The gorgeous gem of various colors topaz, which is the November birthstone, is highly prized as a gemstone for jewelry. People once thought that topaz had magical and therapeutic properties. Perhaps the Sanskrit word for fire is where its name comes from.
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Colors of the November birthstone
Topaz can be found in a variety of stunning hues, including mild blue, pink, red, brown, different hues of yellow, and even black. Topaz is a colorless stone in its purest form. Chromium atoms in the crystal give red and some pink topazes their hue. Most other colors are the result of crystal flaws and small element substitutions. Some hues are brittle and prone to fading. Heat can alter the color of some stones. Colorless topaz can be irradiated with high energy to produce blue gemstones.
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Topaz is an aluminum silicate mineral with fluorine and hydroxide in its chemical composition (a hydrogen-oxygen molecule). Topaz, which rates 8 on the Mohs scale and is the hardest silicate stone, has strong chemical connections throughout. High flourine concentrations, a prerequisite for the creation of topaz, are geologically uncommon, according to Geoscience Australia. They provided an explanation of how topaz forms in igneous rock cavities:
When there is sufficient fluorine to support the creation of topaz, which occurs in the late phases of a magma cooling, the crystals develop. Some topaz crystals form when fluorine-rich hot fluids (hydrothermal solutions) pass through fissures in already-cooled rocks.
Topaz on display
Small crystals and huge rocks of various sizes, including topaz, can be found. A Brazilian example of one of the largest uncut topaz stones weights about 600 pounds (270 kg). It is on view in New York at the American Museum of Natural History.
Additionally, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. is home to one of the largest cut topazes in the world. called the Golden Topaz of America. It is around 7 inches (18 cm) long and 10.1 pounds (4.6 kg) in weight.
Uses for the November birthstone
Topaz is the perfect stone for jewelry like necklaces, brooches, and bracelets because of its vibrant fire, clarity, hues, and toughness. The pure topaz, which is finely cut and colorless, is occasionally mistaken for a diamond. Topaz is a pricey gem because of its scarcity. Red is the most expensive and scarcest color. The most widely used topaz stones are the brownish-yellow, orange-yellow, and reddish brown variants, which are sherry-colored. They are quite expensive, just like pink stones. While less valuable, light blue and pale yellow topaz are nevertheless incredibly beautiful.
Topaz has uses outside of jewelry, such as in industry. As a result of its ability to retain strength in the presence of severe heat, it is employed as a refractory material in kilns and furnaces. It can also be used as a mold for molten metals and glass due to its feature.
Brazil is the world’s largest producer of topaz, with the Minas Geranis region serving as its most noteworthy source. In addition to these nations, topaz is also mined in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Russia, and Australia. People have discovered it in Utah, Texas, and California in the United States.
Topaz lore
Topaz may have gotten its name from a Sanskrit word that means fire. A more complicated alternative story is also present. The gemstone may have been given the name Topazos after an ancient Greek island in the Red Sea. On the purportedly hard to find island, they mined a yellow stone. Most people now believe that stone to be chrysolite.
According to legend, topaz could cool boiling water. According to legend, these diamonds gave their owners happy dreams and made them happy. Additionally, it was thought that persons who wore topaz would live long, beautiful, and intelligent lives.
People in the Middle Ages thought that diamonds with intricate engravings carried extraordinary powers. About the topaz, Ragiel’s Book of Wings from the thirteenth century said:
If a falcon is shown on a topaz, it can be used to win over monarchs, princes, and magnates.
Topaz was once used to treat fevers as medicine. Topaz powder was mixed into wine to treat asthma and sleeplessness. They thought that holding a topaz in a woman’s hand during childbirth would decrease her discomfort.
Topaz was advised as a treatment for impaired vision by Saint Hildegard, a German Benedictine abbess who lived in the 12th century. Three days and nights were spent submerging the stone in wine, after which the liquid was applied to the eyes. A topaz that belonged to two Catholic popes allegedly helped a Roman doctor in the 15th century treat plague sores.
See the birthstones for the rest of the year
In conclusion, topaz is the birthstone for November. It is a hard mineral that is often used in jewelry and has a persistent folklore of magical and therapeutic properties.
