November Birthstone - Topaz

Buying and Caring tips

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Tips for Buying Topaz Jewelry

Prices for these gemstone range between $5 and $100 per carat for a one-carat stone. Topaz has many lower priced imitators that include synthetic corundum and synthetic spinel as well as citrine quartz; the latter often sold under the misleading name of "Brazilian Topaz." More recently, colorless quartz crystals that are coated with a monomolecular layer of gold have been substituted for blue topaz. These stones have been sold under several trade names such as Aqua-AuraTM. Topaz is usually easily separated from its imitators by refractive index---few materials fall into this range, except tourmaline which is so strongly doubly refractive that one will observe doubled back facets when looking through the table of the stone with a small magnifier (about 6 to 10 power). Topaz rarely comes in the same shades as tourmaline either.

Tips to take care of Topaz Jewelry

Give topaz the same care you would an emerald. Although it is hard, it cleaves. A sudden temperature change or impact can cause a break. Clean with a soft, damp cloth, warm water and a soft brush. Do not use mechanical cleaners. Avoid chemicals and heat that dissolve oils used during cutting and processing to conceal inclusions.

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