16.29 cts Natural Oval-cut Champagne VVS/IF Imperial Topaz (Brazil)
New without Tags. This gem has never been used/placed/set in a setting. It is utterly undamaged, unmarred and in perfect condition as expected of NWOTags.
I have included a Topaz article below for your appreciation and enjoyment.
Summary of article: "Imperial topaz is not usually treated or enhanced. However, orange-brown imperial topaz can be heat-treated during a process known as "pinking", which produces a purplish-pink colour. Naturally pink topaz is rare and is usually a pale shade of pink. It occurs in Pakistan. Topaz can also be coated to produce vivid pink and imitation "imperial topaz". Reputable gem traders always declare such treatments. "
Type: Natural Topaz (personally confirmed as Genuine Topaz by digital refractometer (RI=1.618), dichroscope (dichroic), polariscope (four flashes in rotation; not glass), spectroscope, UV short&long-wave light, measured Specific Gravity=3.49) -- captej2012
Weight: 16.29 cts
Dimensions: 18.11mm x 13.05mm x 9.09mm
Shape: Oval-cut
Color: Champagne (see photos; there are color-zones of lighter and darker color that confirm this Earth-mined gem's natural origins) -- captej2012
Clarity: VVS-IF
Luster: Very Good
Hardness: 8.0 rating on the Mohs Scale
Treatment: Heated, Not Enhanced
Origin: Brazil
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Imperial topaz is also known as "precious topaz". It is the most sought after natural topaz . Considered to be the colour of the setting sun, imperial topaz gets its name from the Russian Tsars of the 17th century. This is because the tsars claimed exclusive rights to the pink topaz gemstones that were mined in Russia. Imperial topaz is less common than other types of naturally occurring topaz, which makes it more valuable. Imperial topaz was traditionally considered to be orange with red dichroism, (this means that when tilted in the light, imperial topaz can appear red or orange), but nowadays it is more widely defined as yellow, pink, red, lavender-pink and peach-pink topaz.
Imperial topaz is yellow, pink or pink-orange. The natural pink variety is very rare. Brazilian imperial topaz can range in colour from bright yellow to deep golden brown and is sometimes even violet. Imperial topaz can be distinguished from other pink gems such as kunzite, tourmaline, sapphire and ruby by its hardness (8 on the Mohs scale). Ruby and sapphire are harder, at 9, and kunzite and tourmaline are softer. Yellow imperial topaz can also be identified by its hardness; citrine and brazilianite are softer. Apatite, fluorite and zircon are gems that can appear in pink and yellow, but they are softer than topaz. Yellow and pink phenakite can be distinguished from topaz by its trigonal crystal structure. Spinel can be told apart from topaz by its cubic crystal structure. Yellow chrysoberyl is harder than imperial topaz and has a higher refractive index. Precious beryl has indistinct cleavage, thus distinguishing it from imperial topaz, which displays perfect cleavage.
Imperial Topaz; Origin and Gemstone SourcesCommercially mined imperial topaz comes from Ouro Preto in Brazil. There are also deposits in the Urals of Russia.
Buying Imperial Topaz and Determining Imperial Topaz Gemstone ValueOriginally, imperial topaz was classified as orange with red dichroism. Nowadays imperial topaz is defined more widely to include yellow, pink, red, lavender-pink and peach-pink. Sometimes, the colour of imperial topaz can gradually fade over time, when exposed to sunlight.
Imperial topaz is transparent to translucent. It exhibits high clarity with few inclusions, so topaz gemstones can be examined by the naked eye and found to be "eye clean", which means that no imperfections can be seen. Imperial topaz is highly prized for its brilliance and vitreous (glassy) lustre.
Imperial topaz is a very versatile material. Therefore it can be cut into a great variety of shapes, such as square, round, octagon, pear, oval, heart and even fancy shapes. Strongly coloured gemstones are usually scissor cut whereas weakly coloured stones are generally brilliantly cut. This best shows off the brilliance and clarity of the gems. When imperial topaz has irregular inclusions, it is often cabochon cut. The hardness of imperial topaz makes it resistant to scratches. However, lapidarists must handle topaz carefully due to its perfect cleavage, which means that it can easily fracture.
Imperial Topaz Treatment
Imperial topaz is not usually treated or enhanced. However, orange-brown imperial topaz can be heat-treated during a process known as "pinking", which produces a purplish-pink colour. Naturally pink topaz is rare and is usually a pale shade of pink. It occurs in Pakistan. Topaz can also be coated to produce vivid pink and imitation "imperial topaz". Reputable gem traders always declare such treatments.