It’s difficult to attribute a particular colour to topaz. After all, this gemstone comes in different shades of yellow, green, blue, and red. Sometimes, topaz doesn’t even have any colour. Yet everyone, even those living during ancient times, regards topaz highly because of its beauty and splendour.
What’s behind the unfathomable wonder of topaz? This mystery is no longer a secret, as jewellers reveal the history and the lore behind this famed gemstone.
A Gemstone with a Rich History
Topaz has been known and used for over 2000 years. In fact, it is one of the gemstones that form the foundations of the famed twelve gates to the Holy City of the New Jerusalem. The builders believed that these so-called apocalyptic stones can protect against their enemies.
Other than a token of protection, topaz was also regarded by the ancient Greeks as a stone that could give them strength. People living during the Renaissance believed that topaz can break magic spells and dispel anger, while people in India believed that wearing this gemstone above the heart will assure the wearer beauty, intelligence, and a long life.
A Stone of Different Colours
Blue is often the colour most people see when it comes to topaz jewellery pieces, but this colour is almost always not natural. Naturally, topaz comes in different colours, more than you can imagine. This is because topaz is allochromatic, wherein the colour of the stone is caused by impurity elements or defects in its crystal structure. These imperfections could then cause the stone to appear in a yellow, brown, or blue colour.
Though the colour varieties are simply identified by its hue name, there are some hues with a particular trade name. For instance, topaz that comes in a medium reddish orange to orange-red hue is known as an imperial topaz, while stones that come in a yellowish brown or brownish yellow hue is called sherry topaz.
Where Topaz is Found
This famed gemstone is often formed from the veins and cavities of igneous rocks, though others are also found as water-worn pebbles. Normally, topaz is found worldwide, as long as rocks like pegmatite and rhyolite are present. Brazil is the leading producer of high-quality topaz, which will then be formed into stunning jewellery pieces sold by your trusted Reading jeweller.
Pay a visit to a nearby jewellery shop today and marvel at this wonder of nature today!
Sources:
Topaz, International Colored Gemstone Association
Topaz History and Lore, GIA.edu