Introduction
Topaz is the birthstone of November (Yellow Topaz) and December (Blue Topaz). Blue Topaz, worldwide bestseller and America's favorite, is the 'Jewel In The Crown' of semi-precious gemstones. Steeped in nearly two and a half thousand years of legend, Topaz exudes more style and sophistication, and in more colors than any other gemstone in it's class.

Like no other gemstone, Topaz has the honor of being the official birthstone for two consecutive months; Yellow Topaz is the birthstone of November, Blue Topaz the birthstone for December. Topaz is also the recognized gemstone of the fourth, nineteenth and twenty third wedding anniversaries.

Topaz is composed of one of the hardest minerals known to man, and posses a fire so brilliant that when Portuguese gem savants mounted a 1680-carat Topaz into the Portuguese Crown Jewels, they named it the 'Braganza Diamond' thinking they had found the world's largest diamond.

Definition
Topaz (To-Paz): The roots of the word Topaz first burgeoned into life in ancient Egypt, circa 300B.C., under the Pharaoh Ptolemy II. However, what the Egyptians, Greeks and subsequent Romans came to refer to as Topaz was in fact our peridot: In reality the mineral that we call Topaz today, has only been officially recognized since the 17th Century. Initially, hundreds of kilos of Topaz were sourced from Saxony in East Germany, later massive deposits were also found in South America.

Topaz was first discovered in the 'New World', under the reigning Portuguese colonialists, in the Brazilian mines of Villa Rica, near Ouro Preto. From these mines came a colored Topaz never seen before. Owing to the Portuguese royal family's love of these gems, this variety received one of Topaz's most prestigious titles.

Color Facts
The determining factors that give a gemstone its quality and value are made according to the rules of the "4 Cs": Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight.

Unlike the colored spectrums of fancy sapphire, garnet and tourmaline, Topaz offers its rainbow of color at a fraction of the price. Yet for all this it lacks none of the class, having absorbed the attention of Royal Family's from Portugal to Russia and beyond.

Scintillating Topaz shines out in a rainbow of color that radiates virtually ever nuance under the sun: blue, yellow, orange, pink, red, green, white, multi-colored…In fact, as far as color and Topaz goes, the sky's the limit!

Color Tips
Before making a purchase, considering a Topaz's color is pivotal to the process of evaluation, clarity comes second. Taste in color is a personal matter, so while the following points are verified facts from the gemstone world they are also up for contention, and in no way are intended to restrict your personal preferences.

Some think that when buying Topaz, as a gem alone or set into jewelry, the darker the color the better the gem: False. If a Topaz is too dark and subdued it's lifeless, lacking all the qualities for which it is renowned. Go for rich, bright, vivid colors: with clear medium-tones.

The more intense the color the higher the price, and although the Topaz is infinitely more affordable than many other colored gemstones, prices for large top quality Topaz can be quite expensive. Treated Blue Topaz starts from around $25 per carat retail: Due to the large amount of production. However, naturally occurring rich orange 'Imperial' Topaz in large sizes of 10 carats or more can fetch as much as $1000 per carat. The highest prices belong to the most valuable Pink or Red Topaz, reaching as much as $3500 per carat in large sizes. So if your budget doesn't allow it, look for muted colors, colors between hues, which are still appealing but less expensive.

Topaz Care
Always take great care of your Topaz jewelry and gemstones. Although it is one of the hardest minerals known to man, Topaz has an internal cleavage, and if knocked about can become brittle and break. Always remove jewelry before doing heavy work, take care of your Topaz by treating it gently, and by keeping your gems and jewelry clean.

To keep your gems sparkling, clean them when dust and fingerprints have dimmed their brilliance. The best way to clean your gemstone jewelry is in a bowl of water with a few drops of ordinary dish detergent. Using an old toothbrush or other soft brush, scrub gently behind the stone where dust and soap can collect. Dry your jewelry thoroughly with a soft cloth, and use 'Q tips' to get into the more difficult places.

Soaking Topaz in alcohol, vodka, overnight loosens stubborn dirt, which can then be rinsed and brushed away. Always use a soft brush but no abrasives, not even toothpaste; such abrasives will not hurt Topaz but will scratch the softer silver, gold or platinum settings.

Although it possesses a hardness of 8 on the Moh's hardness scale, and is relatively free from inclusions, under no circumstances should you clean your Topaz using a home ultrasonic cleaner. The reason for this is that Topaz has a very strong cleavage running the internal length of it's crystal structure, and if exposed to any agitated movements it can become brittle and break. Ultrasonic cleaners can be used to clean lightly included sapphire, ruby, diamond, amethyst, citrine, garnets, iolite, chrysoberyl, and unadorned jewelry but it may damage gems like emerald, pink tourmaline, pearls, coral, lapis lazuli, malachite, turquoise, and any gem that has many inclusions. When in doubt, don't use it, and as always consult a local reputable jeweler before attempting any cleaning yourself.

To protect the beauty of your gems and jewelry, make sure you store each piece separately.Gems may scratch each other or the metal in your jewelry. Avoid creating a tangle of jewelry by wrapping each piece individually or keeping it in its own compartment. Especially when you travel, make sure your jewelry pieces don't jostle each other in one bag.

Gemstones are among the most durable of nature's creations. With a little care, they will be as beautiful for generations to come as they are today.