Beautiful, durable, and rare”imperial topaz embodies all the desirable qualities of a gemstone. These features make it more sought after and pricier than regular topaz.
With yellow to orange hues reminiscent of golden sunset, imperial topaz symbolizes joy, peace, friendship, and royalty.
Learn more about the stones' properties that make it truly enthralling.
The Physical Properties of Imperial Topaz
Imperial topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminum and fluorine. It forms as small and translucent prismatic crystals that display high clarity and a glassy appearance. Natural imperial topaz colours range from shades of yellow, salmon pink, yellow-orange, to golden brown.
Imperial topaz tends to fade easily when constantly exposed to sunlight. Because of its perfect cleavage, sudden changes in temperature may fracture the crystal.
With a hardness rating of 8, imperial topaz is considered to be a highly durable and versatile material.
It is often cut into various shapes like round, pear, oval, square, octagon, and heart. Its characteristic hardness and resistance to scratching make it suitable for daily wear.
The History of Imperial Topaz
The name topaz comes from the Greek name Topazios, the name for a small island in the Red Sea (now called Zabargad). It's not where topaz was first discovered. Rather, it used to be a source of peridot which was then thought to be topaz.
Other scholars claim that the name topaz originates from the Sanskrit word topas or tapaz, meaning fire.
In the middle ages, a deposit in the Erzgebirge Mountains in Germany was the main source of topaz in the world. It produced hundreds of kilograms of yellow to brown topaz crystals.
It wasn't until the 1730s when a vast topaz deposit was discovered in Minas Gerais, known today as one of the biggest gem producers in the world and the mining powerhouse of Brazil.
In 1768, the Portuguese government (who colonized Brazil then) recognized the topaz deposit in Minas Gerais as an essential commercial mine.
Today, Brazil continues to be the world's largest producer of topaz. Other known producers of Topaz are Chelyabinsk, Russia and Utah, USA.
Topaz is made of fluorine which is concentrated in a few geologic environments. Topaz occurs in the cavities and fractures of igneous rocks. These rocks include granite, pegmatite, and rhyolite.
Topaz crystals form during the cooling of magma or when fluorine-rich hydrothermal fluids flow through the cracks present in cooled rocks. Topaz can also form in metamorphic rocks.
The Lore of Imperial Topaz
Topaz has been associated with various beliefs and practices since ancient times.
To Greeks, topaz had the power to boost physical strength and make its user invisible.
To ancient Egyptians and Romans, yellow topaz was the stone of the sun god Ra. They believed it was Ra who gave power to the crystal.
Imperial topaz is the birthstone for November and the stone of the astrological sign Sagittarius. It is also the commemorative gemstone to mark the 23rd wedding anniversary.
In chakra healing (a belief and practice which originates from ancient India), topaz is believed to activate the throat chakra, which is the energy centre of communication and self-expression.
Indians also believe that wearing topaz above the heart promotes long life, vitality, and intelligence, and maintains everlasting beauty.
During the Renaissance period, Europeans used the topaz as a weapon to reverse spells and curses.
The Healing and Metaphysical Properties of Imperial Topaz
Need a tool to amplify your desires and intentions? Imperial topaz is a powerful manifestation crystal. It works to strengthen your willpower and motivation, increasing your drive and persistence to go after what you want.
Stay in sync with the energy of imperial topaz to remain confident and determined. When challenges arise at work or when you get discouraged in achieving your goals, this crystal will increase your mental and physical energies so you can soldier on.
As a result, you'll be able to pour your creativity and strength into your task until it's completed and up until you reap the fruit of your labor.
Additionally, imperial topaz can help you attract success, fortune, and abundance. It helps you to clearly see the path to success and work up the courage to take that path.
In terms of resolving traumas and past issues, topaz activates stagnant energies in the unconscious mind.
Use this crystal to undo emotional issues like feelings of loneliness, helplessness, and abandonment. When left unaddressed, these feelings may prevent one from building genuine connections and productive relationships with others.
This crystal is known to foster honesty, self-control, self-actualization, and desire to seek higher wisdom that lead to deeper truths about oneself and the world.
Here's how to meditate with an imperial topaz crystal according to The Crystal Council:
- Write down a goal, mantra, or a specific intention you've been working on. Use this as a daily reminder of how far you've come and how far you intend to go.
- Place your imperial topaz crystal directly over your solar plexus chakra (your stomach area) to release the energy of the crystal into your body.
- Close your eyes and recite your intention out loud (or in your head) while envisioning your outcome. Repeat as desired.
- As you meditate on your goal or intention, absorb every sight, smell, and detail of your vision. Doing this enforces the thought in your subconscious and reminds your brain that your intention is possible to achieve.
When used in this exercise, imperial topaz increases your confidence level and unleashes the inner strength you have to realize your desires.
Get the imperial topaz crystal that fits your needs
Sources:
Everything about the Imperial topaz. (2022, July 10). The Joué. Retrieved September 5, 2022, from https://thejoue.com/imperial-topaz-properties-price-meaning-jewelry/
Imperial Topaz Gemstone Information at AJS Gems. (n.d.). AJS Gem. Retrieved September 5, 2022, from https://www.ajsgem.com/gemstone-information/imperial-topaz-91.html
Imperial Topaz Info - The Alluring Gem of the Russian Czars. (n.d.). Gemselect. Retrieved September 5, 2022, from https://www.gemselect.com/gem-info/imperial-topaz/imperial-topaz-info.php
Imperial Topaz Meanings and Crystal Properties. (n.d.). The Crystal Council. Retrieved September 5, 2022, from https://thecrystalcouncil.com/crystals/imperial-topaz
Imperial Topaz: The Ultimate Guide to Meaning, Properties, Uses. (2021, July 1). Gemstonist. Retrieved September 5, 2022, from https://www.gemstonist.com/imperial-topaz/
Topaz Geoscience Australia. (n.d.). Geoscience Australia. Retrieved September 5, 2022, from https://www.ga.gov.au/education/classroom-resources/minerals-energy/australian-mineral-facts/topaz#:%7E:text=Topaz%20usually%20forms%20along%20fractures,enable%20the%20formation%20of%20topaz.
Topaz History and Lore. (n.d.). GIA. Retrieved September 5, 2022, from https://www.gia.edu/topaz-history-lore#:%7E:text=The%20name%20for%20imperial%20topaz,the%20US%20birthstones%20for%20November.
