When it comes to December’s birthstone, many people think of zirconia or turquoise. While they’re both gorgeous in their own rights, we’ve decided to focus on another lovely gem: blue topaz. While it doesn’t have the same fame as a diamond or elegance as a pearl, this gem is one that shouldn’t be underestimated.
1. A Rainbow Stone
Topaz is available in just about every colour of the rainbow. However, because the blue tone is so rare, sometimes blue topaz is actually a result of heating faint or colourless topaz. This might be something to consider if you’re looking to buy jewellery with December’s birthstone.
2. What’s it Made of?
Topaz is a rare silicate mineral made of aluminum and fluorine. There are other chemicals in that mix, some of which affect the colour of this gem. For example, chromium, the same substance that causes the red in rubies, can also make topaz turn red or pink.
3. A Sturdy Stone
Due to its properties, topaz is a relatively strong stone. It’s about an 8 on the Mohs scale, so it’s fine for everyday use, but still be mindful about wear and tear.
4. Where’s it From?
Topaz can be found all over the world. Russia and the USA are just a few of the countries that have topaz deposits. Brazil is the largest exporter of topaz and they’re one of three locations known for their blue topaz – Nigeria and Sri Lanka being the other two.
5. When was it First Used?
It’s hard to trace back the origins of gemstones because of the lack of the proper tools to identify it – much like how peridot was mistaken for emerald and spinel for rubies.
Peridot, citrine, and smokey quartz have all been mistaken for topaz because of how they look to the naked eye. Even today it can be difficult to tell them apart without the proper tools. Despite this, the value of topaz hasn’t gone down, and it’s still considered a valuable gemstone among experts in the jewellery industry.
6. Meaning Behind the Name
It’s believed that “topaz” comes from the Sanskrit word for fire, “tapas.” Other say that it was named after the island Topazos in the Red Sea.
If that name sound familiar, it’s because that’s the island we mentioned in our peridot blog post. Topazos was believed to produce topaz, but it was later discovered the stones were actually peridots.
7. More Than Just December’s Birthstone
Blue topaz is also given traditionally as a gift for the 16th wedding anniversary, and is sometimes an alternative to November’s birthstone, citrine. It’s also the official gemstone of the U.S. State, Utah.
8. A Symbolic Stone
December’s birthstone has more meaning to it than you may expect. It’s been said to represent loyalty and true love, improve communication, and protect the wearer from evil and poisons. Overall, many believe blue topaz is a good stone to have around if you’re looking to improve your health and state of mind. Maybe that’s why topaz is December’s birthstone?
9. A Powerful Remedy
As we just mentioned, topaz has been used to cure ailments and be used as protection in the past. However, some remedies instruct people to ingest topaz or rub it on their eyes (which we 100% do not recommend anyone to do).
If soaked in wine for three days as a powder, the person consuming the remedy wouldn’t experience asthma or insomnia. If topaz was left to soak as a whole stone for the same amount of time in wine, a person could rub it on their eyes and see better. Again, we don’t recommend anyone to do these.
10. Admired Through the Ages
Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans have all shown their appreciation for this stone by using it to heal or protect. However, the peak of topaz’s popularity is said to be during the 18th century. This was during a major gold rush that produced a lot of topaz in Brazil.
Today, topaz has taken a backseat to some other gemstones, but it’s still a high-value gem. Celebrities seem to take favour of it, and as mentioned before, it’s December’s birthstone, making it a great gift for anyone born this month.
11. A Famous Stone for a Famous Woman
Kate Middleton has also been spotted wearing topaz every now and then. JLo, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry are also said to have been seen wearing it.
12. The Largest Blue Topaz
The Ostro Topaz is just over 9,000 carats, weighing about 4.40lbs, and estimated to be worth millions.
Max Ostro, the founder, discovered the topaz in the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, back in the 1980s. His journey into the forest included phirannas and malaria among other dangers.
