Topaz

Topaz was once the subject of a long-held misconception - that all yellow stones were Topaz, and that all Topaz was yellow. Even with our present clarifications, occasionally the yellow to reddish-brown Citrine quartz is still sold under the misnomers ‘Topaz’, ‘quartz Topaz’, ‘Scotch Topaz’ and ‘Madeira Topaz,’ and the term ‘precious Topaz’ is reserved for the true Topaz. This confusion of names dates back to antiquity.

There are two theories as to the origin of the name of Topaz. The Roman writer Pliny in the first century AD suggested that the name was derived from the Greek word ‘topazos,’ meaning to seek, and was apparently derived from the name of a somewhat elusive island in the Red Sea.  Another and more likely derivation is that the Sanskrit word ‘tapas,’ meaning fire, became the root for the modern name.

Topaz occurs in a range of colours: red, orange, yellow, brown and blue, and is sometimes colourless, but rarely green.

Topaz occurs worldwide, and is often associated with other gemstones in pegmatites. Brazil is the most important source, but other sources include USA, Mexico, Australia, Japan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Madagascar, Russia and Pakistan.

• Topaz is the birthstone for December
• Topaz is the Zodiac stone for Sagittarius
• Topaz Jewellery is often given to mark a 4th Wedding Anniversary, and traditionally Imperial Topaz marks a 23rd Wedding Anniversary

View Topaz Jewellery at Astley Clarke