VARIETIES AND CHARACTERISTICS BY COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
The state of Minas Gerais in Brazil is the world’s largest producer of topaz. Colorless, light blue, yellow, and sherry (orange yellow) topaz is mined there, and occasionally large crystals weighting more than 200 kilograms (440 pounds) are found. Besides Brazil, topaz is also mined in the Ural region of Russia and in Pakistan. Although similar in color to aquamarine, most blue topaz currently in the marketplace owes its hue to artificial irradiation treatment rather than nature, and does not have value as a gemstone. |
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Yellow Topaz
In contrast to sherry-colored material, lemon-colored topaz is called yellow topaz. In the case of Topaz, it appears that such lemon-yellow colors are less popular than sherry colors. This is in contrast to yellow sapphire, where bright yellow stones are more popular than orangey yellow ones. These lemon- colored topazes vary in tone, and light-colored material lacks rarity and is low in value. Yellow quartz is sometimes called “citrine topaz,” but this is a misnomer. |
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Imperial Topaz
Sherry-colored topaz is called “imperial topaz.” The main source of imperial topaz is the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. Though not covered here, this imperial topaz is the S beauty grade material in the quality scale for yellowish topaz. Sherry colors also vary in tone, and a darker stone with no brownish color is considered the best. |
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Pink Topaz
Pink topaz can be naturally colored material from Pakistan or orange-colored material from Brazil that has been heated. The material from Pakistan is characteristically slightly violetish. The darker the orange of the Brazilian material, the stronger its reaction to heat treatment, and the more beautiful the resulting pink color will be. Because the presence of impurities in the stone determines its reaction to various treatments, heat treatment in this case is accepted as man completing what nature has left unfinished. The pink topaz in the photograph is a Brazilian stone that has been heat-treated. |
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JUDGING QUALITY
I like pink diamond, pink topaz is more of a light reddish-purple than red. If a pink diamond possessed the color of a gem-quality pink topaz, it would be an exceptionally beautiful stone of the most rare kind, easily costing more than $100,000 per carat. The pink corundum of Sri Lanka also resembles pink topaz. Gem-quality pink topaz has a somewhat dark tone with no brownish hue.
Topaz is highly saturated, with strong brilliance, and even small stones will sparkle beautifully. Some very rare stones have an especially beautiful pink color that is closer to red, and may weight up to several carats. Such stones are far more attractive even than gem-quality pink diamonds, and are priced individually, like fine works of art.
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