Thursday, December 1, 2011

Rock Review: Blue Topaz

December’s Birthstone is the icy Blue Topaz.
Geology Buzz
Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminum and fluorine. It crystallizes in an orthorhombic crystal system, meaning it grows in rectangular prisms with rectangular bases. Pure Topaz is completely colorless. It gains it’s various colors from the presence of other elements that find their way into the mineral. Topaz is most commonly found in igneous rock deposits of Granite or Rhyolite.
Blue Topaz achieves its color when it is heated either by a natural source or by a man made source. Natural Blue Topaz can be quite rare. Three well known shades of Blue Topaz are Sky Blue, Swiss Blue and London Blue. London Blue closely resembles the color of Sapphire.
Fun Facts
Not only is Blue Topaz a December Birthstone, it’s also the state gemstone of Texas. Topaz is also one of the stones mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 28:17 as adorning the breast plate of the high priest of Israel.
Topaz gets its name from the Sanskrit work “tapas” meaning fire. Many ancient civilizations believed that Topaz had cooling properties, including the ability to cool a pot of boiling water. It’s also believed that this gemstone has a number of healing powers including the ability to cure insanity, poor vision, sleep disorders and asthma. Besides its use as a healing gem, today, giving a gift of Blue Topaz is symbolic of love and fidelity. What a perfect gift to give a loved one!

Blue Topaz Rocksy Necklace

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