Topaz is the name of a mineral species with several eight on the Mohs scale. There is some uncertainty about the number. Some say it comes from a Sanskrit word meaning fire. Others link the name to the islands of Topazio, Zabargad, St. Johns Island, and Peridot in the Red Sea, where Topaz occurs. 

The name imperial topaz is assumed to be in Russia in the 19th century, where Ural mines were an important source. The term imperial or precious topaz is used to distinguish between genuine topaz and quartz double forms. Topaz means yellow gemstone, similar to citrine, while smoky quartz is sold as golden Topaz or smoky Topaz for the general public. 

According to some sources, the pink topaz mines were restricted to the Tsar’s family. Today the gemstone trade uses the terms pink, orange, and red Topaz, originating from Ouro Preto in Brazil. The most delicate “pink topaz” comes from Pakistan’s Kallang. 

Hue

Topaz can be colorless brown, but it is rare to have golden, orange, pink, red, or violet colors, so the term “precious” imperial Topaz is a mainstay of the gemstone market. Yellow and brown Topaz owe their intensity to the color of the center. Blue topaz is found in nature, but most blue Topaz is produced by a combination of irradiation and heat treatment.

Note that the color of the brown Topaz fades with time. Color centers color blue Topaz. The combination of color centers and chrome results in orange Topaz. Impurities in chromium produce pink and red topaz colors.

Brilliance  

When purchasing a gem, it is always a good idea to examine it under various light sources to rule out future surprises. Topaz looks best in incandescent light due to its orange, red and orange colors. In contrast, blue Topaz looks best in daylight and fluorescent light.    

Clarity

A slightly higher degree of inclusion is tolerated in pink and red Topaz, where usually only small stones are present. Imperial Topaz from most sources is easy to clean. Pink and red Topaz is an exception. In the eyes of the eye, a clean stone is desirable and possible.

Cut 

There is a massive production of blue Topaz in all shapes and styles imaginable. Some shapes are rough and elongated like prism-topaz cuts, long stones like emeralds, or cut into long ovals padded like pears. To save weight, pears with narrow shoulders are cut in particular.  

It is not accessible if the Imperial Topaz has a perfect basal aperture, but the clearing is not a big problem for the cutter. The cutter tries to ensure that the facets run parallel to the split direction, and the jeweler tries to mount the precious stone in a frame that protects the stone. Cabochon cut topaz can be seen here. 

Costs 

The price of a Topaz gemstone depends on the quality. However, there are a few generalizations that can be made.    

Blue topaz is the most popular variation found in jewelry now and is produced in such quantities that it is now available in $40 per carat. The bigger the size, the more there is. It is known that natural blue Topaz has an enormous production, and treated blue Topaz has lost as much value as naturally blue treated stones. 

Topaz (also known as Topaz) brown Topaz) achieves a similar price. In contrast to colorless Topaz, blue Topaz is produced by irradiation or heat and is available in sizes up to 100 ct. The most valuable Topaz has a rich pink and red color and reaches up to 3,500 ct. The rarest size is five ct., i.e., 

Stone Measurements 

Topaz comes in enormous sizes, clean gemstones up to 1,000 carats. Faceted gems of tens of thousands of carats create monster crystals. Cut stones in the most precious imperial colors, orange, pink and red, are scarce.   

Topaz can be found in several places worldwide, including Brazil, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Russia, Burma, Pakistan, the United States, and Mexico. The mainspring is located near Ouro Preto in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.  

Enrichment

As mentioned above, several types of Topaz can be improved. The combination of irradiation and heat treatment to produce blue Topaz is the most common. It irradiates a colorless topaz, which turns brown. It is then heated to turn it blue. The brown color is unstable and fades in prolonged sunlight, while the blue is stable under normal wear conditions.

There are three primary suggestions. The first is Sky Blue, which is made from gamma rays and cobalt-60. In the latter case, the stone may cool down to a safe level of radioactivity before being sold. 

It can take between a few months and up to two years. Another treatment that is occasionally observed in Topaz is mass diffusion, in which the stone is heated over a long period surrounded by cobalt. It drives the cobalt out of the thin layer on the surface and turns it green or blue.    

The Topaz is coated with a metal oxide, similar to the coatings of camera lenses. It creates different colors and rainbow-like reflections when the oxide is scratched. The layers are fragile and very fine.  

Topaz was never synthesized, but several imitations include natural stones like citrine and smoky quartz and artificial models such as glass. Some materials were marketed under the name Rainbow Topaz.