Has anyone heard of "precious" colored topaz?

[FD21Bride]

I have a 1.5 ct emerald cut topaz that I bought quite a few years ago from a local jeweler. It is a light pink to peach color. the jeweler called it "precious" topaz.
When I look up "precious" topaz on the internet they say it is a yellowish color.
Unfortunately, right now I do not have pictures...I''m working on that.

From my very general description above...what is the name of this peachy/pink colored topaz?

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 8/22/2005 1:16:54 PM
Author:FD21Bride

From my very general description above...what is the name of this peachy/pink colored topaz?

Chances are it''s what is known in the Trade as "Imperial Topaz." Try Google Images with that name and see if the stones there resemble yours. Even among those images there''s lots of variation because there appears to be no universal agreement as to just what "Imperial Topaz" is.

Richard M.

 

[FD21Bride]

Here is the best photo I could muster....

I just don''t think this is the color of the pictures I''ve found in the internet.... Do you still think it''s an imperial?

What is a stone of this color worth? I paid $400...good deal?

 

[FD21Bride]

I swear it''s not that fuzzy in person.. but it does capture the color pretty well.

 

[Richard M.]

It''s pretty fuzzy!

You need to take it to a gemologist/appraiser to get an ID and evaluation. Any comment made about an image would be pure speculation. Richard Sherwood does that kind of work and he posts here.

Richard M.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Wait a minute while I get my 3D glasses and I''ll appraise that topaz for you.

 

[widget]

FD21....I do hope you can get a clearer picture...so I can drool!

That color looks absolutely yummy!

widget

 

[FD21Bride]

I''m trying to get a better picture.....

 

[FD21Bride]

I really doubt this is better...but here goes

 

[FD21Bride]

ok....I''m giving up now

 

[Richard M.]

Richard Sherwood,

AAaarrrghhhhh! The English language and hasty posts! Of course I meant you do gemology and appraisals, NOT that you provide those services based on posted images! LOL. But we could sure use one of those clairvoyants around here.

Richard M.

 

[FD21Bride]

Yea... I know that you can''t appraise a gem from a picture. It''s okay... I can''t read minds...see? I was trying to find a better picture for everyone sake and upon Widget''s request...didn''t want them all to get a headache from the blurriness

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 8/22/2005 9:14:55 PM
Author: FD21Bride
Yea... I know that you can''t appraise a gem from a picture.

No offense intended but the process is far more complicated than it might appear on the surface. First the stone would have to be identified and the only way to do that is to actually test it. Even if it was sold to you as a "topaz," sadly that''s also a name some jewelers use to market a type of quartz that''s less valuable than real topaz. If it''s precious topaz, valuation depends on many other factors like size, weight, clarity, exact color, quality of cut, weight of gold and ancillary diamonds, etc. None of those things can be done long-distance.

Richard M.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

It certainly does have a nice color though, doesn''t it?

FD21, that hue of color would probably fall in the imperial topaz category, if the stone is indeed a topaz.

You should have it appraised. It would be fun to know what it is, and you could use the appraisal for your insurance coverage.

Do you know how many carats it is?

 

[Cave Keeper]

Yes, Precious Topaz and Imperial Topaz are supposed to refer to the same kind of colored Topaz.

However, after getting several so-called Imperial Topaz stones from u-no-where-they-auction-rubbish, I'm getting more confused as to the ideal color for Imperial Topaz. Some think champagne color is top; some show stones which look brassy gold; and, some show what they claim to be golden yellow digital images. Worse still, when the stones arrive, most of them look different from their digital images: some look pale yellow (shouldn't that be Yellow Topaz) - one described as unheated even had an additional label included which "identified" it as a Yellow Imperial Quartz(?); while most of them were quite brownish (what's so imperial about brown?) or too orangy (how yellowish can orangy be?).

Should I come to the conclusion that Imperial Topaz is one of those special stones which should be seen in person with one's own eyes and definitely not by relying on digital images, which can be manipulated by special use of camera angles, lighting types, light positioning, and special effect reflectors and light absorbers?

 

[Sagebrush]

All,

Imperial, precious, I'd say these are terms that are so poorly defined that they are meaningless. I've been to the mines near Oro Preto and talked to a lot of people. One Brazilian told me that "imperial" means yellow in Portuguese.

