Swiss Blue Topaz

Item Description

Topaz is one of the great old-world gems, dating back thousands of years. It was actually named by the ancient Greeks after the island of Topazios (also known as Zabargad or St. John's Island) in Egypt, the site of the famous antique Peridot gems. The stone was named after the island because the Greek believed it had the power to protect sailors and grant them a safe journey. Today Topaz is the traditional birthstone for November, which makes it very in-demand on the market. Despite the fact that a good amount of gem quality Topaz is available, most of what is found in nature in colorless. Natural blue Topaz does exist, but it's not terribly common, and clean material is fairly difficult to find for gem cutters. The demand for blue Topaz created an opportunity in the marketplace for someone to give the buyers what they wanted. Irradiated Swiss Blue Topaz was introduced on the market about 40 years ago, and it has been a staple for jewelry stores and gem dealers around the world. These stones made a huge splash when they were introduced, and their popularity persists today. This material typically starts out as colorless Topaz and is irradiated to create the intense blue color. This method is well known and perfectly safe, it's not at all frowned upon, provided that people KNOW that they're buying a treated gem. There are actually very few gems in the world with this color and this gem has a vivid blue tone. This stone is nearly eye clean with a "Pear" cut. A great stone for a pendant or a big showy ring. As mentioned, Topaz is the birthstone for November, so this could make a great gift for someone with a November birthday.