TOPAZ the November birthstone

Topaz is one of the two birthstones associated with the month of November. The earliest references to the topaz stone have been found in the Bible, as well as in early Greek literature. Egyptians and Romans of that period associated the topaz with the sun. The name has been derived from Topazios, which was the ancient Greek name for St. John’s Island. In the modern world, the topaz was first mined in Russia. The royals of Russia, the Tsars, adopted it widely in their clothes and jewelry. After large deposits of topaz gemstones were found in Brazil, this stone became more commonly worn by ordinary citizens as well. Even today, Brazil is the largest producer of topaz. The other countries where topaz is mined in are Russia, Australia, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. There are at least two states in the United States of America – Texas and Utah – which have adopted this November birthstone as the state gemstone.

The most commonly purchased color of the topaz is yellow, although they are available in other shades as well. In fact, the pure gemstone topaz is actually colorless. The other shades of topaz (apart from yellow) are green, blue, red, pink, amber gold etc. The pale pink color or the sherry red is really eye catching. An orange colored topaz with a hint of pink, referred to as the Imperial Topaz, is considered to be the costliest version. In the nineteenth century, when topaz began to be mined in large quantities in the Ural mountains of Russia, only the royals were allowed to adorn the Imperial Topaz. Earlier, even the blue shades were rare, but with the help of irradiation, it is now very common to find blue topaz. Swiss Blue and London Blue are two of the most common blue shades of these treated natural gemstones. For a very long time, any yellow stone used to be referred to as topaz.

Coming to the chemical properties, topaz is a silicate of alumina. It is formed within the cavities of igneous rocks. In its natural state, topaz is composed of eight sided rhombic crystals, and it contains striations parallel to the longer axis. It has a hardness index of 8 on the Moh’s scale, making it the hardest silicate mineral, and only diamond and chrysoberyl are harder than topaz. Because of the distinct basal cleavage that occurs perpendicular to the longer axis, therefore it can lose its shape due to chipping or cracking if not cut properly. That is why the topaz is not as tenacious as it is hard.

There are several benefits of topaz. It is said to bring prosperity and spirituality to the wearer. Many people choose the yellow topaz for the physical reliefs it brings. It has excellent healing properties for the chakra of the solar plexus, and can help restore the balance of the liver, kidney and the bladder. Some other physical afflictions that have seen benefits after wearing a topaz are insomnia and loss of memory. In fact some earlier texts also speak of the ability of the topaz to cure madness. Topaz is considered the crystal of potency. The blue topaz reflects the unending expanse of the blue sky and the unending thirst for knowledge. It boosts the ability to understand and learn new concepts. It also helps in more effective communication, and helps the wearer understand clearly what he or she wants and doesn’t want. Some people also adorn the colorless (or silver colored) topaz which opens up the Self and helps the wearer understand the overall big picture regarding the purpose and direction of life.