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Topaz - as Blue as a Clear Blue Sky and Ocean Water

To combat the manifold stress, exhaustion and day-to-day tribulations, an ancient remedy is recommended as an antidote to lessen the impact of the same. That is meditation; this marvel recommendation if done properly can work wonders and calm the turbulent mind. There is a well-known word in Sanskrit called Tapas, which refers to the technique of sitting or even standing in a yogic posture and meditating on the Supreme Lord up above. Tapas as per ancient Hindu folklore were, used as a means by sages to bring the vibrations of the mind under control and submit them to the Lord. And this word Tapas gave birth to the name of a gemstone Topaz. A gemstone which ranks among the most popular of all gemstones and one which found ready acceptance in both ancient times as well as in the present day modern times.

The gemstone is blue in colour, a colour, which synchronizes with the very elements of nature, a colour that is pleasing and pleasant and brings lots of cheer to one's spirits. A colour which epitomizes the clear blue sky up above and the clear blue water down below. It is a colour, which a Hindu associates with the great God himself lord Vishnu, a blue skinned God. The history of the gemstone makes for fascinating reading.

Important Titbits

• It is the birthstone for November and the Scorpio zodiac sign.
• It is the anniversary gemstone for the 4th year of marriage.
• Topaz has a hardness of 8 and looks beautiful in rings, bracelets, necklaces and pendants.
• Topaz is a talisman for the Sagittarius sign and is the suggested gift for the 23rd anniversary.
• In the mineral table of hardness, topaz has a hardness of 8. Topaz can scratch quartz, but not corundum, the hardest mineral next to diamond.

History

Richness is the word, which should be used to describe the history of this fine gemstone and added to this it is also pretty amusing. To make the same good reading stuff, it's better to bifurcate it to various branches-

• Ancient Egyptians acknowledged the gemstone as a powerful gemstone due to the fact that it was coloured with the golden glow of the mighty Sun God Ra.
• It was associated with Jupiter (the God of the Sun) by the Romans. And roman tales attribute its ability to dispel enchantment and help improve eyesight.
• Ancient Greeks believed that it had the power to give more strength and provide the cover of invisibility to its wearer during emergency times.
• It on occasions has the amber gold of fine cognac or the blush of a peach plus the beautiful warm browns and oranges in between.
• In ancient times, a falcon figure was carved on a Topaz, which brought enormous goodwill to kings, princes and magnates.
• It is as on now the state gemstone of the states of Texas and Utah in the USA.
• It was said to change its colour in the presence of poisoned food or drink. And the gem's mystical powers waxed and waned with the phases of the moon.
• A yellow topaz turns pink colour to purple-red when exposed to moderate heat and a Parisian jeweller discovered this in 1750. The same jeweller used the same to create the first artificial pink topaz.
• The other artificial created colour is Blue for this gem. It was discovered in the 20th century. The blueness takes off from pale to medium blue in colour after being irradiated. The pale topaz, which is treated to create the blue topaz, is found in Brazil, China, Sri Lanka and Nigeria.
• In the year 1998, another variation of topaz was discovered. This surface-enhanced topaz has a colour, which is confined to a microscopically thin layer at and just below the surface with colours referred to as blue to greenish-blue or emerald green.
• A brilliant-cut colourless topaz in the name of Braganza, a famous stone of 1640 carats, found in the Portuguese crown.

Its source of origin has two links, one attributes it to the ancient Sanskrit word Tapas (an ancient word for fire). Fire has a fiery orange colour, and these colours change when exposed to sunlight and/or heat. A brown topaz can be bleached by sunlight. The other source tells it was probably derived from the island of Topazos in the Red Sea. A orange red "imperial" topaz is described as a rare kind.

