Opinions and Price of Unheated natural light blue Topaz

[Burmesedaze]

Hi All,

I think like most people, I've always thought that most if not all blue topaz are irradiated to get their blue and are exceedingly affordable.

Today, I was shown this natural unheated light blue topaz just a tat over 20 carats, that's supposedly from Mogok. It's inclusion free to the naked eye and has an even light blue colour. The dealer is looking at US$700. I'm told this is pretty rare to find and it comes with a prelim cert from an established lab here in Yangon. But it'll undergo another test at another lab to ascertain that it's really of Mogok origin and has no colour injection. A/c to my jeweller, in her 20 years of doing this business, this is only the 2nd time she has seen a naturally occurring light blue topaz.

I've tried good ol' Google but info is scant, as well as an indicative price. May I have your thoughts on whether this is indeed a rare find (for Mogok/Burma) and if the already bartered down price at US$700 for a 20 ct natural untreated light blue topaz is a good one? I like the size and finger coverage, as well as how it looks aquamarine-like in colour, but is a harder stone with a MoHs hardness of 8.

Pics to follow in the next post from my phone. Thanks, all!

 

[Burmesedaze]

Pics taken indoors, daylight

 

[Burmesedaze]

Under halogen light

 

[Burmesedaze]

Indoors away from the glare of the halogen lights

 

[missy]

OK so I am not a colored gem expert but saw the blue in your title and I am a sucker for blue. Plus I see no one has yet responded so I will share my thoughts but again please take them with a grain of salt as I don't know much about colored stones.

I don't like this topaz as there is a huge window (is that the correct terminology it might not be so again I apologize if my term is incorrect) and I think it takes away from the beauty of the stone. So that factor alone would make me say no thanks. It is too distracting and I don't know if it will close in a setting but it is a pretty large window if that is what it is.

As far as the price for me that wouldn't matter if I didn't like the stone because a deal is only a deal if you are getting what you want. And also for the most part I find that you get what you pay for and no one is giving anything away (generally)...

Hopefully the colored stone experts will chime in shortly. Wishing you good luck in finding exactly what you want and hopefully at a price that is fair.

 

[MissouriRiverSapphireCo]

Radiation induced color in topaz is undetectable, so no lab report would catch it if it had been irradiated. The only way to be positive a topaz is 100% naturally colored is to have a clear chain of custody from a trustworthy supplier.

 

[indigoblue]

The color is nice, but you can only see it around the perimeter of the stone. That huge window in the center is clear stone that gives you a good view of whatever is behind it, and this is a bad thing. The only reason I'd buy it would be for a recut. A gem cutter could give you an opinion about a recut to resolve the window issue, but you'd probably lose a lot of face up size and carat weight.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Natural blue, or treated blue; there is no difference in price. I wouldn't think a light blue topaz of any size should go for more than $10 per ct. With blue topaz, the deeper the color, the greater the price, treatment plays no part in the price. Topaz is readily available in large sizes, so often larger stones will sell for less per ct than smaller stone of the same quality. Wholesale price on light blue topaz is around $5 per ct.

 

[Acinom]

The window is huge in this stone (the part where you can see your finger through the stone). I would say no to this stone, unless a recut is possible and you might loose a good bit of size and carat weight.

You could reach out to Doug Menadue of Bespoke Gems. Various PS-ers (including myself) bought topazes from him. I have one natural blue and one electric blue from him and the cut is amazing.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I love your enthusiasm for colored stones Burmese but this gem IMHO is not one I would consider due to the window. There is too much light leaking through the stone to truly determine the color. I would pass.

 

[Arcadian]

Its pricey for no reason. its not very well cut, the "unheated" part of this type of stone is not exactly detectable as said upthread by those in the trade.

Frankly save some money, get a well cut blue and leave the unheated part of it alone unless its super important.

Are you in love with this light blue for a particular reason?

 

[Burmesedaze]

Thank you, all you lovely people, for your very helpful advice!

I've contacted Doug and he says a recut is possible but usually the window can't be totally removed, otherwise it might lose too much carat weight. He thinks it's probably natural as they are very light blue. [Thanks to Acinom for point me his way!]

You all are right about the window (which is a very common problem here with native cuts) as there is still this prevalent thinking about maximising carat weight for maximum profit. My jeweller did say it needs a recut but she's afraid to trust the cutters here as they're just not skilled enough and might damage or not do justice to the stone.

Will pass on this topaz then, thanks again to all!

 

[arkieb1]

I've got some smaller pieces of O'Brien's Creek Topaz that is untreated and it is a barely there baby blue colour, I believe Doug had (he might still have) some light blue untreated Topaz for sale but in smaller pieces. The window and the price would prevent me purchasing this stone.

 

[PrecisionGem]

For stones other than sapphire and ruby, there is essentially no difference in price for natural vs heated/treated stones. (Coating excluded)
For blue topaz, the deeper the color, and more saturated, the higher the price. Treatment nor size has any reflection on price. Very pale light stones are very inexpensive, just a few dollars per carat.

 

[Burmesedaze]

Thanks for adding on. I love learning from all of you (and saving my money too, kinda)

 

[Acinom]

Perhaps a nice read for you since you love natural light blue: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/rhapsody-in-bespoke-gems-blues.213660/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/rhapsody-in-bespoke-gems-blues.213660/[/URL]

Doug has cut several stones for PSers from one piece of rough: