According to Colored Stone magazine, the popularity of topaz has grown so much that today this stone is “treading on the heels” of sapphire, which has always been the number one colored stone in the world. Combined with its low price, this makes it popular among both jewelers and jewelry buyers.
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Perhaps, topazes have only one “but”: stones of deep blue color, not to mention blue ones, are almost never found in nature. So how then do topazes come in incredibly beautiful and vibrant shades - Sky Blue, Swiss Blue and London Blue?
Description
Blue topaz is a precious mineral that is the most popular variety in its group. It is also called “Siberian diamond” due to the large deposits in Siberia and the brilliance of the facets of the processed gem. A distinctive characteristic of topaz is its hardness; at the same time, it lends itself well to jewelry polishing and cutting.
Physical properties of the stone:
- hardness - 8 units. according to the Moss scale;
- density - 3.49-3.57 g/cm;
- refractive ray - 1.606-1.638;
- cleavage - perfect;
- fracture - conchoidal;
- luster - glassy.
The most common shades are the entire spectrum from pale blue to blue.
Minerals of this particular color are considered the most valuable and expensive among all topazes. There are three options for stones in these tones, each of which has different characteristics and color nuances:
- Sky Blue (Sky Blue) . A semi-precious stone of pale blue color, which is obtained by heating the mineral to high temperatures. The natural shade of a gem means that it contains an admixture of titanium ions.
- Swiss Blue Topaz is a bright blue stone, sometimes you come across specimens with a pronounced gray tint. They are rarely found in nature, but are popular in the jewelry industry, so gemologists often artificially refine the crystals on their own.
- London Blue are gems that have undergone an irradiation procedure, as a result of which the mineral acquires a bright, rich shade of blue.
Sky Blue
Swiss Blue
London Blue
It is worth noting that all varieties are natural crystals; only their color is obtained artificially.
High-quality transparent minerals are mined in the Urals, Brazil, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. There is a large deposit of gems in Volyn (Ukraine).
Topaz Swiss Blue
Swiss Blue topaz
Ring with Swiss Blue topaz from Ilsommo
Swiss Blue topaz has a bright blue color, sometimes with an admixture of gray tint. The first high-quality samples were mined in Switzerland; today the main deposits are considered to be the territory of Ukraine, Namibia, Australia, and Japan.
The stone belongs to the group of aluminum silicates, a semi-precious gem. The most common shade is medium blue. Stones with an admixture of brown, pink, and orange are not uncommon. The cut gem has almost one hundred percent transparency and a bright pearlescent luster.
Medicinal properties
Experts say that blue stone is of great importance in lithotherapy and has a wide range of effects on human internal organs. In ancient times, blue minerals were used to treat various types of poisoning and infections.
Noble people tested their drinks for poison using a gem. It was believed that blue topaz, thrown into a cup of poison, would change color.
Wearing a pendant with a blue or light blue insert has a positive effect on the immune system, internal organs and reproductive function. In addition, topaz will help cure the following diseases:
- nervous system disorders;
- diseases of internal organs;
- various types of inflammation;
- decreased immunity;
- infertility;
- pathologies of the visual organs.
It is believed that the gem can stop bleeding if held next to an open wound. The mineral relieves insomnia and nightmares if placed next to the bed. Wearing a stone around your neck will prevent the risk of developing colds, flu, and asthma.
Magic properties
In addition to medicine, blue topaz is actively used in magic and various rituals. In ancient times, the stone was a talisman for sailors. It was believed that the mineral symbolizes the sea element and is able to protect against shipwrecks and bad weather.
Esotericists claim that the crystal is a protective amulet against damage, the evil eye, bad thoughts and accidents.
In addition, the blue gem has the following magical properties:
- Detects lies . The mineral is capable of exposing a liar, so esotericists recommend wearing the stone to women who suspect their partner of lying or cheating.
- Topaz has a positive effect on the owner , revealing and enhancing good character traits. Wearing jewelry with a blue crystal every day will help a person get rid of inhibitions, become more confident and sociable, and make many new friends.
- Oh cools emotions. Esotericists advise aggressive people who suffer from outbursts of rage and anger, as well as those who cannot control their emotions, to wear the gem. The crystal will give the owner peace of mind, sanity and peace of mind.
An amulet with a blue mineral will help protect family relationships and strengthen ties between parents and children. If you place topaz at the head of the bed, you can normalize sleep. Wearing a stone will give hope in a difficult life situation and accelerate career growth.
The gem is recommended to be worn by people of the following professions:
- judge, lawyer, jurist;
- head of a large company;
- sailor;
- diplomat;
- detective;
- HR Manager.
TYPES OF BLUE TOPAZES
Semi-precious topaz stones are typically colorless minerals that can also have burgundy yellow and golden pink hues. At the moment, blue topaz is most valued by jewelers and gem lovers.
