Blue Topaz
Hard, bright, available in large clean sizes and genuinely inexpensive — blue topaz is the most practical way to wear real size in a blue stone.
About Blue Topaz
Natural blue topaz is rare and pale. Essentially all the blue topaz in the market is colorless material that has been irradiated and then heated, producing three standard grades: the light sky blue, the brighter Swiss blue, and the deep, slightly grayish London blue. The treatment is permanent and the material is tested for residual radioactivity before sale.
At 8 on the Mohs scale topaz is hard, but it has perfect basal cleavage — a plane along which it can split cleanly if struck at the wrong angle. That combination of hardness and cleavage means it resists scratching well but should not take sharp knocks.
Its real advantage is size. Large, eye-clean blue topaz costs very little, which makes it the obvious choice for a statement piece where the same size in aquamarine would be many times the price.
Why Sharon works with blue topaz
Sharon uses London blue where she wants a deep, cool blue at a size that would be unreasonable in another stone, and she sets it in protective mountings that account for the cleavage.
Caring for blue topaz
Warm soapy water and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaning because of the cleavage, and avoid sudden temperature changes.
Common questions about blue topaz
Is blue topaz natural?
The material is natural topaz, but the blue color is produced by irradiation and heating of colorless rough. The color is permanent and the stones are tested before entering the market.
What is the difference between sky, Swiss and London blue?
They are color grades. Sky blue is the palest, Swiss blue is a bright medium blue, and London blue is the deepest and slightly grayish. London blue is generally the most sought after.
Blue Topaz jewelry by Sharon Teaman
Each piece is one of a kind and made by hand in State College, Pennsylvania.
Blue Topaz pieces Sharon has made before
Sold, but a good indication of what is possible. Any of these can be a starting point for a commission.
Commission a blue topaz piece
Tell Sharon the color, the shape or the budget you have in mind. She sources blue topaz year round and will find the right stone before a single sketch is made.