman.

A bracelet with topaz surrounded by diamonds will be an impressive gift for a mature woman. Like a ring with topaz, this masterpiece of jewelry will not leave indifferent any lady. Silver is best presented to a young girl. Even in combination with inexpensive cubic zirconias, pink topaz will shine with all the colors of the rainbow, recalling the sincere feelings of a loved one.

According to legend, for the first time, topazes were discovered on the uninhabited island of Topazios (now Zeberget) in the Red Sea. Other versions of the origin of the name of this stone refer us either to the Sanskrit “tapas”, meaning “heat”, or to the Greek “topazos”, translated as “search”. Due to its large specific gravity, among the Ural miners, the stone received the nickname “heavy weight”, and European jewelers for a long time called its transparent and blue variety “Siberian diamond” for its density (3.49-3.60 g / cm³) and the glass appearing after cutting brilliance characteristic of diamonds.

Created by nature

The name "Siberian diamond" this stone received not only for its physical properties. At the beginning of the XVIII century, the world jewelry market was shocked by the quality of transparent and rarer light blue crystals mined in the granite pegmatite veins of the Ilmensky Mountains and the Murzinsky Aduysky gem belt. In addition to the purity of the water and the beauty of the tone, it was difficult to ignore the scale of the Ural finds - some specimens reached 30 kg. Later, topazes of rare raspberry, reddish-violet and pink color became the pride of the Kochkarsky meganticlinorium, also located in the Southern Urals.

The Urals, however, did not remain a monopolist in the development of Russian topazs: blue stones are still famous for deposits in the south of Transbaikalia.

Today, the Ural and Siberian reserves of blue topazes, so highly valued by jewelry lovers, have virtually run out. The main mining of these stones is conducted in Germany, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Australia and even the USA. The leader in production is Brazil, the main exporter of topazes to the world market. It was in this country that the world's largest blue topaz was found and subjected to faceting: the famous "Marabella" weighing 1.65 kg.

However, the biggest "heavyweight" showed himself to the world not in exotic lands, but at the Volynsky deposit (Ukraine). In 1965, a wine-yellow crystal was mined here, which reaches a height of 82 cm and has a mass of 117 kg.

Stone with character

- This is aluminum fluorosilicate, which is a very solid mineral (8.0 on the Mohs scale) and is second only to diamonds and corundum in this indicator. It is difficult to process, but the result is worth it - after cutting the stone acquires a bright shine. Topaz can be “killed” only with phosphoric salt - it does not decompose in acids. Nevertheless, the mechanical effect is harmful to him - possessing, like a diamond, ideal basal cleavage, topaz can crack during a sharp blow.

Since ancient times, a mass of various properties has been attributed to topaz: from mystical to healing. Blue topaz has served as the mascot of sailors for centuries - it was believed that it was able to pacify the raging elements and lead the lost in a calm harbor. It is believed that topaz helps stop bad dreams or insomnia, suggests the correct solution to pressing problems.

In the East, golden topaz is considered a symbol of spiritual enlightenment, and in India, a pink crystal returns lost hope.

“Topaz wedding” is called the sixteenth anniversary of the marriage. On this day, the couple give each other, symbolizing the strength of the relationship and their purity.

Such a multi-colored gem

Natural topazes amaze with a variety of colors and shades. From brown to wine yellow, from golden to red, from smoky to blue and pale green - this stone acquires its color not with the help of any impurities, but thanks to its own structure.

Polychrome crystals, in which layers are painted in various colors, as well as stones with the “cat-eye effect”, are especially valuable.

However, man was not satisfied with the wide choice provided by nature. Even in antiquity, masters changed the natural color of topazes, burning them in quartz sand. Modern technology allows you to create different shades of stones using the cultivation process. Special processing allows you to reveal the natural shade of natural stone and keep it for a long time.

Take blue topaz, for example. Their most common variety - Sky Blue Topaz - is similar to aquamarine and has a relatively low cost. Darker Swiss Blue Topaz Swiss Blue Topaz is rare in nature. Accessible, this beautiful shade of topaz allows you to make refinement. The most intensely colored crystals of London Blue Topaz are always processed - they are extremely rare in nature.

Despite all the manufacturability and reliability of the refinement process, it is recommended that topazes be stored away from sources of light and heat - under their influence, stones can lose their color.

Fashion trends

Marine motifs, to which clear, azure shades of stone send us, have been inspiring jewelry designers for more than a year. Every season jewelry brands delight topaz lovers with new products. In 2014, the trend is a combination of the deep shine of topaz in a frame of white gold. Voluminous jewelry with a large stone in the "main roles" do not lose their relevance. Topazes of blue shades are easily combined with other semiprecious stones. This season, one cannot ignore jewelry collections in which blue topaz is complemented by prasiolites with a soft, subtle green tint.

Jewelry with this blue semiprecious stone rightfully occupies a place in the caskets of many celebrities. Charlize Theron, Kylie Minogue, Audrey Tautou, Madonna, Pink and Victoria Beckham regularly delight with their jewelry with topazes.

