Yellow topaz: properties and uses

Topaz is a stone that is quite popular all over the world and is in demand in the manufacture of jewelry. Let us dwell in more detail on its features, medicinal and magical properties, scope and subtleties of use.

The topaz family includes stones of a wide variety of colors, but it is believed that the yellow mineral was one of the first to be found. It had a "sunny" hue - in India such stones are called "tapas", which means "warm", so we can safely say that the whole family owes its name entirely to the yellow mineral. However, there is another version, according to which the stone was first found on Topazion Island in the Red Sea, now it bears a different name - Zeberged.

The name of the golden stone was given by Pliny the Elder - a famous scientist of that time, who wrote "Natural History". Translated from Greek, "topaz" in transcription is close to such concepts as "fire", "heat" and "flame". Thus, for several centuries, all stones of golden yellow and brown shades were called topaz, and only at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries the name was assigned to a separate type of natural minerals.

Yellow topaz is a fluorosilicate with an admixture of aluminum. It is a semi-precious stone with a wide range of colors, including lemon, golden, honey, brown and thick yellow tones. In nature, it occurs in the form of rather large crystals in the form of columns or prisms, under the action of high temperature it begins to change color to pink, and if the stone is additionally exposed to irradiation, the color first becomes wine-yellow,then orange-brown and finally blue. The main physical characteristics of yellow topaz include:

• shine - glass;
• transparency degree - transparent;
• hardness - 8;
• cleavage is perfect;
• fracture - conchial type;
• density - 3.5-3.6 g / cm3

Under natural conditions, yellow topaz can contain inclusions that are liquid, gas and gas-liquid. Usually they are located in the cracks of the stone and outwardly resemble small bubbles.

Yellow topaz is mined in various parts of our planet, and each deposit is distinguished by its own shade range of stones. So, on the territory of Europe, gems are found in Germany, Russia and Ukraine - the minerals here are distinguished by rather large sizes and high quality crystals. From Brazil, brown and golden topaz is supplied to the gem market, while in Sri Lanka, predominantly orange stones are found.

Until the middle of the last century, the Ilmensky Mineralogical Reserve, located in the South Urals, was considered one of the largest deposits of topaz in Russia. Pegmatite veins containing cavities with a large amount of topaz were found in Ilmeny. But this is by no means the only deposit of yellow topaz in our country - lemon-colored stones were found near the village of Alabashka, and in Transbaikalia, along the river near the Urulga, light brown stones are mined, a feature of which is considered to be burned out under the influence of ultraviolet rays.

Quite recently, a huge amount of stones came to the market from the Volodarsk-Volynsky deposit, located in Ukraine, where they mined wine-yellow stones of excellent quality and large sizes. In 1965, a yellow topaz weighing 117 kg was discovered. The Ukrainian deposit owns many of the most famous gems that adorn the world famous exhibitions in major museums. Unfortunately, at the moment, Ukrainian mines are mothballed, however, according to experts, they still contain a fairly large amount of topaz.

For a long time, topazes of yellow shades have been used for medicinal purposes, they have a general strengthening and healing effect on the body, but a particularly positive effect of the stone is manifested when it is included in the therapy of the following diseases:

• cough and other colds;
• heaviness in the stomach and intestines, heartburn;
• loss of appetite;
• nervous disorders.

Ancient healers believed that topaz of yellow shades significantly improve a person's state of mind, eliminate signs of nervous exhaustion and apathy, and give their owner a state of peace and tranquility.

The magical properties of topaz were mentioned in antiquity - the inhabitants of Egypt, Assyria and Babylon used the mineral as a remedy for protection from madness, an evil look, and even taming the storm. Topaz is mentioned in the Bible as one of the 12 biblical stones with which the linen bag of the High Priest was inlaid at the moment when he was conducting his divine service.

Yellow topaz endows with the most powerful magical properties. It is believed that they are especially useful for the fair sex - the gem helps them maintain their beauty and freshness for many years. Topaz have established themselves as excellent amulets that contribute to the acquisition of marital happiness and the conception of healthy offspring.However, this stone is also useful for men - it establishes complex family relationships, brings people closer to good people and in every possible way helps to find faithful companions for life.

The stone of yellow shades eliminates the negative, therefore it is indispensable in building diplomatic relations, while the owner of the stone not only establishes friendly contacts with people, but also more clearly formulates his own personal goals and objectives. This stone is suitable for representatives of all zodiac signs, but it is especially useful for people born under the constellation of Scorpio. Topaz also favors the signs of Air - under the influence of the mineral, they become calmer and more seasoned.

For Gemini, topaz allows you to smooth out sharp corners in communication and keep your emotions under control. Aquarians who wear topaz develop intuitive abilities that lead to better family relationships.

Yellow topaz is used mainly in the jewelry industry, it is classified as a semi-precious stone, but its beauty is in no way inferior to the gems of the very first category. Due to the variety of shades, stones are used to create the most interesting jewelry, topaz of light colors are most often framed in white gold or silver, stones of more saturated colors - in pink or red gold. Topaz looks stylish in combination with rock crystal and diamonds; jewelers also often create jewelry, the main of which is a tandem of yellow topaz with emeralds and rubies.

Products with topaz are suitable for absolutely any event: a serious meeting, a romantic dinner or a social evening. In any setting, they create an atmosphere of warmth and joy around them, harmoniously merge into light summer looks, and in winter they create a sunny mood around. Earrings, rings, brooches and pendants with yellow topaz can always be a good gift for any occasion.

However, keep in mind - in order for the gem to fully reveal its wonderful properties for you, you should give preference only to natural specimens. It is no secret that many unscrupulous manufacturers often pass off ordinary quartz as topaz. It is very easy to distinguish these rocks from each other - you just need to run a stone over the glass: a real topaz will definitely leave its mark on it, but a fake will not.

You will learn more about topaz in the video below.