This gemstone was designed "Imperial" in honor of a Brazilian Emperor.
Topaz with a reddish orange color is highly valuable.
"Imperial" topaz refers to topaz with a yellow-orange, orange, or "sherry" (reddish orange) color. Topaz has been known since the times of ancient Egypt and Rome. In 1883, it was discovered that heating amethyst would alter it to a beautiful yellow citrine, and these citrines were called "golden topaz," despite the fact that they were not actually topaz. Large quantities of this material were sold under that misnomer, causing confusion in the market for a period of time. To differentiate genuine topaz from heat-treated citrine, the name "Imperial" was applied, in honor of Emperor Don Pedro of Brazil.
A strongly reddish orange is the preferred color for Imperial topaz. Meanwhile, yellowish material is considered inferior, and some people so not call this "Imperial." Materialwith a color that is more red than orange, resembling sherry wine, is very uncommon and not often encountered. Therefore, beautiful stones of this color are extremely expensive. Topaz is gemstone that occurs as large crystals. Since many Imperial topaz crystals are quite long, the finished gems also tend to be somewhat long. Imperial topaz prices are about ten times that of citrine, so cutters will attempt to minimize weight loss as much as possible. As a result, each one will have a nonstandard shape, and jewelry tends to be handmade instead of mass-produced. This is a time-consuming process, but it can also be considered part of the mystique of such high-priced treasures.
Upon comparison, the difference between citrine and Imperial topaz becomes obvious. Especially when viewed under incandescent light, the orange color of an Imperial topaz will take on a pinkish hue. Material with very low tone levels such as 1 or 2, or with a beauty grade of B, will not appear much different from citrine. Yet in jewelry quality or better, and especially in gem quality, the beauty of Imperial topaz is truly an incomparable gift from nature. The color of Imperial topaz is natural, not heated or otherwise treated.
Ring, Platinum
Imperial Topaz 1pc
7.81ct
Untreated
Diamond 14 pc
US $25,000
Name of Mineral : Topaz
Mohs Hardness :8
Refractive Index :1.619~1.627
Specific Gravity :3.53
Weight : 3.02 ct
Size (mm) : L 12.0 x W 6.5 x D 4.65
Untreated
Gem Quality
OPTIMUM COLOR
As one of three primary colors, yellow is an important color, but it represents only a minority of the basic hues encountered in colored gemstones. Starting with ruby and rhodolite for red, there are sapphire and aquamarine for blue, and emerald and peridot for green. In fact, the abundant numbers and types of red, blue, and green gemstones account for nearly 90 percent of all gemstones. Compared to that, yellowish gemstones are limited to Imperial topaz, fancy yellow diamond, yellow sapphire, and a few other varieties. Yellow covers a wide range, however, from light yellow to nearly orange. Each gem variety has its optimum coloration, making it important to select the subtle color that brings out the best of that gemstone. That subtle color is closely tied to the value of the gemstone.
Weight :2.50 ct
Size (mm): L10.9 x W 6.7 x D 4.92
Untreated
US $1,000
Imperial Topaz
Yellow material, usually classified separately as yellow topaz, is not as impressive as strongly orange material. Being the same mineral, they have the same refractive index, hardness, and specific gravity--- but a hue and saturation that bring out the greatest beauty of the gemstone are important elements of quality. Imperial topaz must have some orange coloration in order to fully realize its potential beauty. Additionally, high-quality rough and an appropriate cut will give a gemstone a strong brilliance, resulting in a beautiful stone like the one pictured here.
Fancy Yellow Diamond
The key to the beauty of a fancy yellow diamond is a lemon-yellow color. Material that is close to a pure yellow color is the best. Topaz, on the other hand, does not occur in a vivid color like the fancy yellow diamond shown here.
Weight : 1.74 ct
Size (mm): L 11.0 x W 6.6 x D 4.19
Untreated
US $40,000
Weight :1.54 ct
Size (mm): L 7.5 x W 5.9 x D 3.83
Untreated
US $300
Yellow Sapphire
As with fancy yellow diamond, a lemon color is the key to a beautiful yellow sapphire. This is different from Imperial topaz, which is preferred in orange hues. Though both are gemstones with a yellowish color, there are subtle differences in their beauty (as with anything created by nature). Again, it is important to focus on the featured of different gemstones and to understand their optimum colors.
JUDGING QUALITY
The quality scale for Imperial topaz spans a particularly wide range of hues. Beauty grade S consists of an ogrange color that is strongly reddish, while lighter stones with tone levels of 1 to 2 in beauty grade A are basically yellow. Darker tones (levels 3 to 4) of beauty grade A fall in between, with an orange-yellow color.
Quality levels 4-S and 4-A are the most preferred hues for Imperial topaz. The mosaic patterns seen in these stones will display a good balance of light and dark tones.
Topaz that is a very pale yellow (tone level 2 and below) or a very dark orange does not convey a deep sense of bea
HOW TO CHOOSE
It is important to choose a gemstone for its beauty, not its name. Just because Imperial topaz prices are about ten times that of citrine, choosing an Imperial topaz of accessory quality is meaningless--- at that level, there is almost no difference between the two. Jewelry -quality Imperial topaz, however, is exceptional, and can easily be distinguished from citrine, especially under incandescent light.
A simple pendant set with a gem-quality Imperial topaz weighing a bout three carats can be purchased in the$2,500 to $4,000 range. It is a highly recommended gemstone for those considering what to buy for their next jewelry purchase.
The value of a three-carat-size Imperial topaz of jewelry quality is approximately US $1,200 for the stone alone.
(2001)
QUALITY SCALE
IMPERIAL TOPAZES
Untreated
A GEM OF VALUE
Weight:3.39ct
Size(mm):L 10.9 x W 7.4 x D 4.10
Untreated
Jewelry Quality
US $1,500
The 3 quality zones as they appear in the quality scale
Quantity distribution of gems that are polished to 3-carat size