Topaz in jewelry

The delightful colors of topaz allow it to rhyme with many other semiprecious and precious stones. Not only the variety of shades, but also a beautiful view in almost any cut allows you to get along with other stones. A circle, an oval, a pear, a marquise, a square, a cabochon - the most different forms of polishing reveal the play of light.

Topaz is also appreciated for its universal compatibility with various metals. It organically looks both framed in silver and white gold and red gold. Often, jewelers complement the blue sparkle of a stone with cubic zirconias or diamonds.

Topazes are known for their beauty, the name of this stone is familiar to almost everyone. What secrets does the mineral hide and why is it considered valuable?

Topaz and its history

The origin of the name of this mineral is still unclear. According to one version, the stone is named after a Greek island, near which it was discovered by wrecked sailors. Another theory - the name came from the Sanskrit word meaning fire and heat, from this information it can be understood that the topazes in the area where they were found had a golden orange color.

Topaz since ancient times was appreciated by people. Archaeologists have discovered ritual items made from topazes, as well as various jewelry. It is known that this stone was very appreciated during the Renaissance and was very popular in Russia, where people knew it under the name “heavy weight”, which the mineral received due to its high density.

In addition, some topazes can be found in museums. These are huge crystals that were found in the bowels of the earth. The smallest - 10 kg, is stored in the St. Petersburg Museum, and the largest - 117 kg - was discovered in Ukraine. Unusual size stones were also found in Brazil. Museums of the country stored samples weighing 31.8 and 50.4 kg.

Types and colors of topaz

Mineral deposits

How to detect fake?

Topaz is popular and has a high cost, therefore, it is not surprising that scammers fake this stone, trying to earn more money. In order not to fall for tricks, you need to be able to distinguish natural stone from fakes.

1. A very simple way to help recognize the imitation is to rub the stone on the woolen fabric. If it is electrified and paper begins to stick to it, then this is a real topaz.
2. Natural mineral has high hardness and is able to scratch quartz or crystal, but fake does not have such properties.
3. Natural stones remain cold for a long time, so if the mineral is immediately warmed up in your hands, then it is most likely a fake.
4. It should be noted that topazes of light shades are faked much less often - they are not so rare.
5. If you have a solution of methylene iodide, you can drop topaz into it - the real one will be at the bottom of the vessel, and the artificial one will remain floating on the surface.
6. Natural samples, as a rule, have minor defects, cracks, while artificial imitation has perfect smoothness.
7. Also, too bright and saturated color of topaz should alert. In nature, there are no stones of poisonous shades, real minerals have calm, gentle tones, so excessive brightness is a sign of fake.

Topaz stone and its magical properties

Healing properties

Topaz is mentioned in ancient medical treatises, among healers of that time it was popular.

• It was believed that topaz helps to cope with poisoning.
• The stone can cure disorders of the nervous system, help to cope with psychological problems, relieve insomnia, fears, worries and depression.
• The stone has a beneficial effect on the work of the liver, gall bladder and spleen.
• Topaz helps strengthen immunity during an exacerbation of colds.
• Wearing topaz returns lost appetite, so the stone is recommended for those who want to gain weight, but losing weight, on the contrary, it is better to use topaz with caution.
• Blue topazes help to avoid the likelihood of a bazedovy disease.
• Yellow stones can help cope with respiratory diseases, asthma and bronchitis. Also, the yellow mineral has a good effect on women's health, helping to restore lost cycles, get rid of problems with the uterus and conceive a child. For the same purpose, a transparent stone can contribute.
• In India, topazes are among the 12 main stones with the strongest medical properties and are used in Ayurvedic practices.

Talismans and Amulets

Sapphire - stone properties

A stone of amazing beauty, which is also called the Ural diamond, comes in many different types and colors. A rarity among all the topazes found is a pink mineral. Delicate and sophisticated, pink topaz will decorate any girl and emphasize her femininity. The stone is not only beautiful, but also has magical properties. The price in our time for this mineral is higher than for - about $ 500 per carat.

During excavations of ancient settlements, various items adorned with these minerals were found. Pink topaz was a sign of privilege, and only noble ladies from wealthy families wore it, and wealthy men adorned their hats with them. One of the most famous items decorated with these stones is the cap of Ivan the Terrible.

Appearance and specifications

Which of the zodiac signs is suitable?

Energetically powerful mineral can be worn by all signs without exception. He will not bring harm, it is only important to know that the effect on each sign of topaz has a different effect. Astrologers say that the “Ural diamond” is most suitable for Scorpions, since the mineral is considered to be November. Scorpions are naturally hot-tempered and even aggressive, pink topazes are able to balance their ardor, bringing internal energy to a state of harmony.

Pink stones of Aquarius and Leo will also help strengthen sensitivity and spiritual strength. These zodiac signs also have a short-tempered character and are often subjected to bouts of anger, and topaz will also help them to be more restrained.

The decoration with this jewel will help the other characters to strengthen their strengths and give them strength and inspiration. If the mineral is placed on the wrist or worn near the heart, it can enhance attractiveness and will help representatives of all signs to establish relationships with society.