I often have difficulty in choosing gifts for loved ones. A couple of decades ago, gifts based on birthstones were quite popular. Let’s get back to this tradition. Here’s some information on the birthday for November, which will aid you in buying a birthday or Christmas gift for a loved one. They will appreciate the thoughtfulness behind your sparkling idea.
Topaz is a gem that comes in various colours from colourless to bright pink to deep blue. Its colors are usually very light and muted, but in recent years bright pink has been highly sought after. Pink, blue and yellow topazes are the most valuable. Topaz is Sanskrit meaning “fire”. I don’t know about you, but I could use a little “fire” in my November outings. Why don’t we pass along some of this to our friends?
In Greek and Roman times this stone was prized above all other gems. They believed all yellow, brown and green stones such as citrine and peridot were called topazios. Today the difference in price would be in the hundreds of dollars. This incorrect designation of gemstones continued for hundreds of years. It wasn’t until scientists took a closer look at these gems and realized that some were different.
Unfortunately our own jewellery trade has created a variety of terms, deceitful and illegal to use: smoky topaz for smoky quartz, citrine topaz for citrine quartz and oriental topaz for synthetic sapphire. Only natural topaz can be labelled “precious” and “Imperial”, which comes from Brazil.
Today there is even the “Mystic Topaz”, which is nothing more than a synthetic gem. If you truly enjoy the sparkling colors, don’t let this put you off. After all, you should buy jewelry that makes you happy. Who cares if it is real or not?
However, if you desire a real Topaz, there are many to choose from.
Genuine topaz is very hard so it wears well in all types of jewelry. It is a very difficult stone to cut. One mistake and it could cause internal fractures in the stone or split it into two pieces. A topaz set in a ring should be treated with care.
Whether you choose a synethic or genuine topaz, you should be proud to know that you have chosen a unique gemstone that you can pass along to your children.