The Allure of Topaz Jewelry

Topaz is quite famous for its stunning blue color. However, it most commonly occurs as a transparent colorless crystal. Other colors including pale blue, yellow and some times even light brown can be found in nature. Other less common colors include orange, pink, red or violet. Light that travels through the stone is bent to different degrees based on the properties of the incident light. Therefore, when viewed from different angles the stone can exhibit a range of colors. This is one of the properties that has made topaz a favorite for sterling pendants and other silver jewelry. Topaz is a hard stone, rating an eight on the Mohs scale. Topaz should not be cleaned using ultrasonic cleaners or harsh chemicals or steam cleaners. A q-tip with warm soapy water should be able to get out most grime without damaging the stone.