Topaz

 Yellow topaz wholesales to the trade today for approx. $10 for a 1 cwt stone of very low grade quality to approx. $400 for  a one carat example of extra fine quality. The price goes up to $750 per cwt. for extra fine larger examples. The retail price can be several times that, depending on the retailers markup.    

 Topaz is the gem stone for those born in November. It has been used as a gemstone for thousands of years. It is considered the symbol of friendship. Topaz in its natural state is a golden brown to yellow. Naturally occurring blue topaz is quite rare. and almost all blue topaz on the market has been treated to produce that colour, as is some brown. The treatment is stable and accepted in the trade. But it should be noted that the darker shades will fade if exposed to extended bright sunlight.  An old English superstition says that topaz cures lunacy. (Never worked for me! :-) Topaz is the hardest of any silicate mineral, at 8 on the moh's scale.