All About Topaz: The November Birthstone

By Author: Greg Stopka
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The primary birthstone for November is a diamond called topaz.

The Origins and Cultural Significance of Topaz

The word topaz is said to come from the Ancient Greek word topázos, which alludes to a yellow stone that was said to come distinctly from a little island called St. John's Island in the Red Sea. The Ancient Greeks thought the stone to bring strength, break enchantment spells, and scatter outrage. The English idea of the stone restored lunacy. In India, topaz worn over the heart assures long life, beauty, and intelligence. The stone was likewise treated as sacrosanct by African shamans, who might utilize it to recuperate customs.

There is also a unique sort of topaz that is mined from the Russian Ural Mountains. This sort, called magnificent topaz to pay tribute to the despot, has an uncommon, pinkish-orange tint and wasn't permitted to be possessed and worn by anybody other than the imperial family. As the Ural Mountains were the main wellspring of topaz during the nineteenth century, this loaned the stone a proportion of eminence.

Verifiably, there was a ton of disarray about topaz, ...
... mainly as the word topaz was often used to portray only any yellowstone during the Middle Ages. Presently, the word alludes explicitly to this silicate mineral species.

Concerning where topaz can be mined, Brazil is perhaps the biggest maker of the stone. Jewelsmith says it can likewise be found in nations like Russia, Sri Lanka, Norway, Pakistan, Mexico, Australia, and the United States.

Remarkable Topaz

The American Golden Topaz is the biggest cut yellow topaz on record, tipping the scales at a dazzling 22,892.5 carats. This brilliant monster was mined in Minas Gerais, Brazil—perhaps the most extravagant wellspring of excellent topaz on the planet—and was chopped down from 26 lbs to 10.1 lbs in the last part of the 1980s. Shading insightfully, the stone isn't as significant as a dynamic royal topaz would be, yet its sheer size is sufficiently great.

The Properties and Hardness of Topaz

As per Jewelry stores in California, the topaz is an intriguing gemstone because, while it has a generally high Mohs hardness of 8, the stone must be handled more cautiously than different stones with a comparative hardness rating. This is because the stone's particles have a weak atomic bond, so a topaz could fracture whenever hit with something hard.

The stone normally happens in brilliant earthy colors. However, it can likewise show up in orange, pink, pinkish-orange, violet, and, seldom, blue. Topaz can likewise be blessed to receive show up anyplace from straightforward to wine red to light green. Since it has such an assortment in shading, various kinds of metals may suit this stone. However, we suggest setting the piece in especially durable metal, similar to low-karat gold or platinum, to help the stone. A bezel-set topaz would be secured well indeed and would keep going a long time.