Education
Diamond Education
- Diamond Buying Guide
- Diamond Cut
- Diamond Cut Types
- Ideal Cut Diamonds
- Hearts and Arrows Diamonds
- What is Diamond Depth
- Diamond Table
- Lab Diamond Cut
- Antique Cut Diamonds
- Brilliant Cut Diamonds
- Rose Cut Diamonds
- What Is The Most Expensive Diamond Cut?
- What Are Step Cut Diamonds?
- Diamond Bow Ties
- How Are Diamonds Cut
- Diamond Brilliance
- Spread Diamonds
- Diamond Fire
- Crushed Ice Diamonds
- Diamond Carat
- Diamond Color
- Diamond Clarity
- IF Diamonds
- FL Diamonds
- Diamond Inclusions Guide
- Flawless vs Internally Flawless
- Which Diamond Clarity Is Best?
- VS2 vs VS1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- VVS2 vs VVS1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- SI2 vs SI1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- SI1 vs VS2: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- VS1 vs VVS2: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- Accent Diamond Clarity
- Lab Diamond Clarity
- SI Diamonds
- VS Diamonds
- VVS Diamonds
- Diamond Shape
- Lab Diamond Shape
- Asscher
- Cushion
- Emerald
- Marquise
- Oval
- Pear
- Princess
- Radiant
- Round
- Which Diamond Cut Is Best?
- Round vs Princess Diamond Cut
- Round vs Cushion Diamond Cut
- Cushion vs Princess Diamonds
- Cushion vs Oval Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Asscher Cut Diamond
- Princess vs Marquis Diamonds
- Princess vs Radiant Cut Diamonds
- Cushion vs Asscher Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Radiant Cut Diamonds
- Oval vs Marquise Cut Diamonds
- Oval vs Pear Cut Diamonds
- Pear vs Marquise Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Cushion Cut Diamonds
- Elongated Cushion Cut Diamonds
- Diamond Certification
- Diamond Fluorescence
- Diamond Symmetry
- Diamond Polish
- Diamond Girdle
- Diamond Culet
- Diamond Pricing
- Diamond Sourcing
- Diamond Size Chart Carat & MM
- Natural vs Synthetic Diamonds
- History Of Lab Grown Diamonds
- How Diamonds Are Formed
- Diamond 4 C's
- Fancy Colored Diamonds
- Engraved Rings
- NY Diamond District
Engagement Ring Education
- How To Buy Engagement Rings
- Affordable Engagement Rings
- Cost of a One Carat Diamond
- How To Buy A Lab Diamond Ring
- How to Buy An Engagement Ring In a Time Crunch
- How to Choose An Engagement Ring
- How to Pick Your Engagement Ring Budget
- Engagement Rings For Second Marriage
- Best Time to Buy An Engagement Ring
- How to Buy An Engagement Ring As a Couple
- Everything You Need to Know About Dainty Engagement Rings
- Future Mother In Law's Guide to Engagement Ring Shopping
- Engagement Ring Financing
- Why You Need an Engagement Ring Appraisal
- Best Round Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Square Cut Engagement Ring
- Top Teardrop Engagement Rings
- Best Asscher Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Oval Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Radiant Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Marquise Cut Engagement Rings
- Twisting Rings
- Best Emerald Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Dainty Engagement Rings
- Best Unique Engagement Rings
- Best Traditional Diamond Engagement Rings
- Best Split Shank Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top 10 Square Halo Engagement Rings
- Top 10 Unusual Engagement Rings
- Black Diamond Engagement Rings
- Edwardian Engagement Rings
- Antique Style Engagement Rings
- Nature Inspired Engagement Ring
- Filigree Rings
- Art Deco Rings
- Wide Band Engagement Rings
- Infinity Engagement Rings
- Best Two Tone Diamond Engagement Rings
- Victorian Style Engagement Rings
- Minimalistic Engagement Rings
- Big Style Engagement Rings
- Cute Style Engagement Rings
- Modern Style Engagement Rings
- Past Present and Future Rings
- Most Expensive Celebrity Engagement Rings
- Noteworthy Celebrity Engagements (and Rings) of 2017
- Thin Engagement Rings
- Pretty Style Engagement Rings
- Double Band Engagement Rings
- 1 Carat Diamond Ring
- Top Princess Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Women's Rose Gold Engagement Rings
- Top Round Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top East West Engagement Rings
- Top Pave Engagement Rings
- Top Split Shank Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Unique Halo Engagement Rings
- Rose Gold Pear Shaped Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Pear Shaped Engagement Rings
- Top Oval Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Engagement Rings
- Top Marquise Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Emerald Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Bypass Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Oval Engagement Rings
- Top Emerald Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Oval Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Emerald Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Oval Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Floating Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Princess Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Simple Engagement Rings
- Vintage Style Engagement Rings
- Types of Accent Diamonds
- Everything You Need to Know Before Setting Diamonds
- Engagement Ring Prong Guide
- All About Ring Resizing
- Identifying Your Ring After A Repair
- Everything You Need to Know About Milgrain
- Everything You Need to Know About Wide Band Engagement Rings
- Eternity Rings vs Infinity Rings
- When To Propose
- What Are Baguette Diamond Engagement Rings
- What to Say When You Propose
- What Are the Groom's Parents Responsible For?
Gemstone Education
Jewelry Education
Metal Education
Topaz Value and Worth
What is topaz?
Topaz, denoted by the formula Al2(F1OH)2SiO4, is a rare silicate material. Ranging in color from pale yellow, to red, to blue, this semi precious gemstone is the birthstone associated with the month of November.
Growing in igneous rocks as crystals, topaz crystals develop as magma cools and fluorine, necessary for topaz crystal formation, is released.
Why is it called topaz?
There is more than one idea of how this lovely gemstone obtained its name. Some believe that the word Topaz was derived from the Greek word Topazion which comes from the Sanskrit word for fire. Others believe that the topaz is named for the Eqyptian Island, Topezos, which is located in the Red Sea. A third explanation for how the topaz gained its name, is that it is derived from the Hindu word for heat. The topaz has special significance for those who practice the Hindu religion. The topaz stone is believed to be the stone of the Kalpa Tree and is seen as one of the nine sacred stones.
Where is topaz found?
Found in locations around the world, topaz has been discovered in a great many places including Brazil, Russia, Pakistan, Australia, Mexic, America, Japan, and Sweden. The largest topaz deposits are located in Brazil and Russia.
Different types of Topaz
Imperial Topaz
One of the rarest varieties of topaz, Imperial Topaz gemstones can range in color from a warm orange to a deep rose. Also referred to as Precious Topaz, topaz of this color can be very valuable.