Well my Portuguese is far from fluent but the fact that he was trying to sell me some golden yellow stones at the time might have influenced his definition. Point is, is not an imperial topaz precious? Usually the peach color (brownish-pinkish-orangy) is referred to as "imperial" in Brazil.

The range of hues goes from a true yellow to a light toned yellowish to yellow orange-brown (light peach) to a more pinkish orange (ripe peach) to a really dark toned pinkish-orangy (rotten peach) then it gets to be a violet-pink, sometimes a true pink and then the rarest is sort of a marachino cherry red.

 

[FD21Bride]

The center stone measures 8x6mm so that makes it 1.5 ct or something according to
FAQ MM convesion chart for emerald cut stones on this website.

It's a beautiful piece...just trying to find out a little bit more about the stone. ...

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Date: 8/23/2005 3:39:15 AM
Author: Cave Keeper
Yes, Precious Topaz and Imperial Topaz are supposed to refer to the same kind of colored Topaz.

However, after getting several so-called Imperial Topaz stones from u-no-where-they-auction-rubbish, I'm getting more confused as to the ideal color for Imperial Topaz. Some think champagne color is top; some show stones which look brassy gold; and, some show what they claim to be golden yellow digital images. Worse still, when the stones arrive, most of them look different from their digital images: some look pale yellow (shouldn't that be Yellow Topaz) - one described as unheated even had an additional label included which 'identified' it as a Yellow Imperial Quartz(?); while most of them were quite brownish (what's so imperial about brown?) or too orangy (how yellowish can orangy be?).

Should I come to the conclusion that Imperial Topaz is one of those special stones which should be seen in person with one's own eyes and definitely not by relying on digital images, which can be manipulated by special use of camera angles, lighting types, light positioning, and special effect reflectors and light absorbers?

Like many gemstone terms indicating fine color of a certain nature, the term "imperial" has become grossly misused within the trade, particularly from "third world" vendors, who tend to operate in a much looser manner regarding such specifics.

Precious Topaz: Yellowish orange, orangy yellow or yellow topaz. The "term" precious is used to distinguish it from "non-precious" citrine look-a-likes and the "non-precious" blue topaz.

Imperial Topaz: Yellowish orange, orangy yellow or yellow topaz with red or pink overtones. The red or pink overtones are what distinguish "imperial" topaz from the less rare "precious" topaz.

Brown Topaz: Usually from Mexico, this color commands neither the term "precious" nor the price.

Pink and Red Topaz: Although often referred to as "imperial", these hues are in a category all their own. Single hued, they don't have the combination of colors which distinguish the "imperial" hue. This doesn't hold them back though, as they are sometimes more rare and more valuable than the imperial hues.

Another interesting characteristic of the imperial, pink & red topaz versus the "precious" (non-red or pink overtoned) topaz, is that their pink & red overtones are due to the trace element chromium, which is the same element which produces the red hue in ruby.

The term "imperial" reminds me of the even more elusive "padparadscha". It is imitated often, but rarely seen. Once having seen it though, one never forgets.

 

[gemnut]

Date: 8/23/2005 9:04:39 AM
Author: Richard W. Wise
All,

Imperial, precious, I''d say these are terms that are so poorly defined that they are meaningless. I''ve been to the mines near Oro Preto and talked to a lot of people. One Brazilian told me that ''imperial'' means yellow in Portuguese.

Well my Portuguese is far from fluent but the fact that he was trying to sell me some golden yellow stones at the time might have influenced his definition. Point is, is not an imperial topaz precious? Usually the peach color (brownish-pinkish-orangy) is referred to as ''imperial'' in Brazil.

The range of hues goes from a true yellow to a light toned yellowish to yellow orange-brown (light peach) to a more pinkish orange (ripe peach) to a really dark toned pinkish-orangy (rotten peach) then it gets to be a violet-pink, sometimes a true pink and then the rarest is sort of a marachino cherry red.

One thing I know for sure... I have never been able to take a picture of my own yellow topaz that accurately reflects the color. It always comes up looking brownish and blah, when in fact it''s a very vibrant yellow-orange with many different overtones of pink, red, yellow and only some brown depending on where the light strikes it. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder not necessarily the camera!

