There is hardly a person in the modern world who is not aware of what topaz is. The stone is familiar to almost everyone. But where the term came from, what types of topaz are there, where the word is still used in a slightly different context, probably only a few know.
Force of gravity
The most popular and most beautiful gemstone was given its name Zeberget Island in the Red Sea, which in ancient times was named Topazos. Here the mineral was first discovered. According to another, later version, “topaz” from Sanskrit “popas” is translated as “fire”. Ancient Indians called topazes all yellow gemstones. At different times, some varieties of gems were erroneously classified as these crystals. Similar misconceptions were associated with their huge color gamut.
So what is topaz? This is a semi-precious transparent stone of various colors. There are red, blue, blue, pink, orange, yellow, brown topazes. There are also colorless and shining in many shades options. They are relatively inexpensive and represented by many species for every taste and color.
Groups of semiprecious stones
Natural topazs by type of color are divided into two groups:
Stones, the coloring of which is affected by the presence or absence of chemical elements - chromium and iron. Usually it is topaz peach, orange, purple and yellow. Crystals from this category do not change their color under any influence. Jewelers attribute them to rare, expensive stones, calling them "imperial topazes."
- Blue and brown crystals. Blue natural topaz is more resistant to color changes, but at temperatures above 250 degrees it can become colorless. The most “unfaithful” to their natural color are brown minerals of brown, gray and tea shades. When exposed to direct sunlight and heating to 130 degrees, they easily change the crystal lattice, losing their natural color. And so they cost much less than the stones of the first group.
What is Sky Blue Topaz?
The greatest love of the people are the topazes from the Sky Blue category - blue. Minerals of this species are considered the most beautiful and refined jewelry stones, which have precisely absorbed a clear summer sky. Their soft, bewitching shades, without a hint of excessive brightness and obsession, won the hearts of more than one lover of precious stones. In Russia, a blue topaz deposit was first discovered in the Middle Urals in 1722. Ural minerals were highly praised by European countries, who called them “Siberian diamonds”, due to their high hardness, similar to the density of diamonds. And soon the whole world learned about blue topaz: what it is and how valuable it is. Now Brazil is a monopolist in the mining of topazes, and therefore the blue crystal is also called the “Brazilian sapphire”.
Categories of Blue Topaz
In connection with the insufficient saturation and brightness of the color of the extracted topazes, they began to be subjected to an artificial refinement process. The essence of the procedure is the method of enhancing the natural color, with the addition of the desired color. All blue stones are divided into three categories:
- Sky Blue - crystals with a light color, the most common and inexpensive. Only in this category are stones not subjected to artificial processing. The cost of such minerals is $ 20-100 per carat, depending on size and quality.
- Blue Swiss (Swiss Blue) - incredibly beautiful topazes with a deep blue color. Their deposits are rare, and therefore they are more expensive than crystals of the first category. Before the sale, all Swiss topazs are upgraded.
- London (London Blue). What is London Topaz? This is the mineral with the most intense color, iridescent with the bewitching blue of the deep sea. At the moment, there are only a few unique examples of London stone. They are very expensive. The color of such crystals was obtained using enhanced radiation.
The magical properties of stone
Topaz has long been considered a talisman that helps violent patients, a tool that causes a person to calm, serenity and drives away anger, anger, resentment. In the Middle Ages, he was a symbol of kindness, prudence and joy. It was believed that prolonged wearing of a stone contributed to the generosity, honesty and decency of a person. Topaz gives its owner wisdom, discretion, a clear mind, creativity. Helps to cause the location of people around, instills optimism.
Golden topaz promotes conception in infertile women, cures liver diseases, nervous disorders, improves eyesight, gives girls beauty and charm, gives wisdom. For those who do not know what topaz is, it will be useful to know that it relieves asthma attacks, is the best amulet for long trips and at sea.
It develops people's intuition and ability to foresee. At the same time, topaz can subordinate weak personalities to its will and inspire them with negative thoughts. The crystal is ideal for the cardinal signs of the zodiac - Aries, Cancer, Capricorn, Libra. Recommended to Scorpio, but categorically not suitable for Pisces, as it can affect them badly. It’s better to straighten topaz to cupronickel, which enhances the useful properties of the stone and brings peace of mind.
Rauch Topaz
For lovers of precious stones, the question often arises of what rauch-topaz is and what category it belongs to. In fact, rauch-topaz (from German rauch - “smoke”) is a transparent smoky quartz of gray, dark brown and brown hue. The mineral is mistakenly referred to as topaz, but it has nothing to do with it. Rauch topaz, like crystal, is a valuable variety of quartz and amazes the imagination with the luxurious smoky effect of scattering rays. It is considered the most powerful stone in terms of magical properties. It protects against magic, brings wealth, relieves stress and pain. With the help of this mineral, you can achieve the state of nirvana and remove negative energy flows from the body.
Topaz in Photoshop
The name of the famous stone is also found in the world of computer technology. What is topaz in Photoshop? Topaz is a special set of software modules for Photoshop. They are designed to expand the functions of the program, simulate drawing with watercolors, paints and other amenities in use. In this case, Topaz is the name of a well-known computer company that identifies its activities with the magical properties of a magic stone.
Now you know what topaz is, how many varieties of it are found in nature, what magical properties this transparent mineral has. Despite the sophisticated appearance, alluring depth and gravity, it should be worn with caution and only to those who consider themselves a strong personality.