Blue Topaz comes in various shades of blue.? Whatever its shade, Topaz has a place in beautiful jewelry and intriguing legends.
Being a quartz crystal, Topaz is usually colorless before being transformed through irradiation into its blue color.? The gem is then irradiated to bring out its blue color and heated to make the change permanent.? The color depends on which type of radiation is used.?
Exposing the topaz crystals to neutrons in a nuclear accelerator transforms the color into a deep bluish-green or bluish-gray color commonly referred to as London Blue Topaz.? Exposing the topaz crystals to electrons in a linear accelerator produces the most common color of Blue Topaz – Sky Blue Topaz.? To create the highly saturated colors known as Swiss Blue or Electric Blue, topazes are bathed with a combination of both types of radiation.? After almost a year of “rest,” the radiation levels are cool enough so that they can be worn by consumers.
Most blue topaz has a modest value, so there’s little incentive for gemologists to create synthetic versions of the gem.? By coating quartz crystals with titanium particles, a rainbow of colors is produce that is commonly referred to as Mystic Topaz.? Unfortunately, this treatment isn’t permanent, and the coating is extremely fragile, so the stones must be handled very gently.
Despite its unusual production methods, Topaz serves as a wonderful gemstone because it has a high refractive index and polishes up beautifully.? Having a Moh’s Scale of 8 makes?Topaz one of the hardest gemstones and also makes it very durable and ideal for jewelry.
Blue Topaz?has many mystical and New Age beliefs surrounding it as does all forms of topaz:? it’s said to promoted glandular health, regulates heart rhythm, and reduces inflammations such as arthritis.? The color of Topaz is commonly considered to help clarity of the mind, aid in meditation and forgiveness.? Its calm blue quality is said to help its wearers release their anger, especially from old hurts, fostering forgiveness and reconciliation that leads to a calmer, fuller life.
Tags: Heart Rhythm, Mystic Topaz, Nuclear Accelerator, Quartz Crystals, Shades Of Blue, Topaz Crystals