November Birthstone, The Romantic Shades of Topaz

With colours that evoke cloudless skies and fiery sunsets, the November birthstone topaz is a perfectly romantic reminder of sunshine holidays in one of the coldest months of the year.

The month of November boasts two beautifully vibrant and alluring gemstones, topaz and citrine. Topaz is special because of its spectrum of natural colours, which includes pink, blue, orange, green, brown and colourless varieties. It’s a gemstone full of character that can be found in all corners of the world, from the United States and Brazil, to Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

There are lots of striking routes you can take with topaz jewellery. Those with a love of rose gold and yellow gold jewellery will be drawn to sensational Imperial Topaz – a rare and unusual type with shades ranging from pinkish-orange to reddish-orange. This type of topaz is said to resemble a sunset or the flickering colours of a fire when held to candlelight. The name ‘Imperial’ is believed to originate with the Russian Tsars of the 19th century who thought orange topaz should be the exclusive reserve of royalty due to its incredible rarity.

Richly toned pink, orange and brown topaz gemstones are just one side of the topaz story. The other sparkles with sky blue and deep grayish-blue shades that make a great alternative to other blue gemstones, like cornflower blue sapphires and purplish tanzanites. The finest blue shades with the strongest saturation of colour are described as London Blue Topaz, and this particular variety is becoming more and more desirable for alternative engagement rings and diamond jewellery sets. Due to its natural hardness, topaz can be cut with lots of sparkling facets in oval, cushion, princess, pear and round shapes, which results in lots of creative topaz pendants and earring styles that are often dusted with pave diamonds.

Specialist goldsmiths also use white or colourless topaz to mimic the sparkle of diamonds in halo settings and eternity rings. These versatile gemstones may not be as rare as diamonds, but they make a sparkling and elegant alternative in fine jewellery.

The month of November boasts two beautifully vibrant and alluring gemstones, topaz and citrine. Topaz is special because of its spectrum of natural colours, which includes pink, blue, orange, green, brown and colourless varieties. It’s a gemstone full of character that can be found in all corners of the world, from the United States and Brazil, to Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

It isn’t just in recent decades that topaz, particularly blue topaz, has been coveted for its beautiful colours. The ancient Greeks believed the November birthstone could promote the wearer’s inner creativity and boost mental clarity in difficult times. The more mystical side of topaz was said to uncover lies, disrupt illusions and even render the wearer invisible to dark forces. During the 1600s, topaz was understood to tackle magic spells and increase intelligence, health and beauty when worn close to the heart.

Today, topaz is the talisman of the astrological sign Sagittarius and a traditional choice for fourth and twenty-third wedding anniversary gifts. To keep your topaz jewellery looking its best, always avoid prolonged exposure to high temperatures and bright light and stay away from steam cleaning and ultrasonic cleaners as these can cause internal cracks within your gems.

Topaz is only now beginning to find its voice among sapphires, tanzanites, emeralds and rubies. Thanks to is versatility, your jewellery collection can be enhanced with a sky-blue topaz pendant, an inky London blue topaz ring and radiant white topaz earrings that add a touch of luxury to every day.