Topaz

When one thinks of topaz, the color blue probably comes to mind. But did you know that most blue topaz is actually treated to be that color? The vast majority of sky blue topaz on the market starts off colorless until color is added through irradiation treatment. Regardless of treatment, topaz is a gorgeous gemstone that is commonly used in jewelry, and the most sought after variety of topaz is the extraordinarily rare red imperial topaz.

Topaz is the birthstone of two different months: Precious topaz is the birthstone of November, while blue topaz is the birthstone of December. The ancient Greeks believed that topaz gave strength, and ancient Indians believed that wearing topaz brought intelligence, beauty, and a long life. 

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The value of topaz varies greatly based on a few factors, the biggest being variety. Imperial topaz with a highly saturated orangey-red color can fetch prices of up to $3,000 per ct! On the other hand, blue topaz is a fairly common gemstone and typically sells for $10-15 per carat. Although larger blue topaz's are valued higher because of their weight, their price per carat generally stays the same. E.g.

10 carat @ $10 per ct = $100  

100 carat @ $10 per ct= $1,000