Megan's Fun Facts: Colored Stones from Brazil -- TOPAZ

Topaz is made up of fluorine, aluminum and silicate and is found in many colors and can be colorless, much like diamonds.

Pure topaz is colorless and transparent but is usually tinted by impurities. Topaz is typically found in the colors wine, yellow, pale gray or reddish-orange, blue brown. It can also be made white, pale green, blue, gold, pink (rare), reddish-yellow or opaque to transparent/translucent.

Orange topaz (“Precious Topaz”) is the traditional November birthstone, the symbol of friendship, is also the state gemstone for Utah.

Imperial topaz is yellow, pink (rare, if natural) or pink-orange. Brazilian Imperial Topaz can often have a bright yellow to deep golden brown hue, sometimes even violet. Many brown or pale topazes are treated to make them bright yellow, gold, pink or violet colored. Some Imperial topaz stones can fade on exposure to sunlight for an extended period of time. This beautiful stone symbolizes the stone given for the 23rd wedding anniversary.

Mystic topaz is colorless topaz which has been artificially coated giving it the desired rainbow effect.

Blue topaz is the state gemstone for Texas, the modern birthstone for December and represents the 4th wedding anniversary. Naturally occurring blue topaz is quite rare. Typically colorless, gray or pale yellow and blue material is heat treated and irradiated to produce a more desired darker blue color.

In mysticism, the topaz is attributed with a cooling, styptic and appetizing effect. It is said to dispel sadness, anger and nocturnal fears. The Orange topaz is said to symbolize courage, fidelity, wisdom and serenity. The Blue topaz is said to symbolize success, love, luck, happiness and prosperity.

Topaz mining in Brazil dates back to the 1700s. Imperial Topaz was originally mined in the “topaz belt” of Minas Gerais, near the mining town of Ouro Prêto.