Topez, amethyst, and tourmaline

[gemhobby]

Could anybody tell me the hardness of topez, amethyst, and tourmaline?

Thank you.

Gemhobby

 

[belle]

topaz = 8
amethyst = 7
tourmaline = 7-7.5

 

[bjpayne]

Tourmaline is usually given as 7 - 7.5, Topaz is an 8 and Amethyst (Quartz) is 7. If you are thinking jewelry, remember to consider durability as well - Topaz, with its cleavage, can present some problems.

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 10/26/2006 2:23:35 PM
Author: bjpayne
Topaz, with its cleavage, can present some problems

Hi Brad,

I hear that a lot but even with the millions of blue topazes sold over the past 20 years I''ve never personally run into a cleavage problem with topaz in jewelry and I''ve cut a lot of it and do quite a few jewelry repairs. I''m not saying it can''t happen but in your experience how would you rate it as a concern?

Richard M.

 

[riogems]

I don''t think the cleavage of topaz should pose a problem, except possibly for a bad setter or cutter. I end up with some chipped loose topaz if it''s transported poorly. However, considering the cost of topaz, I don''t think it should be a concern for anyone. A carat-sized blue topaz should cost less than renting a movie from blockbuster.

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 10/26/2006 6:28:27 PM
Author: riogems
I don''t think the cleavage of topaz should pose a problem, except possibly for a bad setter or cutter. I end up with some chipped loose topaz if it''s transported poorly. However, considering the cost of topaz, I don''t think it should be a concern for anyone. A carat-sized blue topaz should cost less than renting a movie from blockbuster.

Any stone can be damaged by poor handling, including diamond. Parcel wear is common even with hard stones like ruby and sapphire.

Re: cost. Much depends on the style and quality of cut, but in general I agree. I''d make a distinction between mass-marketed topaz and the very costly Imperial colors because any damage to the last could put a big dent into your pocketbook. In ''real life'' I''ve always found topaz to be a very durable gem.

Richard M.

 

[bjpayne]

Hi Richard,

I too have had very little trouble with topaz, I suppose I am guilty of simply repeating that common warning. That or, I was imagining myself trying to set a $2,000/ct. Imperial and the things that I would want to keep in mind under those circumstances!

 

[ger100]

Hi,
This may be a dumb question from a newbie. I have seen a lot of topaz which has been treated to make it darker. I believe that Imperial Topaz is a golden color with some pink (?) highlights (as far as I can determine). How can one distinguish Imperial from just plain yellow or gold topaz?
Thanks
Ger

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Date: 10/28/2006 1:32:45 AM
Author: ger100
Hi,
This may be a dumb question from a newbie. I have seen a lot of topaz which has been treated to make it darker. I believe that Imperial Topaz is a golden color with some pink (?) highlights (as far as I can determine). How can one distinguish Imperial from just plain yellow or gold topaz?
Thanks
Ger

Hi ger100:

Topaz can occur in colorless and brown colors.The most sought after colors is the golden, orange, pink, and red colors which carry the imperial or precious designation. Some of the most sought after pieces being the pinks.. The impurity chromium produces the colors ranging from pink to red. A mixture of 2 different color centers and chromium produces the orangy topaz.Other hues include reddish Orange with sherry Red, deep Pink, and a beatiful salmon or light sherry color...

Yellow Topaz, The term "Yellow" describing the hue is distictly different from Imperial Topaz which is more rare. Yellow Topaz is much less valued than the highly sought after Imperial...True, Fine Imperial Topaz is very expensive. The dark-peach (reddish-orange) Topaz from Brazil which exhibits that "cocktail: red hue is the darkest rarest color in topaz which demands a premium.

A lot of the material is heat treated, usually to enhance (not change) the colour. Material can have distinctly reddish hues as it comes out of the ground, but the heat treatment just deepens them. Quite often, some of the oranges will turn pink , some of the larger orangy coloured crystals can have fairly deep red tips.....

Hope this Helps...

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 10/28/2006 1:32:45 AM
Author: ger100
How can one distinguish Imperial from just plain yellow or gold topaz?

In a joking practical sense, price will tell you very quickly. In the commercial market "Imperial Topaz" is defined as yellowish orange, orangy yellow, yellow with overtones of slightly purplish red, red, red-orange or reddish orange or pink (lighter tones of red). To be called Imperial Topaz a stone must have a secondary color component.

Enhancement by heat has been mentioned but unheated pink topaz commands the highest price. The color is described as the lighter tones of strongly purplish red or red.

It''s absolutely critical to point out to consumers that since the 1980s an enormous amount of inexpensive white topaz that''s been color treated in one or more ways has been placed on the market. Even before that (and sadly still today) many jewelers wrongly called citrine quartz "topaz" or "citrine topaz." Topaz is an entirely different mineral. Topaz is topaz and quartz is quartz.

While pale blue topaz does rarely occur naturally, the vivid shades of blue sold as "London blue," "Swiss blue," etc. are white topaz that''s both heated and irradiated to create the colors. White topaz is also given a colored coating with the azotic process to create a profusion of very inexpensive natural and unnatural topaz colors. They range from the very popular Mystic topaz through virtually every color possible including reds and other colors that might be mistaken for Imperial.

These stones and a new type of low-cost topaz triplet being marketed from Asia (two pieces of white topaz with a colored layer "sandwiched" between them to spread color throughout the stone) can fool many. So maybe my suggestion about price being the first clue isn''t so far off after all.

Richard M.

 

[colormyworld]

It seems as if a lot of this enhanced pink topaz is being passed off as natural color by some unscrupulous sellers. In the case of any gemstone trust but verify by a netural third party.
Doug

 

[pyramid]

Regarding RichardM saying about pale blue topaz rarely occurs naturally and that the other blues are heated, radiated, is the shade sold as ''Sky Blue'' a heated shade or would it be the rarely occurring natural colour of topaz? I am thinking it is heated because there is so much of it around.

 

[gemhobby]

Hi Richard:

Thank you for your information about topez. Does heat and irradiated blue topez pose any health problems for people who wear them? I got a London blue topez pendant. (Here is what it looks like. http://agilesco.com/ZenCart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=49 ) Having read your post, I am thinking maybe I should have gotten an amethyst pendant.

Is amethyst usually treated?

Comparing London Blue topez and amethyst, which stone is more valuable?

Thank you.

gemhobby

 

[riogems]

Is amethyst usually treated?

It may be slightly heated or have no treatment. It is not irradiated though. Also, it may be synthetic (there are a lot of synthetics on the market - and it is hard to distinguish).

Comparing London Blue topez and amethyst, which stone is more valuable?

London Blue Topaz is (at least right now) the king of the treated topaz (due to a current supply/demand issue). There is usually smaller variation of color quality within london blue topaz. It is easy to "guess" a value of a london blue topaz simply by knowing its weight (and if it is clean and cut well).

An amethyst has many variations of color quality. You will not find top quality amethyst in mass-market jewelry. Amethyst prices will vary from somewhat less than blue topaz to quite a bit more.

 

[Fashionvictim]

Hello, I''m new here!

I love seeing all of these beautiful stones and pieces of Jewelry. I''m a 23 year old college student, so no diamond yet, but I am getting a promise ring from my bf tomorrow.

Its a 1.5ct Amethyst surrounded by 3 diamonds on each side, totalling .11 ct, in 14kt white gold. Can I post the picture here this weekend?