The spectacle of a Topaz is one to behold. It’s a stone of true love and good fortune. The breathtaking colors can range from ocean blue to blood red and come in shapes that will mesmerize you. No wonder Topaz has been popular for thousands of years.
A versatile stone, Topaz has a range of physical properties and spiritual meanings. The show-stopping colors make it perfect for stunning jewelry and are said to bring joy, love, and good fortune to those who wear it.
| Topaz Color | Golden yellow, blue, red, and purple |
| Birthstone Month | November |
| Hardness Scale | 8 on Mohs Scale |
| Mineral Class | Nesosilicate, Silicate group |
| Symbolism | Love, Good Fortune |
What is Topaz
Topaz is a semi-precious gemstone formed from magma deposits. Chemically it’s made up of silicone, aluminum, and fluoride. Certain chemical impurities and differences will give it a unique color and appearance.
It comes in sizes ranging from a fraction of a carat to a record 31,000 carats or 14lbs. The shape of Topaz varies greatly, too, coming in a square, rectangle, or oval cut.
Colorless Topaz is considered to be ‘Low-Value Topaz’ due to its natural abundance. A select set of colors are considered ‘Precious Topaz’. Including Imperial Topaz, the naturally forming orange-yellow variety.
Every color of Topaz has a unique metaphysical significance. Topaz possesses the unusual ability to activate many different chakras, including the third eye, throat, crown, etheric, and heart. It can be worn as necklaces for protection or used in reiki healing treatments.
These reasons make the Topaz an exceptional gemstone, appreciated by many cultures over millennia.
Prices for the vibrantly colored gems, enhanced by machines, are very inexpensive, starting at $8 per carat. However, naturally found Imperial Topaz can fetch over $3,000 per carat.
What does Topaz look like
Topaz comes in a vibrant, piercing array of colors, including green, purple, orange, red, sky, and ocean blue. Modern Topaz harnesses the potential of heat and radiation treatments to increase vibrancy further.
Untreated Topaz is commonly colorless or with a slight blue hue. Other naturally occurring colors include light orange, honey, or yellow, depending on the origin.
There is no one shape a Topaz comes in. With high precision cutting, the shape selected depends on the person’s preference and the natural limitations of the stone.
History of the Topaz stone
The known Topaz references date back to the Ancient Egyptians, with later mentions in the Bible. The meaning of Topaz has evolved and changed during this time. All yellow gemstones were classified as Topaz until a few hundred years ago. Likely, these historical references were not what we would consider a ‘Topaz’ today.
1737 has been seen as the birth of the Topaz as we know it. In Brazil, discovering the yellow Topaz inspired large-scale prospecting, leading to the world’s largest deposit.
With such a massive abundance of Topaz, the price plummeted, and today, Topaz is an inexpensive, non-precious gem in many colors. Most of the modern uses of Topaz are decorative, mounted in jewelry, or as a stand-alone gem.
The meaning of Topaz
Topaz has different meanings in different cultures. It has often been linked with superstitions and protection. The use in modern-day reiki is an extension of this long and beautiful history.
In the metaphysical realm, Topaz is a loving crystal that brings good fortune in the metaphysical realm. It gives you gratitude and a sense of appreciation for everything in your life, with the potential to open many chakras.
The Romans would often carry Topaz when traveling, for protection, in a pocket, or as jewelry—also harnessing its healing properties to relieve many pains.
In modern times Topaz is gifted on multiple wedding anniversaries as a sign of love, namely the 4th and 23rd. Or as an ‘alternative stone’ on the 16th, 19th, and 50th anniversaries. Commonly gifted as rings or necklaces.
Where does Topaz come from
Topaz is found in many places worldwide, making it a fairly common stone. Brazil is the largest producer of Topaz, boasting the biggest Topazes too.
North America, Southern Africa, Asia, and Australia are other large producing regions. Topaz is mined in Texas, Utah, and a few other locations in the USA.
Depending on the deposit location, many methods are used to extract Topaz from the ground. In some parts of Australia, deposits are so abundant that they can be found by hand digging and sieving the material. Making it perfect for small-scale sustainable prospecting.
While most of the naturally occurring Topaz is colorless or has a slight blue hue, Brazil is legendary for its ‘Imperial Topaz,’ which is closer to yellow, orange, or honey in color.
Topaz and Zodiac signs
November’s birthstone, clear Topaz is the gemstone for the zodiac sign of Scorpio, and Blue Topaz is the alternative gemstone for Sagittarius.
The nature of the Clear Topaz is to bring love to the bearer, complimenting the Scorpio’s intense and confident character.
Faithful, supportive, and confident are many of the common traits of the Sagittarius.
Blue Topaz has always been used as a protective crystal that heals and helps. If you’re a Sagittarius, then Blue Topaz will help you enhance all the great features about yourself.
Which family is Topaz from
Topaz belongs to the silicate family of gems. Crystalized below the Earth’s surface, Topaz forms in the veins, voids, and cracks of igneous rocks. Often Topaz is confused with being in the quartz family. This is unsurprising given the likeness of the gemstones, but they’re chemically very different and form in different environments.
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Frequently asked questions about Topaz
Famed for its protective qualities and healing properties, Topaz is believed to help improve relationships by increasing the affection of those that wear it. A dazzling stone makes this an incredibly popular choice for jewelry, too.
It depends. Natural low-rarity Topaz can start as low as $8 per carat, with the rarest types being as expensive as $3,000 per carat. Topaz prices are largely dependent on the gemstone’s natural color, carat, and clarity.
The Topaz stone is very abundant in nature. It is found in countless places and is relatively easy to mine. The prices would be very high for the rarer, naturally found colors in the past. However, the typical stone can now be heat-treated to bring out the colors more vibrantly, reducing the prices of the gem dramatically.
Topaz is a chakra stone by reiki practitioners and has many metaphysical properties. Depending on the primary color of the Topaz, it can have different spiritual meanings. Common meanings include love, good fortune, protection, and truth.
