- Topaz is truly colorless, but impurities can give it nearly any hue, with conventional tones ranging from yellow to amber.
- Blue topaz is extremely rare in nature; those that are routinely sold have undergone treatment.
- The most expensive variety of topaz is imperial topaz, a reddish orange stone with pink undertones.
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Topaz Symbolism
- The Greeks of antiquity thought that topaz could render its wearer invisible.
- The stone was additionally believed to reduce rage and stabilize powerful emotions.
- Topaz was viewed as a sign of strength and honor, and it was thought to bring sagacity and knowledge.
What shade is topaz, a birthstone?
The colors yellow, orange, blue, or pink are the ones most frequently associated with topaz, though it can also be colorless, green, or brown. The largest crystals of topaz, which must be weighed in kilos rather than carats, are found in the gem industry. One well-known instance is a single, 596-pound clear topaz crystal from Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Read more: Why Are Some Gemstones Associated with Bad Luck?
The color “Imperial Topaz,” which ranges from pinkish-orange to red-orange, is one of the most valuable hues. The color “sherry topaz,” which ranges from brownish-yellow to orange or yellow-brown, is another that is highly prized.
What about Imperial Topaz?
Brazil, Russia, Pakistan, Mexico, the USA, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka are among the countries that produce topaz. The Ural Mountains in Russia served as the primary source of pink topaz during the 19th century. The color was designated for the imperial family, including the tsars, giving rise to the term “Imperial topaz.” It is less frequent than other topaz colors that occur naturally and is said to resemble the colors of the setting sun.
Pink and reddish-orange tones in a single topaz gemstone. Gem-Pat A’s Daly created the image.
All yellow stones were once referred to be topaz, although this has mostly been corrected since then. Misnomers are still present in several stores nowadays. Don’t be fooled by terms like “quartz topaz,” “Scotch topaz,” or “Spanish topaz, which are misleading for citrine quartz.
Topaz Colour Treatments
It should be mentioned that the majority of the pink topaz sold today was mined in Brazil then heated to enhance the pink hue. A colorless topaz is heated and irradiated to encourage and stabilize the blue color because blue topaz is often pale. Stronger colors, such as “London blue” or “Swiss blue,” are then produced.
“Mystic” topaz is a color that was not produced by nature. It is a transparent topaz that has been heavily iridized by the application of a thin metallic layer.
Is topaz blue or yellow?
Aside from brown, topaz actually has a very diverse color spectrum that also includes numerous shades and saturations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple. Topaz that is colorless is widely available and frequently dyed blue. Topaz is also pleochroic, which means that it can exhibit many hues depending on the crystal direction.
What hue of topaz is the birthstone for November?
Two gems, citrine and topaz, are related to November birthdays. Citrine is thought to be a healing gemstone and its warm color is regarded to be a gift from the sun. Topaz comes in a number of rich colors, including blue, pink, and yellow, but its deep orange Imperial Topaz color is the most sought-after.
Why Does November Have Two Birthstones?
Although Citrine replaced Topaz as the official birthstone for November in the early 1910s after jewelers discovered that adding heat and pressure to amethyst would enable it to become yellow, Topaz is still the traditional birthstone for November due to the rarity of yellow Topaz. Iron imperfections in the gem’s structure are what give it its magnificent color. One of the most well-liked and commonly bought yellow gemstones is this one.
What is the History about the November Birthstones?
Some people think the Sanskrit word tapas, which meaning “fire,” is where the word “topaz” originates. Some attribute it to the Greek topazos. It has long been believed that the birthstone for November has several advantages. Topaz was regarded by the ancient Greeks as a source of power. Given for the thirteenth wedding anniversary, citrine, which is thought to have descended from the French word for “lemon” (citron), has a history of being confused with topaz. People thus believed that citrine possessed the same abilities as topaz. The citrine gemstone was thought to calm the person and settle their anger.
What is the November Birthstone Color?
Topaz and citrine are the two birthstone possibilities for people born in November. Golden yellow is the hue of the birthstone for November. Although topaz comes in a range of hues, yellow is the birthstone for November’s symbol. Since blue topaz is a more common color for topaz and is more accessible than yellow topaz, some people pick it as an alternative. Golden yellow gemstone known as citrine has hues that vary from light yellow to brownish orange.
What is the November Birthstone Meaning?
The word topaz is derived from the Sanskrit tapas, which means fire, and the Greek word topazion. This captivating diamond, one of the most colorful, is available in various varieties. Citrine is thought to be a healing gemstone and is said to be a gift from the sun.
What are Typical November Birthstone Rings?
Finding a yellow topaz is challenging, especially for a reasonable price. Citrine is a lovely birthstone for November since it provides possibilities at cheaper costs. The birthstone rings from Joseph’s Jewelry collection, which come in white, yellow, and rose 14k gold, vividly display the eye-catching color of citrine.
Is topaz or citrine my birthstone?
Topaz and citrine are two lovely birthstones that can be worn by people born in November. While topaz is available in a wide range of colours, citrine is renowned for its lovely yellow and orange tones. Both birthstones for November are thought to provide relaxing qualities that also bring luck and warmth to the bearer. Since high-quality gems like topaz and citrine are not as scarce as for many of their contemporaries, these birthstones are often priced reasonably. As a result, people who were born in November have a wide range of alternatives. Choosing one will be your biggest issue.