Gemnut

 

[partgypsy]

Interesting thread! (As refer to my topaz vs citrine thread) there is a large stone my mother has inherited from my grandmother that she referred to as "golden topaz". Which got me excited -till I realized that people used to call citrine "golden topaz".

And it was definitely a golden color, not pinkish like imperial topaz. I am still curious to identify her stone, but from what I am hearing I am not going to get my hopes up.


The color of your stone looks beautiful btw.

 

[FD21Bride]

I finally figured out how to take clear photos....I will post new one tomorrow afternoon that hopefully give a better idea of the ring and color.

Without any formal training in the color of gemstones, I definately would call this color a "ripe" peach. Definately sounds more appealing than a "rotten" peach color, huh?

 

[Cave Keeper]

Date: 8/24/2005 9:18:41 PM
Author: Richard Sherwood
:
Like many gemstone terms indicating fine color of a certain nature, the term ''imperial'' has become grossly misused within the trade, particularly from ''third world'' vendors, who tend to operate in a much looser manner regarding such specifics.

Precious Topaz: Yellowish orange, orangy yellow or yellow topaz. The ''term'' precious is used to distinguish it from ''non-precious'' citrine look-a-likes and the ''non-precious'' blue topaz.

Imperial Topaz: Yellowish orange, orangy yellow or yellow topaz with red or pink overtones. The red or pink overtones are what distinguish ''imperial'' topaz from the less rare ''precious'' topaz.
:

Many thanks, Richard, for your valuable classification. I''m surprised the word ''Precious'' is used to distinguish Yellow Topaz from Imperial Topaz. This is because there are other people who say only Imperial Topaz should be regarded as semi-precious while Yellow Topaz is not semi-precious (which, therefore should imply that Yellow Topaz should not be regarded as even precious, which is higher status than semi-precious

).

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Date: 8/27/2005 10:09:31 AM
Author: Cave Keeper

Many thanks, Richard, for your valuable classification. I'm surprised the word 'Precious' is used to distinguish Yellow Topaz from Imperial Topaz.

It's more that the word "Imperial" is used to distinguish imperial from yellow, or golden topaz. Both would be considered precious within the topaz category. Imperial topaz is always precious, but yellow/golden topaz is not imperial.

The reason for the term "precious" in regards to yellow/golden topaz is largely to distinguish it from the inexpensive look-alike citrine (quartz), and the inexpensive varieties of topaz, such as blue topaz or clear topaz.

 

[Sagebrush]

"Semi-precious"!, this meaningless term should be struck from the English language and anyone caught using the term should have his/her mouth washed out with soap.

 

[Cave Keeper]

Date: 8/28/2005 8:28:19 AM
Author: Richard W. Wise
''Semi-precious''!, this meaningless term should be struck from the English language and anyone caught using the term should have his/her mouth washed out with soap.

Well, actually there is a statement in this interesting and informative article:

http://famousdiamonds.tripod.com/faq.html

where, citrine is described as "a semi-precious gemstone while yellow topaz is not".

That''s why I was surprised Richard (Sherwood) says Yellow Topaz is precious while Citrine is inexpensive. Or, maybe there isn''t any contradiction between his stand and that author''s; he (the author) could have actually meant that "citrine is a semi-precious gemstone while yellow topaz is a precious gemstone".

But coming back to your point about semi-precious, I would have thought that is about right for stones which, even though are quite rare at sizes of 5 carats up, command prices only in the single digit thousands while the Big Four Precious Stones command much higher prices. At this point (of time; or, my progress in learning more and more about gemstones), I''m wondering whether, for sizes of 5 carats and above, are diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds rarer, or are the other gemstones, e.g., yellow sapphire, yellow zircon, yellow tourmaline, yellow topaz, yellow beryl, yellow chrysoberyl, etc., just as rare. There seems to be more colorless diamonds (10,000?) for sale than any other stone on the Net.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Date: 8/28/2005 9:49:04 AM
Author: Cave Keeper

...he (the author) could have actually meant that ''citrine is a semi-precious gemstone while yellow topaz is a precious gemstone''.

Yes, I think that''s what he meant. Citrine is far less rare, and less expensive.