DECEMBER'S BIRTHSTONE: Blue Topaz

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Does Topaz resonate with you?

It's December, which means it is time to learn about it's birthstones! The birthstone for December is the blue topaz- keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming blog post regarding the topaz. In this blog post I will cover a range of topics; comparing synthetic vs natural topaz, Mohs hardness rating, and more!

What is Topaz?

Topaz is a naturally occurring gemstone, which is can be found in a selection of hues, such as: colourless, yellow, pink, orange, pale blue, green, or brown. 'Man-made' topaz allows for more vibrant varieties of these colours due to the controlled environment it is created in.

Natural blue topaz is incredibly rare to find, meaning that most blue topaz you see will likely be 'man-made', taking natural, colourless topaz and irradiating it to create colours such as 'London Blue' and 'Swiss Blue' topaz.  

December's birthstone, in particular, is blue topaz which uses the irradiation process to achieve that bright blue colouration. As a result of being man-made, topaz is a fairly affordable stone, and provides the perfect pop of colour to any jewellery in which it is included.

How is Topaz made?

Topaz is formed in igneous and metamorphic rocks that are under specific conditions, such as fluorine rich fluids which can typically be found in cavities of rocks such as granite and rhyolite during late stage magma cooling. Certain colours of topaz can be found naturally or synthetically, however certain colours such as green and mystic topaz are only found in commercial topaz. The colour of topaz is determined by trace elements or defects to the crystal, for example:

Gemstone Hue	Condition to Create It	Photo
Colourless	The colour of pure, natural topaz which is as a result of typical conditions in which topaz is created (cooling magma).
Pink, red, or purple	Aluminium being replaced by the trace element chromium in the crystals structure. While these colours can be found in natural topaz, they account for an incredibly small percentage.
Yellow, brown, or blue	These colours are caused by imperfections in the crystals structure on an atomic level. These imperfections are called colour centres and alter how light shines through the crystal in order to create different colours. Brown topaz is a common natural topaz colour, whereas blue is much rarer and appears to be pale and light. Blue topaz is commonly 'man-made' as a result of it's natural rarity. The synthetic blue colours such as 'London Blue' or 'Swiss Blue' are created due to deliberate irradiation to natural, colourless topaz.
Imperial	The most valuable natural variety of the stone, which can range from a bright orange to a deep and rich red, sometimes even pink. These particular colour-ways are caused by the presence of iron and manganese impurities in the crystals structure.
Orange	A result of the presence of iron or manganese and various colour centres within the crystals structure.
Green	This colour-way can only be found in 'man-made' or commerical topaz stones. A green hue is achieved by heating natural, colourless topaz for a prolonged period of time with a chemical contact which alters the stones colour. This change is only at surface level and does not effect the stone internally.
Mystic or Azotic	Occurs by applying a thin, metallic oxide layer to a colourless topaz in order to create a rainbow or iridescent effect. Mystic topaz pictured.

Mohs Hardness Rating: What Does It Mean and Where Does Topaz Fall?

The Mohs hardness scale is a universally used scale to measure the strength and hardness of a gemstone. The scale spans from 1 to 10 and every gemstone will have one of these ratings. Topaz in particular falls at an 8 on the scale, meaning it is a hardy gemstone perfect for use in jewellery. Although topaz is a strong stone, topaz should be protected from extreme heat and force.

Brunning, A. (no date) Mohs Hardness Scale.

Synthetic vs Natural Topaz: What is the Difference?

So called 'natural' vs 'synthetic' topaz isn't as simple as it seems, rather the stone itself is always natural, and the colour is what is natural or synthetic. As mentioned previously, certain colours derive from certain conditions, some of which colours aren't possible to create in natural conditions.

NATURAL	SYNTHETIC
Natural varieties of topaz require very specific conditions to create different colours, making certain colour-ways extremely rare in natural processes.	A wider variety of colourways are available when using synthetic processes.
Is usually more expensive than it's synthetic counterpart as a result of the rarity of certain hues.	Makes different colours easily accessible and affordable when compared to natural colour-ways, making it a great option for jewellery.

MEANING:

Topaz is said to offer spiritual growth, and protection from negative energies. It is also said to help with manifesting your dreams and desires. It symbolises friendship and hope, and helps align the crown chakra.

There really are so many varieties of topaz, right? There is something for everyone, including you- you can check out our extensive collection of jewellery on our online shop!