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Stone Lore
Topaz gets its name from the island
Topazios in the Red Sea. Topazios
is a Greek word meaning to guess.
This suited th island well as it was
often obscured by fog, making it
difficult for early navigators to find.
The ancient Greeks believed topaz
bestowed strength to its wearer. It
was worn as an amulet to ward off
enchantment, dispel sadness and
strengthen intellect. Topaz was
believed to assure beauty, fidelity
and long life. Until the late 16th
century all yellow stones were
called topaz. Topaz occurs naturally
in many colors: yellow, orange,
brown, red pink, light blue, pale
green and colorless. The blue
shades (sky, swiss and london) are
very popular in jewelry today.
Sources include Brazil, Mexico,
Pakistan, the US, Sri Lanka and
Russia. Some of the yellow, orange
and brown topaz are heated to
produce pink or red. All blue topaz
is irradiated and/or heated to attain
its blue color. Topaz is the birthstone
for the month of November. Blue
topaz is designated for the 4th
wedding anniversary while imperial
topaz is given for the 23rd.
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Topaz is the birthstone of November. Blue Topaz
is the anniversary gemstone for the 4th year of
marriage.
For the Egyptians topaz was a very powerful amulet
against harm, because they believed that topaz was a
gemstone colored with the golden glow of the mighty
sun god Ra.
The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, who also
is the god of the sun. Legend has it that it dispels all
enchantment and helps to improve eyesight.
The ancient Greeks believed that it had the power to
increase strength and make its wearer invisible in times
of emergency. Topaz was also said to change color in
the presence of poisoned food or drink. It was said to
cure insomnia, asthma, and hemorrhages.
Topaz sometimes has the amber gold of fine cognac or
the blush of a peach and all the beautiful warm browns
and oranges inbetween. Some rare and exceptional
topaz are pale pink to a sherry red.
The most famous topaz is a giant specimen set in the
Portuguese Crown, the Braganza. There is also a
beautiful topaz set in the Green Vault in Dresden, one
of the world's important gem collections.
Color
Brown, yellow, orange, sherry, red and pink topaz is
found in Brazil and Sri Lanka. Pink topaz is found in
Pakistan and Russia. Today we also have blue topaz,
which has a pale to medium blue color created by
irradiation. Pale topaz which is enhanced to become
blue is found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and China.
In early 1998, a new type of enhanced topaz made its
appearance, the surface-enhanced topaz, with colours
described as blue to greenish-blue or emerald green.
Blue topaz has become a popular alternative in recent
years for those who prefer faceted stones.
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