Gemstone encyclopedia
Topaz — meaning, history and vintage jewelry
Topaz is a hard stone at 8 on the Mohs scale with one important weakness: perfect cleavage in one direction, which means it can split from a sharp blow. Antique topaz is usually the golden sherry or pink imperial material; almost all blue topaz on the market today is colorless topaz that has been irradiated and heated, a modern process that cannot be present in genuinely antique jewelry.
What topaz is
Imperial topaz, a pinkish orange from Ouro Preto in Brazil, is the variety that carried the name in the nineteenth century and remains the most valuable. Sherry and golden topaz appear throughout Georgian and Victorian work, often foiled in closed settings.
Pink topaz in antique jewelry is frequently gently heated Brazilian material, a nineteenth century practice. Blue topaz became common only after irradiation techniques matured in the 1970s.
Color and hardness
- Species
- Topaz
- Color
- Colorless, blue, yellow, and the pink to orange imperial topaz
- Mohs hardness
- 8
- What that means in wear
- Hard, but topaz has perfect basal cleavage, so a knock in the wrong plane can split a stone that has never scratched.
How to care for topaz
- Warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Rinse and dry gently.
- Never use ultrasonic or steam cleaning; heat and vibration can trigger the cleavage.
- Protect from sharp knocks and keep out of prolonged sunlight, which can lighten some colors.
Our full house rules, including what the one year warranty does and does not cover, are in the care & warranty guide.
History and symbolism
Brazilian discoveries in the eighteenth century made topaz a European staple, and Georgian jewelers set it in silver topped gold and cannetille work. The trade's habit of using topaz as a catch all name for any yellow stone means many historical references are unreliable.
Warmth, strength and clarity of mind, and the traditional stone for November alongside citrine.
Topaz in vintage and antique jewelry
Georgian cannetille and closed back settings with sherry topaz; Victorian gold brooches; Edwardian and mid century rings with imperial or pink topaz.
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Topaz pieces in our collection
Every curated vintage, antique and estate piece is one of a kind and checked by our jewelry specialists in the Netherlands. If nothing is right today, we will look for it.
Frequently asked questions
- Can an antique piece contain blue topaz?
- Almost never. Bright blue topaz is produced by irradiation and heating, a process that only became commercial in the 1970s. Blue topaz in a piece described as Victorian is a warning sign.
- Why does topaz chip if it is so hard?
- Hardness resists scratching, cleavage does not. Topaz has perfect cleavage in one direction, so a well aimed knock can split it cleanly.
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