All About London Blue Topaz: Types, Colors, Description, Origins & Details
Is there anything more royal than the color blue itself?
And that too of our very own December birthstone London blue topaz. Thanks to its inky and intense blue color hues, London blue topaz has made its way to all of our hearts. Hands down one of the most unique gemstone out of the blue lot and mind you there are a lot! Probably what has earned this semi-precious gemstone its name! And that’s exactly what gets us curious to explore this semi-precious beauty a little more, isn’t it? Well, go no where since we have come up with our very own London Blue Topaz education guide to address all the basic knowledge revolving around London Blue Topaz right from the history and beliefs to the famous 4 C’s and properties of this gorgeous blue beauty. Come, hop on and let’s get all of your questions addressed under one radar:
Properties of London Blue Topaz
Hardness
Having a hardness rating of 8 out of 10 on Moh’s scale, this semi-precious gemstone is known to be pretty durable as it can withstand the wear and tear of regular use with proper care.
Composition
The mascot behind its beauty! The chemical composition of this gorgeous inky blue beauty makes it appear so alluring. Topaz, interestingly, is itself a silicate mineral possessing fluorine and aluminum. Although the fun part is that since it is evidently very pale blue in color, it is often irradiated to brown in a nuclear reactor and then heat treated to obtain that perfect medium blue or as we famously call it, inky blue shade.
Luster
A game-changer! Having an alluring vitreous, i.e., glass-like luster, london blue topaz possesses a refractive index of 1.61-1.638 and ranges from being transparent to translucent.
Origin & History
The fun part begins! But before we jump onto it with our London blue topaz education guide, you must be aware that the history of this unique gemstone carries quite a buzz itself. Some believe that it has been named London blue topaz to honor London: the proud possessor of the finest blue topaz. London has garnered respect for its possession of beautiful blue topaz. Others also suggest that since it is sightly lighter in color than swiss blue topaz, the name has been inspired from that. While legends also has it that since the world famous natural history museum holds the gorgeous blue topaz Ostro that was discovered in Brazil in 1960 by Max Ostro, a famous British explorer, the name London has been attached to blue topaz ever since. Whatever be the history, we’re sure you’d be just as mesmerized by this beauty in blue.
Where is London Blue Topaz found?
Well, London blue topaz is usually treated is quite a rare find and thus is generally subjected to irradiation in order to achieve that intensity of inky blue color. But where exactly is it mined from? Let’s give you a glance with our London blue topaz guide. While the finest of all London blue topaz are known to come from the Brazalian mines ever since its initial discovery, it has also been found in the mines of Russia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, United States, South Africa and Mexico. Talking about its specific formation, this gorgeous stone naturally forms in the cavities of igneous rocks such as pegamatite rhyolite. But interestingly, the inky blue color of this semi-precious gemstone that we’re all a fan of is not generally natural. In fact, in its natural form, London blue topaz is usually very light, colorless or brown which is generally irradiated to obtain the unique and intense inky blue color hues.
London Blue Topaz versus Blue Sapphire
London Blue Topaz
This semi-precious gemstone is certainly more medium to dark blue or specifically inky blue in color, which sets it apart from the other blue gemstones. Apart from that, it itself is a silicate mineral and is generally heat treated, thus making it appear more flawlessly eye-clean in terms of clarity. Apart from that, when talking in monetary terms (and like why wouldn’t we), London blue topaz is more affordable than its blue counterpart sapphire.
Blue Sapphire
This precious gemstone is more darker and intense blue in color. The darkest out of the lot in fact. It belongs to the corundum family of minerals possessing iron and titanium, which is the sole reason behind its intense blue color. Apart from that, blue sapphire does possess some eye-visible inclusions and is on the pricey side with its being the most expensive blue gemstone out there.
London Blue Topaz Quality and Price Filters
Wondering how to buy London blue topaz jewelry? What exactly to look for in the quality? And more importantly, how? Well, that becomes a tough nut to crack, specially if you’re significantly new to the gemstone world. But hold on! We’re here with our London blue topaz buying guide to get you all well versed with the 4 Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat weight that determine the quality of this semi-precious beauty:
Color
In case of London Blue Topaz, the grading factor for color plays an important role since “London Blue” is a color specific to the shade of a blue topaz. By definition, London Blue is medium to dark grayish blue or more-like an inky blue. In fact, it is the perfect mid-blue between Swiss Blue Topaz and Blue Sapphire. While you are about to buy London Blue Topaz Jewelry then it must be kept in mind to choose the one with uniform saturation without any lighter spot.
Clarity
While treating the London Blue Topaz, a reduction in inclusions has also been observed. Therefore, any treatment offered to Blue Topaz will change and enhance its beauty forever. Inclusions make the London Blue Topaz look less transparent and might include specks, cracks, or feathers. Rough crystals might contain some inclusions, however, faceted London Blue Topaz can be made free of such inclusions.
Carat
The weight of London Blue Topaz is measured in terms of Carat Weight does have an impact on its price. Since London Blue Topaz is available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, the gemstone measuring more than 10X8 MM is more heavier and thus fancies higher prices.
