Cool and inviting as a beautiful lake on a summer's day, these beautifully elegant, heavenly blue stones are becoming more and more popular in the later years due to its durability, easy availability and affordable cost.

• Color
• What to look for
• Holidays & Celebrations
• Name
• Folklore & Healing
• Sources
• Origins & Treatments
• Care & Cleaning

In nature colors of Topaz range from clear to pink, red, peach, orange, brown, gold, yellow and tender romantic blue. Blue Topaz is sometimes confused with aquamarine, but though both stones are blue, they differ in shades. Blue Topaz has a clear, uniform bluish gray color varying in shades from sky to Swiss blue.

In general Blue Topaz tends to have fewer inclusions, so the clarity of the stone is very important factor when choosing a stone. The more valued stones are eye clean, without any visible inclusions. These stones are better judged under the daylight or fluorescent light. It is most valued for its watery blue color.

Blue Topaz is usually suggested as a gift for the following holidays and special dates:

• Modern birthstone of December
• Stone for the couples celebrating their 4th, 19th and 23rd wedding anniversary
• It is also the birthstone of Sagittarius according to the Talismanic table

The name of the Topaz comes from the Sanskrit word "tapas," which means "fire."

Topaz is the stone that is believed to have the widest range of healing and magical powers and their strength fluctuates with the phases of the moon. Since the ancient times people see topaz as the symbol of love and affection. It is said to give wearer strength, prevent injury and sudden death, and even turn a person invisible in an emergency. Its presence is believed to bring friendship, good mood, patience and ensure fidelity. Blue topaz in particular is believed to have cooling powers, not only said to cool boiling water, but it is also believed to cool fiery tempers.

As a healing and protecting tool it is said that it indicates poisons in food and drinks by change its color, it is believed to cure insanity, asthma, insomnia, hemorrhages and improve eyesight.

While topaz of different colors could be found in many parts of the world Blue Topaz usually comes from Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and China.

Topaz is a form of the mineral pegmatite. Most Blue Topaz starts out as clear, colorless crystals. Actually in nature the colors for which it is most famous is found extremely rarely, but is most often achieved with a combination of various treatments. Untreated Blue Topaz has been found in Texas and the Ural Mountains of Russia.

The results of the enhancement treatments come in a range of hues of blue, and is even sometimes confused with more expensive Aquamarine, but the shades of the Blue Topaz are closer to gray and do not usually have tints of green. The exception to that is created by a treatment that was introduced in the late 90s. The surface of a blue topaz is enhanced to create a range of hues from blue with green tins all the way to the deep, rich emerald-like green.

Some of the treatments that help create these gorgeous stones are irradiation, which stirs up the internal structure of the stone to create its color and the heat treatment, which stabilizes this change. The results are permanent and stable. For a deeper blue color the topaz is placed in a nuclear reactor and is subjected to neutron bombardment. The resulting color was named "London Blue." The stones that have gone through the neutron bombardment have been studied and experts say that it poses no health hazard to the wearer.

These stone rate 8 on the Mohs' hardness scale and are really durable and is very well suitable for everyday wear. However, these stones are not indestructible and should be protected against impact that can scratch, chip or split them.

Whether your Blue Topaz has been treated or not, it should not be cleaned in a steamer or an ultrasonic machine. Like most jewelry it should not be exposed to the light and heat for prolonged periods of time or to sudden temperature changes. Avoid excessive abuse and strong harsh chemicals. Your safest bet is to wash your jewelry in a warm solution of mild liquid detergent and water. If you need to use a brush, make sure that is very soft and scrub very gently. Remember to rinse and dry thoroughly after you're done cleaning.