Topaz

TOPAZ

Topaz occurs naturally in a variety of hues, including colourless, light blue, yellow, orange, pink, violet, brown, and very rarely, red. Blue topaz is mostly the result of treating colourless topaz with irradiation and heating. The rainbow effect of "Mystic Topaz" is obtained by coating colourless topaz with an artificial thin film.

The word "topaz" may have originated from the Sanskrit "tapas," meaning "fire," or the Greek "topazos." The November birthstone has been believed to possess many benefits over the centuries. Ancient Greeks believed it gave them strength, while Europeans from the 1300s to the 1600s thought it could dispel anger and thwart magic spells. Many people in India have also worn topaz above the heart for long life, beauty, and intelligence.

The Imperial topaz, with its distinctive pinkish-orange hue, is associated with aristocracy. The name is believed to have originated from the Russian royal family's desire to keep the finest colours of this gem, which was mined in Russia's Ural Mountains, exclusively for their use. Another explanation is that it dates back to an 1881 visit by Brazilian Emperor Pedro II to Ouro Preto, the town closest to Brazil's most productive topaz mines, where he was gifted a reddish topaz.

Blue topaz is the gem of the fourth wedding anniversary, while Imperial topaz is the gem of the 23rd wedding anniversary.