How to understand that rauchtopaz is real?

Among all the minerals in nature, quartz is the most abundant. In the earth’s crust it is 12%. Quartz is the first gem with which people began to decorate themselves. In the early Middle Ages it was already described in books. Quartz comes in dozens of varieties, colors and shades. It’s hard to believe that such different-looking stones belong to the same group. Did you know, for example, that amethyst, citrine, agate or cat’s eye are also quartz?

Quartz group and its varieties

• Macrocrystalline quartz: amethyst, amethyst quartz, aventurine, rock crystal, blue quartz, citrine, hawk’s eye, prasem, prasiolite, quartz cat’s eye, smoky quartz, rose quartz, tiger’s eye.
• Microcrystalline quartz (microscopically small crystals): agate, dendrite, chalcedony, chrysoprase, heliotrope, jasper, carnelian, moss agate, carnelian.

Rock crystal: stone or ice?

Pure quartz is rock crystal. It is colorless and transparent. The ancient Romans and Greeks considered it to be frozen ice that was so frozen that it stopped melting. The word “crystal” in Greek means ice. In China and Japan, ice and crystal are called the same word. In the 17th century English physicist and chemist Robert Boyle was the first to become convinced that rock crystal was a real stone. He compared its density to that of ice.

If you take glass and rock crystal in your hand, the stone is easy to identify. It stays cold, but the glass conducts heat and heats up. Quartz scratches window glass. Unlike glass, it allows ultraviolet rays to pass through, which act as an antiseptic. In ancient times, Tibetans healed the wounds of warriors this way. They passed a ray of sunlight through crystal balls.

Natural rock crystal is imitated with crystal glass and grown artificially. Quartz is widely used in technology, and glass is made from quartz sand.

Smoky quartz

Rauchtopaz – a non-existent stone

But today we will talk about smoky quartz. It is around this that confusion has arisen that needs to be cleared up. It is unknown when this stone began to be incorrectly called rauchtopaz. That is, smoky topaz. “Rauch” means smoke in German. This trade designation is illegal (W. Schumann “Precious and semi-precious stones”). It arose from the initiative of enterprising sellers. They passed off an attractive but inexpensive stone for a more expensive topaz.

Let’s compare prices for smoky quartz and topaz

And the name stuck. You can compare the price of topaz and smoky quartz of the same carat in the Ukrainian store https://crysstal.com.ua/:

• smoky quartz 12 carats rectangular cut table costs 1100 hryvnia,
• on the same site, a blue topaz of 12,86 carats, oval cut, costs 6450 hryvnia.

Let’s finally clear the smoke

There are no smoky topaz in nature. Smoky quartz has nothing in common with true topaz. Accordingly, the word “rauchtopaz” is meaningless; it does not correspond to the truth. At the same time, it has taken root in everyday life. It is used by traders and jewelers. If you see jewelry with “smoky topaz” inlays, know that it is actually smoky quartz.

Smoky quartz coloring

Smoky Quartz truly captures all the nuances of smoke. From gray to brown and even black. Dark brown, clove brown, golden brown. The hazy coloration is caused by gamma radiation (natural or artificial). The stone is transparent. Mohs hardness: 7. The darkest stones are called morion.

When heated, smoky quartz changes color. Needle-like inclusions of rutile are common. Just like rock crystal, it is used to imitate diamonds. Deposits of smoky quartz are in Brazil, Madagascar, Switzerland, Scotland, USA, Ukraine and Russia.

Topaz is a fire mineral

Topaz has also attracted people’s attention for a long time. One of the oldest jewelry with topaz dates back to the 8th century. It was valued for its hardness (XNUMX on the Mohs scale) and was believed to have healing properties. Transparent, translucent stone. Glass shine. Previously, topaz was the name given to all yellow and golden-brown, and sometimes also green, gemstones. The name probably comes from one of the places where it was found, an island in the Red Sea that was formerly called Topazos. According to another version, from the Sanskrit word “tapas” – fire.

Topaz colors

Colorless, yellow, blue, reddish, violet, light green. The gemstone, which today is called topaz, rarely has bright colors. Most often it is a yellow stone with a reddish tint. The most valuable colors are from pink to red-orange. The coloring substances are iron and chromium. Some yellowish-brown varieties gradually fade in sunlight.

Where is topaz mined?

Due to the high degree of cleavage of topaz, care is required when cutting and making settings. In the 18th century Schneckenstein in Saxony was the most famous topaz deposit. Today the most significant supplier is Brazil (Minas Gerais). This is where all the world famous orange-red “topaze imperials” come from. Other Deposits: Afghanistan, Australia, China, Japan, Madagascar, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Urals and Transbaikalia, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, USA (Utah). Blue topazes are also found in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Cornwall.

The Smithsonian Institution in the United States houses cut topazes weighing several thousand carats. For colored stones, a step or tent cut is usually used, for colorless or lightly colored stones, a brilliant cut is used. Topazes with unwanted inclusions are ground as cabochons.

Real topaz – noble topaz

Topaz is easily confused with many gemstones. With ruby, sapphire, spinel, tourmaline, zircon. In the trade, the citrine variety of quartz and yellow-colored burnt amethyst are often called golden topaz or madeira topaz.