White Topaz
Actually clear in color, white topaz are often used as companion stones in jewelry. Although they lack some of the sparkle of diamonds, these colorless gemstones make a lovely cost effective choice for accent stones to set off a colored gemstone.

Blue Topaz
When looking for topaz jewelry shoppers are most often drawn to blue topaz. Available in a wide array of tones and saturation, blue topaz is both attractive and relatively inexpensive. The most sought after blue topaz stones are Swiss Blue, a bright blue stone with a light tone, and London Blue Topaz. London Blue Topaz stones are dark blue and have a moderate to dark tone and saturation.

What impacts the value of a topaz gemstone?
Although carat weight and clarity of the topaz gemstone will impact the value of your topaz, the single most important characteristic impacting the cost/value of a topaz stone will be the color. Pink and red colored topaz stones are the most valuable. These are closely followed by topaz stones with orange and yellow color.
Color
The color of a topaz gemstone can greatly impact their value. Representing less than 1% of facet-grade topaz, red or “Imperial Topaz” gemstones are highly prized and you can expect them to cost significantly more than topaz of other colors. Topaz gemstones gold or yellow in color are more abundant and therefore less valuable than topaz stones with red overtones.
As colorless topaz, also known as white topaz, is naturally abundant, you can find a wide variety of treated blue topaz in the marketplace. Augmented through a combination of heat and radiation, treated blue topaz can be acquired for a reasonable expense in a wide array of tones.
Carat weight/size
As with most gemstones, you will find that the size of the carat weight of topaz gemstones has a great deal of impact on the value of a particular stone. However, unlike many gemstones, the value of a particular topaz increases at a different rate depending upon the color. An Imperial Topaz will increase rapidly in price as the size of the gemstone increases. However, a topaz of treated blue or pale yellow color will increase significantly less in price as the carat weight increases.
Cut
As topaz crystals are unusually elongated, you will find these gemstones frequently cut into pear and oval shapes. You may expect to see strongly colored topaz gemstones cut with an emerald cut as well.
Clarity
Unlike many gemstones, topaz is generally referred to as “eye clear.” This indicates that the inclusions in the stone are not visible to the naked eye. Due to the nature of the topaz it is not graded in the same fashion as a diamond. Visible flaws in the topaz gemstone would devalue the stone.
Ring styles
As with all gemstones, you can control some of the cost of your jewelry by how the topaz is used. Certainly a solitaire topaz may cost you more than a halo ring with a center topaz. The use of accent stones allows you to own a stunning stone of less carat size than you may need if you are going with a traditional solitaire design. Likewise, using topaz in a three-stone ring design allows you to have all of the beauty of an exceptional topaz stone without having to rely upon a single large stone.