Continuing from the Part 1 of this blog, the 2nd birthstone for November is Topaz. Topaz comes in a variety of colors; from Yellow, Orange, Blue, Red, Purple, Light Green & colorless! The sheer variety of the colors offer a great range in this beautiful gemstone for awe-inspiring fine jewelry.
Topaz is a great stone for studded gemstone jewelry as it has a value of 8 (10 being the hardest) on the Mohs Hardness scale, i.e., it is resistant to scratching or abrasion, but it has poor durability, i.e., it can easily chip or break. So it needs to be handled carefully.
Typically Topaz gems are often free of visible inclusions or flaws. Specially the Blue, Colorless & Yellow Topaz. Fashioned topaz that display a combination of 2 colors is called a Bicolor Topaz. Yellowish Brown or Brownish Yellow to Orange topaz are often known as 'Sherry Topaz" Stones in this color range are often known as precious topaz.
Topaz is cut in a wide variety of shapes and cutting styles. Production includes all the standard gem shapes such as ovals, pears, rounds, cushions, triangles, marquise, and emerald cuts as well as designer-inspired fantasy shapes.
