Hello kindred souls! I am writing with supreme confidence help will
be provided by this extremely competent group. So, thanks in advance.
I very much like the combination of look and affordability that
Mystic Topaz offers. I have a nice collection of beautifully cut
white topaz stones that I would love to have treated in order to
produce the kaleidoscopic “Mystic Topaz.” Does anyone know of a
laboratory or of a freelancer that is experienced in this process?
Jeff Zoellner
Hi, topaz can be and is treated in a number of diferent ways
including diffusion. About the only one that isn’t perminant or stable
is the Mystic topaz which is a process where atomized gold is sprayed
onto it in a controled atmosphere. The treatment is not only microns
thin but is easily rubbed or scratched off. You could do just about as
well if you were to glue shiney foil paper onto the back and it would
be just about as stable a treatment.
cutter12
Hi, I have what I think is something similar and I am trying to
verify what it is…my husband bought it and he doesn’t ever remember
to find out what they are…
It looks like a white topaz, I know it has some treatment to it, it
shows colors of Green and Purple together like a cross between an
emerald and amethyst.
I also have another one that is larger, and very yellow, not a
citrine yellow, but a true yellow, almost a milkyness to it, but not
quite, very pretty. I don’t think this was expensive.
These are the only two stones in my stone box that I have no idea as
to what they are, probably lowly stones, along the tanzanites,
kunzites, spinels, and opals… But they are very pretty.
Thanks
Laura
Need info please on what to look for in good quality stones. I have
just bought a ring from the shopping channel and have no idea whether
this is a good stone or not. It is certainly very pretty, but I need
to know more about what makes a good stone, care, toughness,
preferred settings, ie. will a bezel setting be any good, or will it
obliterate too much light? I am a new subscriber, and do not know
much about this stone. However, as it is my birth stone, I want to
make sure I have the true gemstone, and not a piece of glass !! I
also am interested in buying these stones for making my own
jewellry, and need to know what to pay, or expect to pay, for the
various sizes of mystic topaz. Many thanks to anyone who can advise
me! I live in Vancouver, B.C., so suppliers up here would be welcome
too.! thanks. Violet, Vancouver, B.C…
Hi Violet! I teach jewellery making classes in Burnaby. Mountain
Gems has about the best selection of cut stones in the lower mainland.
This means things like moonstones, and amethysts and on and on.
Don’t expect much in the way of rubies, emeralds and diamonds though.
Phone # (604) 298-5883. They also offer wholesale prices if you’re
reselling your jewellery (usually 50% off retail)
By the way, mystic topaz is topaz with a special coating that gives
it that lovely color. (Mtn Gems doesn’t have any at this time but
could get it for you if you need it - just tell them I sent you!)
Barrie
Violet:
White (colorless) Topaz is extremely common and can be bought in
rough for under twenty-five cents a carat, so the cost of the cut
stone is mostly in the cutting, half a dollar to a dollar a carat
overseas. I attended a wholesale and a retail gemshow over the
weekend, and blue topaz, which is white topaz which has been cut and
irradiated and then heat treated, is still $1.50/ct wholesale and
maybe $3-4/ct retail, so the white would be maybe half of that, I’d
say. The name “Mystic” has to do with a coating put on the stone
which gives it the iridescence you see. The coating is something
like that put on photographic lenses. It is more durable than paint,
but can abrade off. Mystic Topaz, alas, is not considered a fine
gemstone.
If you are making anything but very low end jewelry, Mystic Topaz
would not be a good choice for a stone. Any decent public library
would have some introductory books on stones for you to learn from.
Once you get beyond the basics, Renee Newman’s books on pearls,
emeralds, ruby and sapphire (different books) provide a wealth of
detail. Bonnamo and Maitlins have books on Gem ID and jewelry buying
which are good, too. Go to a few gem shows and just look at what’s
being offered, ask questions and strike up a conversation or two when
you can. If you can get a tax number, you can get into wholesale
shows and begin to find out what this stuff costs the small time
dealer (big purchasers pay much, much less.) If there is a local Gem
and Mineral Society, the members will provide a wealth of info for
free. Some of them are dealers or craftspeople, too.
There is a great deal of gem merchandise out there which is sold for
$20 to $200 which is virtually worthless or worth far less than what
unsuspecting people pay for it. Mystic Topaz is pretty much the low
end, but there is garnet, amethyst, citrine, topaz and even ruby not
worth much more than a dollar a carat out there. Please learn some
more about this complex field before expending any money you can’t
afford to throw away. There are a few good deals on the better
shopping channels, but far more junk. Some of the junk is fairly
priced for what it is and some if it is not. You need to know at
least a little about the market. Even then, some deals look good,
but the stone is lighter in color, cut poorly or very flawed compared
to what you saw at your neighborhood jeweler. I know something about
this, as I worked briefly for one of the shopping networks.
If you want to see some really well cut, good color stones, one site
that is very reputable and has some very fine custom cut merchandise
is www.acstones.com The prices may be on the high side because the
material is custom cut, but they are not out of the ball park for
fine color, clarity and cut in medium to high end goods.
Good Luck in your learning, email me if I can answer questions. Roy
Mystic Topaz is a white Topaz,of most likely Chinese origin(this mine
is a poor treater using irradiation),coated with the polymer used in
the manufacture of sunglasses.
Mark Liccini
http://www.LICCINI.com
Mystic topaz is simply white topaz that has had a metal applied to
it’s facets, probably by some sort of vacuum deposition. White topaz
is very cheap - I pay no more than $10 ct for really good cuts and you
can find it for a lot less - $3 or so.
If you bought it from HSN it will be genuine - but I would expect
the treated facets to wear and for the effect to disappear after a
time.
This thread is reminding me of a problem I’d like to solve. A neat
old medium format camera (a “Warner”, one of Jack Warner’s failures)
has lost some of its prism mirrored coating so it has big black
blotches directly in the middle where I used to focus it. This is
almost identical to metal coated facets on these clear sapphires. I
like it for quality 2"x2" negatives that enlarge better than 35mm. I
used it for special jewelry shots back when we were both younger, and
I hate to give up on it. Does anyone know about re-silvering in this
list? Thanks, Alan Heugh
Hi,
Check out amateur astronomy on the web - it is the same treatment
they give telescope lenses after people grind them. The companies that
sell the glass lens blanks usually offer the service.
Cheers,
Cameron Speedie
Island Gem and Rock
Could you please be a little more specific on where to go on the
web? I have a bunch of white topaz I would like to have coated so as
to make mystic topaz. TIA
Carol