Does topaz resemble citrine?
Topaz and citrine, which belong to the quartz family, are separate mineral species. Not quartz, although the silicate mineral family includes topaz. Before these distinctions were understood, many cultures misidentified citrine, a yellow type of quartz, by calling it various names like gold topaz, Madeira topaz, or Spanish topaz, which added to the confusion.
What shade of topaz is most typical?
- Mystical topaz with many colors on its surface
- Jacinth or hyacinth, from deep orange to bright orange
- Reddish orange, medium saturation, and imperial topaz
- Colorful, vivid yellow to medium, rosy orange
- Brownish to orange or yellow-brown sherry
Misnomers for smoky quartz gemstones include “smoky topaz,” “Brazilian topaz,” and “Madeira topaz. For further examples, see our List of False or Misleading Gemstone Names.
Is topaz the same as yellow sapphire?
The gemstone topaz resembles yellow sapphire in appearance but is far less expensive and more widely available. Topaz’s hardness rating on the Mohs scale is 8.0, which is lower than that of Yellow Sapphire. This semi-precious stone is inexpensive since it is widely available.
Who may don topaz jewelry?
Because Jupiter becomes the lord of the 9th and 12th houses, topaz is a very lucky gemstone for anyone with an Aries ascendant. The 9th house is luck, and the 12th house is spending. Wear a topaz pendant for the rest of your life if Jupiter is in the first, fourth, fifth, or ninth houses in your horoscope and you have an Aries ascendant.
Every birth chart’s 9th house is extremely auspicious, and if someone wears a topaz gemstone, they will experience good health, fortune, and notoriety. In Jupiter’s period or subperiod, it will produce fantastic results.
Topaz or citrine, which is superior?
Imperial topaz is the gem used to commemorate a marriage’s 23rd anniversary, while blue topaz is customarily chosen to honor a couple’s fourth wedding anniversary.
Topaz was regarded to give power to the ancient Greeks, and from the 1300s to the 1600s, it was believed to be able to ward off evil spells and calm rage throughout Europe. For many years, Indians believed that wearing a topaz pendant above the heart would bring about long life, wisdom, and beauty.
All clear yellow, orange, or brown gemstones were referred to as topaz until the turn of the 20th century. As a result, topaz was supposed to have a golden colour and attract wealth and gold to the wearer.
Topaz is quite harda Mohs scale 8but not extremely tough, thus it needs to be cleaned carefully. (Recall that the Mohs’ scale of hardness is used to categorize minerals.) Because topaz is sensitive to high heat, avoid using steam or ultrasonic cleaners on the stone. Topaz should be cleaned with warm, soapy water, advises Southern California-based bespoke jeweler Shmukler Design, to stop cracking.
Topaz is usually stable in the presence of light, but extended exposure to heat or too much sunlight can cause the yellow-to-brown varieties of the gem to lose their color. To be safe, remove the topaz gem when washing jewelry with chemicals. Topaz may also be somewhat impacted by some chemicals.
The handcrafted coating of the Mystic Topaz can survive normal wear, but it does require gentle cleaning. If you have treated your birthstone in this manner, clean it with a gentle soap solution.
Let’s move on to Citrine now:
Citrine is a clear yellow to brownish-orange form of quartz that has been used in jewelry for hundreds of years but wasn’t initially recognized as the birthstone for November. It was initially mistaken for topaz, the other birthstone for November. Citrine is said to have been named after the French word for lemon, citron, as its citrus tints would imply. Instead of lemon, residues of iron are what give the food its yellow to orange color.
Ancient Greeks fashioned citrine into jewellery made of rock crystal, while Roman pontiffs wore rings with enormous amethysts that were likely citrine. In Victorian jewelry, citrine was also quite popular in Scotland, and today, citrine is the customary gift on a 13th wedding anniversary.
Because natural citrine is so rare, the majority of it that is currently available on the market was created by heating amethyst.
Spain, Bolivia, Mexico, Madagascar, and Uruguay are the main exporters of this gemstone for November. Brazil is a popular mining location for amethyst that has been heated to a citrine hue.
Many people originally thought citrine had the same alleged calming properties as November’s second birthstone since it is often confused with topaz. Today, supporters of citrine extol its unique “powers, including fostering individual clarity and creativity and reducing negative inclinations. The qualities of hope, youth, vigor, health, happiness, and fidelity are also considered to be connected to citrine.
Finally, from the second millennium BCE until the end of the Han dynasty in 220 CE, people who lived in China termed citrine the “The emperors of that era believed that wearing the gem helped them develop their minds and sharpen their intellects, and they referred to it as the “stone of success.”
Citrine, which rates a 7 on the Mohs scale, is as hard as topaz, the other November birthstone, but citrine has superior toughness characteristics. Citrine can be cleaned with warm, soapy water and is resilient enough for everyday use. If you’d like, you can clean your citrine jewelry with an ultrasonic cleaner, but since steam cleaning could result in cracks, we strongly advise against it.