Why do November have two birthstones?
The 12 stones of the High Priest’s breastplate recorded in Exodus are thought to be the origin of the concept of birthstones. Wearing one stone per month of the year was formerly a widespread habit. The Jewelers of America sought to standardize birthstones in 1912. Modern birthstones are chosen primarily on what can be sold in huge quantities the quickest. Thus, there are two birthstones for November. The original birthstone was topaz, but citrine was eventually introduced as a less expensive substitute.
What kind of stone is the topaz birthstone?
Topaz has the symbolic significance of eliminating nightmares and temper tantrums. Protection and healing are represented by topaz. Wearers are said to experience a grounding, healing vibe. Legend has it that topaz even drove away madness and enchantment.
Topaz: Color
Golden yellow, ranging from a light gold to a rich yellowish-orange, is the hue of the topaz birthstone. Other hues than the most common blue, such as green, red, pink, and topaz, are also offered. Imperial topaz, which is often referred to as “precious topaz, is identified by its yellow, pink, or pinkish-orange color. Due of its rarity, imperial topaz can be more challenging to locate and buy.
Topaz crystallizes in lava flows or in lava-solidified rocks. It is made up of the mineral silicate of fluorine and aluminum. Topaz is colorless in its most basic state. Topaz is available in every color of the rainbow thanks to tiny imperfections that give the stones their color. Topaz is tough enough for daily use and all types of jewelry, scoring an 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Is the birthstone for November unusual?
- 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.
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 hue does November represent?
The yellow color of the November birthstone is derived from the gemstones yellow-orange Topaz, also known as golden Topaz, and yellow Citrine.
The numerous colored variants of topaz are produced by impurities because pure topaz is essentially transparent. Topaz also occurs in gorgeous colors of blue, pastel green, pink, and red in addition to the yellow to orange spectrum. Since processed colorless topaz predominates in the market, natural blue topaz is quite uncommon.
Imperial Topaz, a brand name for natural golden topaz, is relatively uncommon and not frequently used in jewelry. The gorgeous sunset colors of Mystic Topaz, which is frequently found in November jewelry, are typically created by treating transparent Topaz.
Russian and Brazilian topaz are the most expensive kind used in jewelry, although Brazilian topaz is the only source of imperial topaz.
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.
Is November topaz or citrine?
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.
What birthstone has the rarest stone?
While some birthstones are more accessible than others, precious gemstones in particular are thought to be relatively scarce. However, given that some really expensive stones are not all that rare and vice versa, price tags can be deceiving when it comes to rarity. For instance, although expensive, April’s diamond is less rare than rubies, emeralds, and alexandrite. Speaking of alexandrite, it is now the most expensive and rarest gemstone on the list of birthstones. Additionally extremely rare, black opals are.
Birthstones provide an intriguing way to select jewelry. They enable people to investigate jewels that they might otherwise avoid. However, birthstones are not always what people think they are, so make sure you are buying birthstone jewelry for the right reasons while making your selection.
What color birthstone corresponds to Scorpio?
A piece of Scorpio birthstone jewelry might be a better alternative. Lucky Scorpio has a wide selection of birthstones to pick from, so this star sign is inundated with options!
Opal or tourmaline are the two lovely birthstones available for Scorpio. Both have unique meanings, and our collection of jewelry with the birthstone for October offers countless variations of each.
Citrine and topaz are the two birthstones for Scorpio for November. Citrine, the birthstone for Scorpio, is recognized for its vivid orange tones, whereas topaz is more frequently seen in a range of blue hues.
How much does topaz cost?
Blue topaz is created (by irradiation and heat) from colorless topaz, which is offered in sizes up to 100 ct and higher and costs less than $8/ct. The cost of brown topaz is comparable. Contrarily, premium topaz, sometimes known as “imperial topaz,” in deep orange hues commands prices of more than $1000/ct.
November Diamond: What is it?
The citrine, which has been the birthstone for November for almost a century, is actually a variety of quartz that stands out for its warm yellow tone, which makes it different from all other gemstones of its kind.