Therefore, to differentiate, serious sellers call real topaz noble topaz.

Examples of incorrect mineral names

Differences between Topaz and Smoky Quartz

Both noble topaz and smoky quartz are unique in their own way. It’s simply unfair to confuse them. Pay attention to the color of the mineral and do not let the erroneous name mislead you.

Author: grebovich Category: Catalog of precious stones. All about precious stones Date of creation: 2023-01-04 Views: 3974 Comments: 0 Rauchtopaz is a valuable mineral of the quartz family with an unusual color range of brown shades. We tried to write everything we know about this stone in this article 🙂

Rauchtopaz – mineral

Rauchtopaz or Smoky Quartz – how to distinguish or how to figure it out?

Rauchtopaz is a valuable variety of quartz, which is characterized by a special golden-brown color. This stone is also called “Smoky Quartz” or “Smoky Topaz”, since the literal translation from German “rauchtopaz” is “Smoky Topaz”. Conclusion: rauchtopaz and smoky quartz are the same stone.

What color is Rauchtopaz?

The mineral is quite common in nature and is very different in shade from other quartz. The color range of rauchtopaz varies from golden brown to dark brown and even black (dark black-brown quartz has its own special name “Morion“). The stone lends itself well to cutting and polishing and is highly valued by jewelers for these excellent qualities. A ray of light that penetrates the stone from different angles reveals its new shade, sometimes honey-golden, sometimes cold brown. This is probably what attracts connoisseurs of precious stones and jewelry designers.

Origin, place of extraction of stone

In nature, rauchtopaz occurs in the form of crystals, often even large in size. The main countries where the mineral is mined: Brazil, USA, Madagascar. The crystals themselves are prismatic in shape with a pyramidal top. Such crystals are considered collectible and are sought after by connoisseurs from all over the world. It is worth noting that their price is not very high. Examples of collectible rauchtopazes 490Ct Collectible natural Rauchtopaz crystal with tips 65*55mm 377Ct Natural large Rauchtopaz without cut 71*54mm Rauchtopaz or Smoky Quartz is very popular in jewelry. The stone lends itself very well to processing with cutter’s tools, acquiring both classic and the most unusual shapes. Faceted rauchtopazes are inserted into rings, pendants, earrings and other jewelry. It should be noted that this gem goes well with both gold and silver and, frankly, it is difficult to say in which metal it looks more luxurious. So, it’s a matter of taste 🙂 Faceted rauchtopaz 3.78Ct Natural rauchtopaz 15*5mm baguette

How to distinguish natural rauchtopaz from a fake

Rauchtopaz It is a fairly common mineral and there is no particular need to counterfeit the stone. Of course, it can be imitated by passing off colored glass as the original mineral. Synthetics are not grown, since the cost of production will not be recouped given the low cost of the stone. You can recognize natural rauchtopaz by conducting several chemical experiments (we do not recommend doing this at home): 1) Rauchtopaz is not susceptible to acids 2) Rauchtopaz has a melting point of 1570 ° C 3) Rauchtopaz is not susceptible to alkali 4) Rauchtopaz is not so easy to scratch (in differences from glass)

Who is rauchtopaz suitable for according to their Zodiac Sign?

All esotericists and lithotherapists claim that rauchtopaz has very strong energy. This mineral is suitable for all Zodiac Signs, but it will bring particular benefits to Capricorns, Libra and Virgos. For representatives of the fiery Zodiac Signs (Leo, Aries and Sagittarius), it is recommended to wear rauchtopaz in a pair (earrings or a ring with a pendant). This way the stone will balance the passionate fiery character of these hot-tempered representatives of the elements.

Rauchtopaz Magical properties

In ancient times, rauchtopaz was considered a stone of black magicians, as it was associated with the possibility of establishing a connection with the other world. The stone was used as a conductor to communicate with the souls of the dead. Buying a stone or jewelry with this stone was very problematic, since only a shaman or a witcher could have it. Much time has passed since then, but even in our time, smoky quartz is revered by all “knowledgeable” people. It is believed that the energy of rauchtopaz gives strength to its owner, protecting against the effects of spells. Unmarried women are strongly recommended to have a rauchtopaz crystal in the bedroom. It will attract a loved one to your home and help you start a family. A pendant with rauchtopaz was considered a love spell talisman that arouses love and passion. Men are recommended to wear a ring with natural rauchtopaz as a talisman against deception in financial matters. It is smoky quartz that is the main talisman for the protector of all businessmen and people who know how to make money.

Rauchtopaz Medicinal properties

Rauchtopaz is a masculine mineral, increasing male libido. The stone also has a positive effect on the functioning of the kidneys and intestines. Yoga experts recommend meditation using rauchtopaz. They will relieve stress and diseases of the nervous system. It is believed that the mineral helps fight insomnia: to do this, just hold the stone in your hand for three to five minutes, trying to look deep into the stone. Sleep will come quickly and will be restful.

Jewelry with Rauchtopaz

Jewelry with rauchtopaz is very popular. They are suitable for people of all skin tones and any hair color. Silver or gold in a frame – everything will look luxurious in combination with a brown gemstone. Its noble shades look very expensive and rich, and the cost is not high. This is the main reason for the popularity of the stone.