Impurities of chemical elements in one place or another on the Earth give stones a certain shade. Therefore, by the color of London topaz, you can determine in which state the crystals were found or produced.
London blue topaz is the name given to the most expensive minerals of the purest blue hue: maxi-blue. The term itself already has a meaning - maximum blueness. The color of the stones is dim, but thick. English gemologists were able to obtain crystals of a rich shade in their laboratories.
Some experts argue that this is why topaz is called English. But the residents of London themselves are sure that the stone was given its name because of its similarity with the color of the sky above the capital of Great Britain.
Swiss topaz swiss blue is a semi-precious mineral of a medium blue hue. The shine is deep, pearly. Crystals of almost 100% transparency, with an admixture of shades of ash or sunset.
These semi-precious stones were originally mined in the mountains of Switzerland, and today are more often found in Australia, South-West Africa and Japan.
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Sky blue topazes are supplied to the world jewelry market by Russia. The shade is smoky, light blue. Some stone connoisseurs compare such specimens to the blurred blue of the northern sky. And others claim that gems are like frozen pure water. Moreover, the ice pieces have a subtle greenish tint.
How blue topazes are obtained
According to jewelers, in recent years the demand for London topazes has greatly increased in the modern gem market. The prevalence of stone and ease of processing lead to the fact that stones are easier to extract from natural deposits than to grow in laboratory conditions.
And yet, blue topazes are obtained from ordinary ones in laboratory conditions, by heat treatment. After chemical treatment, the mineral may acquire a smoky or gray tint. Therefore, it is easy for a specialist to distinguish artificially colored London topaz from natural one.
Cost of blue topaz
The price of a precious or semi-precious mineral is indicated per carat, or per 0.2 grams (how much one carat weighs in jewelry).
The process of cultivation (refinement) has reduced the cost of jewelry with gemstones:
- SkyBlue price – no more than $2;
- Swisstopaz costs about $8;
- LondonBlue is the most expensive, its price reaches $20.
Gemological characteristics
In the process of gemological research, the following properties of stones were described:
- London Topaz – the most intense – 5;
- Swiss Blue saturation – from 3 to 4;
- Sky Blue saturation – from 1 to 3;
- Average hardness on the Mohs scale is 7.6;
- All types of blue crystal described above have gas-liquid impurities, the size of which does not exceed 0.03 millimeters;
- No luminescence is observed, only Swiss topaz has a non-thermal glow in yellow or red tones (1.62-1.79).
Analogues and how to distinguish a fake
To distinguish a gem from glass crystals (sitall), just warm the jewelry in your hand. The fake will heat up faster than the real stone.
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It is also worth paying attention to the quality of the stone: if the surface is well polished and your finger glides over it without problems, then the crystal is natural.
How to distinguish from other stones:
- If you hold the topaz up to the light, you will notice the split edges. This is not observed in aquamarine.
- London sapphire can be distinguished by weight: sapphire will be heavier.
Mineral and zodiac signs
Astrologers believe that blue topaz is favorable to all signs of the zodiac, but the stone has the best compatibility with Scorpio. The gem gives wisdom and restraint to men of this sign, and charm and charm to women.
In addition, all Scorpios suffer from indecisiveness and an uncooperative character, and jewelry with topaz will help correct this.
The influence of the blue crystal on other signs of the zodiac circle:
- The mineral will give softness and femininity to Sagittarius women, and restraint to men;
- Aries and Leo should give preference to bright blue topaz - it will pacify anger and outbursts of rage;
- The crystal will make Cancers more compliant;
- For Gemini, the blue topaz stone will help them gain determination and give them peace of mind;
- For Capricorn and Virgo, wearing the mineral will give softness and sincerity.
Astrologers recommend wearing a blue crystal to all horoscope signs except Libra, Taurus and Pisces:
- For Libra, the stone will bring a feeling of disharmony and anxiety;
- for Taurus - will strengthen bad qualities;
- Pisces may be overshadowed by family relationships.
How to wear
Blue color is quite universal and can be combined with both gold and silver cut. Blue topaz looks especially elegant in white metals - platinum, white gold and silver. Yellow metals add cheerfulness to the gem and look bright and luxurious.
Blue gems in white metal are more suitable for women of the spring-summer type and blondes, but in yellow gold - for brown-haired women, brunettes and women of the autumn-winter type.
In silver In gold
The most important feature of blue topaz is that it is suitable for all women by age, because it will adequately emphasize the charm of young girls and the beauty of adult women.
Of course, we must take into account the magical properties of the stone, which are associated with the signs of the Zodiac. It is considered to be most suitable for Scorpios and quite dangerous for Taurus.
