Get to know Topaz with Singapore’s Gem Guru, Howe Wei, Graduate Gemologist (GIA)
Looking for the perfect holiday gift in Singapore? Discover the beauty of topaz with Gemguru Singapore and its kaleidoscope of colors, making it a versatile and stunning choice.
Topaz is a popular precious gem all over the world for its palette of incredible colors, making it a versatile choice for Christmas gifting. It is also a pleochroic gemstone, which can show different colors spectacularly in different crystal directions or when observed at different angles. The gem’s kaleidoscope of colors is guaranteed to add glam and spread Christmas cheer to loved ones.
Know your gems — Topaz
Topaz is widely recognised as the traditional birthstone for November and is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit word tapas, which means “fire”. There is a wide variety of topaz colors from brown and colorless to the more rare hues of pink, light blue, yellow, orange, violet and red — which is the rarest and most coveted. The most commonly found natural colors are colorless (also called white topaz), brown and pale yellow. These are rarely used in its natural state and are often treated with irradiation and heating to give it a more attractive blue color. Since colorless and treated blue topaz are in abundant supply, they are also the most affordable. For the rarer colors, it is highly recommended to consult with a gemologist or a jeweler with gemological knowledge and expertise to examine the gem’s finer qualities.
The world of topaz
The state of Minas Gerais in Brazil is one of the most important sources for high-quality topaz for more than two centuries. Various colors have been mined in this area including yellow, orange, pink, violet, red and blends of red with orange or purple. Ghundao Hill in the northwest region of Pakistan is another known area for producing pink topaz (often called rose topaz), particularly the most sought after shade of pink with a hint of violet. This shade has been termed cyclamen pink in the gem trade, but is very rarely found even in the Ghundao Hill area.
Fit for royalty — Imperial Topaz
The rarest topaz variety is Imperial Topaz, which features distinct hues of peach, pink, golden orange or champagne. Most of the world’s Imperial Topaz is found in Brazil. The name originated in nineteenth-century Russia from the time when Ural Mountains was the leading source of pink topaz and ownership of the gem was reserved only for the royal family. Less than 1% of mined topaz gems come in this special shade, earning a luxurious prestige among aristocrats over the years. Due to its transparency and high refraction, it flaunts a desirable glow in low-light environments, making it a perfect evening gem.
Topaz gem as jewellery
Louis Vuitton – The Imperial Topaz
An extremely rare 20-carat pear-cut Imperial Topaz stone features in Louis Vuitton’s Goutte de Sang custom-cut diamond necklace. The set from the high jewellery collection, Riders of the Knights, includes two rings with diamonds and pear-cut Imperial Topaz. The topazes represent Joan of Arc’s sword by their shape and are reminiscent of the color of blood by their nuanced hue.
Gucci - High Jewelry collection, Hortus Deliciarum
In 2021, the house of Gucci presented the second collection of the High jewelry collection, Hortus Deliciciarum in Italy. A high jewelry collection of 130 pieces, inspired with techniques from the 19th and early 20th centuries. This collections is decorated precious stones in a thousand colors, such as opal, rubellites, peridots, citrines, imperial topaz, garnets, tourmaline and diamonds and more!
Learn more about tourmaline here.
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Care and cleaning tips from the GIA
Topaz is an 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, but it has poor toughness, so care is required to avoid chipping or cracking. To clean this November birthstone, do not use steam cleaning or ultrasonic cleaners. Warm, soapy water works best. High heat or sudden temperature changes can cause internal breaks in topaz. The birthstone’s color is generally stable to light, but prolonged exposure to heat or sunlight might cause fading in some yellow-to-brown gems. Topaz may be affected slightly by some chemicals.
The coating on Mystic Topaz can withstand normal wear, but abrasive cleaners or buffing wheels will remove it. Only a mild soap solution should be used to clean a topaz birthstone treated in this manner.
Want to find out more or have questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us!
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