Topaz

Pure topaz is colorless and transparent but is usually tinted by impurities. Typical topaz is wine, yellow, pale gray, reddish-orange, or blue brown. Orange topaz, or precious topaz, is the November birthstone, the symbol of friendship and the state gemstone of Utah. Imperial topaz is yellow, pink or pink-orange. Brazilian Imperial Topaz can have a bright yellow to deep golden brown hue.

Blue topaz is the state gemstone of Texas. Naturally occuring blue topaz is quite rare. Typically, colorless or pale material is heat treated and irradiated to produce a more desired darker blue.

Topaz is found in Russia, Afghanistan , Sri Lanka, Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, Pakistan, Italy, Sweden, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Nigeria, and the US. It has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale.