Synthetic topaz: how to distinguish a fake from a natural stone

The pleasant delicate color of blue topaz makes it popular among jewelry lovers. But there is a high probability of stumbling upon a fake, made so skillfully that it is impossible to recognize at first glance. However, there are reliable ways and tips on how to distinguish blue topaz from glass or other types of imitation.

Signs of a natural mineral

True blue topaz is characterized by a number of characteristics:

A genuine stone will be smooth to the touch; processed crystals will have a smooth and silky surface, which is not the case with ordinary glass.
If you rub the mineral on wool, it will become highly electrified and will attract dust particles, threads, and pieces of paper.
An assessment of the crystal structure will help determine the authenticity of topaz. It should show inclusions and irregularities. Ideally transparent stones with an even, rich color are also found in nature, but are extremely rare, so they are expensive. It is better to refuse to buy such an impeccable copy at an average price.
The natural mineral has a low shine.
Natural stone is a poor conductor of heat, so it heats up slowly and its surface is cool.
If you run a real gemstone over crystal, glass or quartz, the stone will leave a scratch on it. This experiment must be carried out carefully so as not to damage the product.
Changes color slightly depending on lighting.

These tips are designed to help you determine the authenticity yourself at home, but only a jeweler will surely know how to distinguish a natural gem from a fake.

When purchasing, do not neglect the advice of a specialist. An obvious sign of a fake is a low price.

Sometimes blue crystals themselves can be an imitation of more expensive stones. They are sold as sapphires and aquamarines. In the first case, hardness is assessed (for topaz it is less than for sapphire), the refractive index of light and specific gravity. You can distinguish a stone from aquamarine by its stronger shine and play of colors. In addition, aquamarine has a silvery sheen that topaz does not have.

Who suits the name

Names with which topaz has a beneficial effect:

Agatha, by nature, strives for independence. The crystal will provide support in this.
Anastasia sometimes feels defenseless, the amulet will give her confidence and show her the path where there will be no people who can offend her.
Maryana is too strict with herself and those around her, the mineral helps lower the level of self-criticism, teaches you to like yourself and enjoy life.
Natalya is proactive, sometimes obsessive. With the help of a topaz amulet, paths for realization are opened.
Larisa is characterized by excessive emotionality, which harms relationships with people around her. Topaz is an assistant in balancing the emotional state.

The gem energetically supports those who believe in the help of nature and their own strength.

Types of fakes

Imitation of precious stones is a lucrative form of fraud that has been known since ancient times. Previously, colored non-precious crystals were often passed off as blue topazes. Today's counterfeiting technology has advanced, jewelry is often counterfeited, but there are still ways to tell the difference.

Often colored glass is passed off as a precious gem , but it is easy to distinguish them due to their physical properties and appearance. The law obliges the seller to inform the buyer that this is not a natural stone, but a glass imitation.
Topaz and rauchtopaz should not be confused . Sometimes scammers, hiding behind the name, pass it off as a type of precious mineral, but in fact, rauchtopaz is smoky quartz. It received this name back in ancient times (“rauch” is translated from German as “smoke”), and it stuck. This grayish-brown stone is noteworthy and can look great in jewelry, but its price is less than that of topaz.
An insidious fake - the artificial mineral cubic zirconia . Both in appearance and in physical properties, it is very similar to topaz; it can have a yellow, orange or blue color; it can only be distinguished by analyzing the crystal lattice.
Treated topazes . Blue or dark blue crystals are rarely found in nature and cost between $100-120 per carat. Jewelers have learned to give colorless or lightly colored specimens the desired color. The mineral is subjected to heat treatment or irradiation. The result is stones of a rich blue hue. Such gems are, in fact, natural. The method of obtaining the color is indicated by the words “heated” or refined” in the name of a particular sample.
Synthetic crystals . They are grown using hydrothermal technology, recreating in the laboratory the conditions in which topaz “grows” in nature.

Properties

Among refined blue topaz, three varieties are known today:

Sky Blue is a soft blue topaz.
Swiss Blue - bright blue or gray-blue.
London Blue is a rich blue, the most beautiful and expensive of blue topaz.

physical characteristics

A fragile transparent or translucent stone with a glassy luster.

Other options:

hardness on the Mohs scale - 8;
density - 3.4-3.64;
conchoidal fracture;
perfect cleavage;
rhombic system, crystallizes into short and long prisms.

Magic properties

Blue topaz is called the stone of composure. It will make the owner calm and reasonable, and protect him from outbursts of anger. Women wear jewelry made of blue and light blue stones, believing that it will preserve their beauty and youth longer.

The blue mineral has the reputation of being a treacherous stone. But that’s what it’s called by people who have something to hide, or those who are not ready to face the truth. And topaz is an uncompromising and honest stone, it is capable of exposing any lies and revealing conspiracies that are still being prepared.

The stone is even considered a destroyer of the family, since in its presence relationships that are not based on mutual love will not last long. Therefore, women, before wearing blue mineral jewelry, should think about whether they really want to know the truth.

But at the same time, the stone will always suggest the right decision, help predict the thoughts and actions of business partners, and indicate the path along which to move.

Blue topaz as a talisman

In earlier times, blue topaz was considered the stone of sailors and travelers. He led the owner on the right path, could save him from a raging storm and even pacify it. The talisman always returned its owner home safe and sound. In the modern world, these properties of stone are no less relevant.

The blue gem is credited with the ability to protect the owner from intrigue and disease. The blue stone makes people perceptive, not allowing them to miss the signs sent by fate. Topaz also helps to achieve success in life, financial and career. It gives its owner power over people.

How to identify synthetic stone

Artificial crystals are obtained in laboratory conditions; this is a labor-intensive and expensive process. Such minerals cost less, and often look better - more transparent, with a rich color. Topazes with impurities are not considered fakes - sometimes they are added specifically during processing to give the stone the desired color.

The production of hydrothermal topaz is not economically profitable, so artificial sapphire or ruby is often used as an imitation. Analogues are similar to a real gem in appearance and repeat most of the physical properties. But synthetic stone is usually less strong and durable. Its synthesis is similar to growing flowers in a greenhouse. Scientists create the conditions necessary for a mineral to develop, monitor its growth, and purposefully influence its external qualities - color, transparency, shine. The crystals grown under such conditions are larger than in nature, their growth rate is several times faster, and the colors are more saturated: natural bright blue topaz is difficult to find in nature.

Growing stones in artificial conditions is regulated by legal acts, according to which the jewelry tag must indicate that the mineral is synthetic. If there is no information about the origin of the insert, it will not be easy to recognize synthetic topaz at home.

Its main difference from natural is the depth of shade and the complete absence of defects.

It is necessary to distinguish synthetic topaz from cubic zirconia, which has no analogue in nature and is therefore cheaper. This artificial crystal has a strong, diamond-like luster, which is not characteristic of topaz. In addition, cubic zirconia does not have the effect of pleochroism - it does not change color when the viewing angle or lighting changes.

Interesting Facts

The largest topaz found in Brazil weighs 5,800 kg.
The raw, wine-yellow crystal, discovered in 1965 in a mine at the Volyn deposit in Ukraine, weighs 117 kg.
Another precious topaz, named “Akademik Fersman” and weighing 2 kg 117 g, amazes with its amazing transparency and the beauty of its internal blue glow. The place of its discovery is the Zhytomyr region (Ukraine).
The “Fairy Tale” crystal (weighing 2 kg 200 g), discovered in the Volodarsk-Volynsky pegmatite field, has a completely transparent body and inclusions of fluorite, strikingly similar to dandelion inflorescences, making up a landscape of extraordinary beauty inside the gem. The approximate cost of the stone is 200,000 rubles.
The colorless Braganza topaz, weighing 328g and shaped like an egg, was discovered in Brazil and valued at £57 million. Mistaken for a diamond, the stone was set into the crown of the King of Portugal.

In dream books, topaz symbolizes reliable, strong friendship. If you dream that you:

you receive topaz as a gift - you should expect love adventures soon;
if you buy jewelry with this stone, fate will give you acquaintance with pleasant people;
lost a gem - in reality you should be wary of the machinations of envious people;
you intend to take the item with topaz lying on the table, but a large dog prevents you from doing this - this means that in reality you were unable to please your superiors.

How to recognize a fake quartz or glass

Quartz and glass fakes are common because they are cheaper and at first glance indistinguishable from natural stone. But there are some features that allow you to distinguish topaz from a fake:

Glass and quartz are much rougher and more transparent, while a real gem has smooth edges and tiny inclusions or defects in the structure.
Expensive stones are combined with gold and platinum, less often with silver, but topaz in a silver frame is a common occurrence on the jewelry market. A seller who claims that he is offering a real precious gem in a base metal frame is probably lying.
You can recognize glass by its too rich and deep shade.
Glass and other cheap imitations are always warmer and heat up faster in your hands because they transmit heat better.
Topaz has a higher density than quartz, so if you have a quartz crystal of the same size on hand, the topaz will be heavier when comparing weight.
The bright shine gives it away as a fake.
Quartz and glass are not electrified, so to check, you can rub the product with a woolen cloth. If it does not attract lint, the stone is fake.

Conscientious jewelers use minerals in their products that have been authenticated by a professional appraiser. Such stones have a certificate, which the seller must provide upon the buyer's request. This is a legal document that describes the characteristics: color, size, presence of inclusions and impurities, place of extraction, cutting method. If the store refuses to provide it, it is likely that the certificate is simply missing, which indirectly indicates the sale of an imitation.

Mystic topaz and zodiac signs

The friendliness of the iridescent gem does not apply to all zodiac signs. He gets along very well with some, but astrologers advise others to forget about buying such an amulet.

Astrologers do not advise Taurus to acquire a rainbow gem.

Which zodiac signs are lucky:

Compatible with Gemini. The crystal strengthens Gemini's nervous system, makes them reasonable, and adds determination.
Another sign that has 100% compatibility with the mystic is Scorpio. In this case, the mystical name of the gem will fully manifest itself - the talisman enhances intuition. It also helps Scorpio overcome difficult periods of health problems.

The mystic will not benefit the rest of the zodiac signs. In their hands, the mineral will remain the most ordinary decoration. He, of course, will influence their fate, but so insignificantly that it is not worth taking into account.

But Taurus is better off avoiding such amulets. The amulet will lead to the collapse of their career and lead the couple to divorce.