Topaz is said to have be commonly found in gravels as rounded pellets an occurrence which comes due to it being worn down by water and sand for thousands of years. The mineral is a silicate of aluminium, which contains 20% water plus fluorine. The relative proportions of these impurities give birth to the colour of the stones. The sources of topaz are Brazil, Pakistan, Russia, Mexico, the Ural Mountains and San Diego in California plus Thomas Range in Utah, Australia, Japan, China, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

Features

Colour

It comes in colours as diverse as brown, yellow, orange, sherry, red and pink topaz. In addition, a new type of enhanced topaz made its appearance, the surface-enhanced topaz, with colours described as blue to greenish-blue or emerald green. Blue topaz has become a popular alternative in recent years for those who prefer faceted stones.

Cut

Topaz has some impressive credentials. At Mohs 8, topaz is much harder than quartz (7) and a bit harder than most beryls (7.5 to 8). The surfaces of topaz crystals are exceedingly smooth and take a fine polish. And with indices of refraction and dispersion even higher than those of the beryl gemstones, properly cut topaz gems have great brilliance.

The biggest uncut stone, a specimen found in Brazil weighing almost 600 pounds, is on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. A famous cut topaz in history is found among the crown jewels of Portugal, a magnificent yellow stone weighing 12 ounces.

Size

Topaz's hardness and optical indices admittedly fall considerably short of those of diamond and the corundum gems, sapphire and ruby, but topaz has something else going for it--its size. While it's hard to find (or afford) diamond or corundum gems in weights greater than 3 carats, topaz gems rarely weigh less. Topaz gems of 5 and 10 carats are common, and gems of 15 or more carats are not unusual. Topaz gemstones occur in a large variety of sizes, from tiny crystals to large rocks.

Enhancements

Any object when first found is raw and has to given a polish to convert into a tame one. Following the process of mining of a raw topaz, it is irradiated to brown and then heated to a rich sky blue. This enhancement process is permanent and does not affect the quality of the stone

Power and healing ability

• Topaz is an everlasting symbol of love and affection. It also ensures the fidelity of the one a person (who wears it) loves.
• It brings in friendship. Known as "lover of gold," the topaz is used to bring wealth and money. Combine with an equal amount of tiger's-eye. Empower and place these stones around a green candle. Burn the candle and visualize. Wearing a topaz draws love
• When the powdered mixture of the gemstone is added to wine, it is said to act as a cure for asthma, burns, insomnia and haemorrhages. In addition, it also alleviates the pain of rheumatism as well as to regulate the digestive system. Perhaps this is why the stone is also worn for weight loss.
• It is used for projection purposes. It is considered a specific against envy, intrigue, disease, injury, sudden death, sorcery and negative magic, and lunacy. The stone was thought to be especially effective when set in gold and bound to the left arm.
• It relieves depression, anger, fear, greed, frenzies, and all disturbing emotions.
• Topaz if placed in the home, it is a charm against fire and accidents. When put under your pillow or worn to sleep, the topaz fends off nightmares and ends sleepwalking.

Care and Treatment

• It should be protected from scratches and sharp blows. Therefore, it should not be worn during sports and strenuous work.
• Leaving the gemstone in large temperature changes as heater vent or a hot can should be avoided.
• Cleaning of a topaz in a home ultrasonic cleaner is a no-no and instead it should be cleaned in warm soapy water.
• Clear topaz is irradiated and heat-treated to enable it to turn into other colours as blue, yellow and brown topaz.
• Due caution should be exercised with topaz gems, for its perfect cleavage may cause it to chip or form internal flaws if hit too hard. Topaz cutting also requires special practice for this reason.

It is hailed as a gem, which is timeless and is set into rings, earrings, pills, and pendants. It may be linked to a suite of topazes or other gems in a lacy bracelet or neck chain. It makes a smart tie tack or cuff link and can also be used in men's rings.

Think of blue, images of blue sky, blue sea water and dazzling of a blue gem called Topaz comes to mind. Rich in variety and treat to watch with naked eyes, blue spells class and topaz enhances that class with its special features and miraculous healing abilities.