Cut
Do you know why we’re always saying skill of the artisan is determined by the precise cut of the gemstone? Well, that’s because this blue gemstone must be intricately cut in such a manner that it reflects utmost sparkle and reduces the appearance of inclusions, making it appear nothing but brilliant. For the London Blue Topaz, there can be many cuts such as faceted, cabochons, beads, drops, carvings etc. In terms of price, step cut and brilliant cut stones occupy the position of costliest followed by cabochons since it doesn’t require much skill.
London Blue Topaz Grading Value
The best part about this blue beauty is that it is typically graded by analyzing its best 3 Cs: color, clarity and carat. More blue-grey or say inky the color, more eye-clean the clarity and more brilliant the cut of this semi-precious gemstone, the higher goes its grade. Come, let’s narrow it all down for you with our London blue topaz grading chart:
AAAA
What if we tell you the london blue topaz belonging to this category is absolutely untreated? That would give you an idea of its rarity, right. So rare that it is next to impossible to find it.
AAA
Another rare and most sought after graded category of London blue topaz. The blue topaz belonging to this category have been treated though and possess eye clean clarity, intense blue-grey color along with brilliant cut.
AA
The London blue topaz belonging to this category do posses some inclusions but these are only seen upon magnification, are known to be faceted and are quite light blue in color than its higher graded counterparts.
B
Least valuable out of the lot! The London blue topaz belonging to this category possess a light blue color, eye visible inclusions and are generally cut into the not so desirable cabochon cut thanks to that.
Benefits of London Blue Topaz
Just like its unique color, London blue topaz comes with its share of no less unique and wholesome astrological beliefs and benefits. Symbolizing romance and friendship, this December birthstone sure blesses the wearer with its purity and grace. Come, let’s take a look at its healing properties with our London blue topaz guide:
Physical Healing
It is considered to be the best gemstone when it comes to healing of all kinds of throat problems and intense headaches including migraine. Just like its serene color, it blesses the wearing with a soothing effect, thus keeping their physical health intact.
Emotional Healing
First and foremost, it strengthens emotional attachment in the life of the wearer. It helps in bringing clarity of mind, imparts more self-confidence to the wearer and helps you feel important and worthy, thus blessing you with peace and happiness in life. It helps you find your lost voice.
Other Benefits
Known to strengthen honesty, love, friendship and emotional soundness, London blue topaz is truly a gem to get your hands on. It is also for time long believed to bring wealth, success and prosperity in the life of the wearer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a London Blue Topaz made?
The formation of Topaz usually takes place in cavities of rhyolite, pegmatite and other kinds of other igneous rocks. The London Blue color is imparted to the natural Topaz by the means of heat treatment. Although, natural blue topazes do exist but they are very rare.
What is difference between lab grown and natural London Blue Topaz?
Like most of the gemstones, there is an option to choose between natural and lab-treated Topazes. One must not confuse “lab treated” with the “fake”. Natural Topaz is heat treated to bring out the London Blue color.
However, lab-created or lab-grown London Blue Topazes are free from inclusions as compared to those found naturally.
Where do London Blue Topaz come from?
Most of the Topaz come from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Japan, Mexico, Madagascar, Burma, Australia and USA.
How to take care of London Blue Topaz Jewelry?
London Blue Topaz Jewelry is quite easy to clean due to their hardness and durability. However, a few things must be kept in mind like avoiding contact of the gemstone with make-up, harsh chemicals, abrasives.
While cleaning the jewelry make use of lukewarm water and mild cleaning detergent. Soft toothbrush can be used to clean the underside of the London Blue Topaz.
Also, the jewelry must be individually kept to avoid contact with other jewelry to avoid unnecessary scratches.
What is a London Blue Topaz certification?
The most common London Blue Topaz Certifications includes from GIA, IGL and HRD labs. It is usually a document you receive on the behalf of the aforementioned 3rd party labs which describes a Blue Topaz in all of its characteristics.
Does London Blue Topaz fade?
Well, interestingly, unlike other gemstones, it is usually irradiated or heat treated which makes it next to impossible to change its color when exposed to light. Thus, fading is not something you have to worry about anymore.
What is the birthstone of London Blue Topaz?
London Blue Topaz graces the month of December, making it extra lucky for all the December babies out there.
Does London Blue Topaz scratch easily?
While this semi-precious blue gemstone has a hardness of 8 out of 10 on Moh’s scale, it also possesses a perfect cleavage which makes it quite sensitive to scratching. Thus, it is always advisable to handle this gemstone with proper care.
London Blue Topaz Collection
Conclusion
Have you ever seen a blue as unique as that of London Blue Topaz? The inky blue hues of this semi-precious gemstone have made it a favorite among everybody! Be it any jewelry, this beauty in blue can never go wrong. That’s exactly what makes it all the more important for us to know and understand our gemstone better and what better way to do that than go though our very own London Blue Topaz education guide? Sit back, we have covered everything right from the history and beliefs to its integral properties and 4 Cs just for you. We hope we had you with us right till the end and if yes, we’re sure you’re much more informative and in a lot better position to judge your gemstone. Having said that, here we sign off wishing you all the luck in selecting your favorite London Blue Topaz jewelry.
