TOPAZ
Specimen top-50

Dims: 1.5" x .75" x .50"

Wt: .5oz

Unknown

A little bit of mystery surrounds this piece; we were unable to find out where it was mined. It is, however, an almost perfect crystalline example of Topaz, and the color is that which would make a very pretty gemstone. We have it set up on a square acrylic base with a small amount of blue "Fun-tack" holding it fast. It is a single crystal, so the above dimensions apply directly. This is a fantastic specimen for the price, for a collector, or for a person who wants to make a one-of-a-kind, Renaissance-era pendant.

Dims: 2.50" x 2.50" x 2.25"

Wt: 11.1oz

Northwestern Frontier Province, Pakistan

I have always liked this piece. Sure, it has no termination and many flaws are visible, but it is a perfect specimen for a collector. The crystal face that is exposed is very clean and shiny, and the color is a beautiful tawny gold. At the bottom of the 1-inch-square crystal is an area of extreme clarity, enough to probably cut a stone out of, but why ruin the beauty of a gem amidst the abrasive background of its host rock? This specimen supports the belief that rough beauty is the purest form.

Dims: 3.75" x 3" x 2"

Wt: 12.4oz

Juab, Utah

This is an excellent example of inexpensive Topaz that can be found in North America. The crystals, which reach 3/4 inch long, are clear with the golden, slightly peachy color that is so often associated with the gemstone. These crystals each contain one or more parallel internal fractures that run perpendicular to the crystals' lengths. Sprinkled lightly between the large Topaz crystals are little blades of pseudobrookite. These are pretty crystals, which will take you to another world if you have a jewler's loupe or a microscope

Dims: 3/4" x 1/2" x 1/2"

Wt: 8.1 g

Slardu, Pakistan

I have not seen such excellence in clarity, color, and crystal structure in a Topaz before this one. The color, which has been radiation-enhanced, is a bright blue, slightly darker than sky-blue. The clarity is almost perfect, with one area possessing a few veil-like inclusions. The side faces and edges are in perfect condition, and the primary termination face is naturally "dimpled," with striations radiating down to the secondary and tertiary faces. This specimen is as close to being perfect as I've ever seen in any mineral!

Dims: 1" x 1/2" x 1/4"

Wt: 5.5 g

Slardu, Pakistan

This Topaz crystal, while not one of the best that I've seen, is still a choice specimen for one who wants a gem-quality example. Though the side faces and edges have several small chips and dings, the termination is still injury-free, and the clarity is excellent. The radiation-induced bright blue color is simply sublime- if one wanted to, a stone could easily be cut out of this lovely specimen.

Dims: 0.8" x 0.4" x 0.4"(2.0 x 1.0 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 3.6 g

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil

A singular crystal constitutes this specimen. It occurs as a four-sided prism with a damaged but partially-healed, shallow four-sided pyramidal termination. Though its form is not perfect, it is in good condition, with clean faces and edges. It has a moderate golden coloration, is transparent, and has a few too many internal fractures to warrant trying to cut a gem from it. However, it is a very pretty little crystal that would make a good addition to a thumbnail collection or the hoard of a young collector. If one wanted to, one could also have this piece set into a bail for a pendant(silver would provide the best contrast, I think).

Dims: 0.9" x 0.7" x 0.6" (2.3 x 1.8 x 1.5 cm)

Wt: 6.7 g

Tepetate, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

This attractive thumbnail specimen consists of a few Topaz crystals on a cream-colored host rock. They have excellent orthorombic prismatic form with sharp, pseudoxhexagonal pyramidal terminations; three of these terminations are truncated by small basal faces. The crystals are in near-perfect condition, with no visible damage. They have a golden coloration with a hint of pink and a vitreous luster. Most are near-gem-quality, as they are transparent and very clear with only a few internal fractures and inclusions. The largest of these crystals measure 0.6 x 0.3 x 0.2" (1.5 x 0.8 x 0.5 cm), and two others are nearly the same size. I have affixed them inside a domed thimble box for display. They constitute a very beautiful specimen.

Dims: 1.1" x 1.1" x 0.8" (2.8 x 2.8 x 2.0 cm)

Wt: 10.2 g

Tepetate, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

A total of six complete and two incomplete Topaz crystals grace this Mexican specimen. They are in near-perfect condition, showing no human-induced damage. The intact crystals have excellent orthorombic prismatic form and are topped with steep, pseudohexagonal pyramidal terminations that are truncated with small, basal faces. Their color ranges from a pale gold with a hint of pink to an almost rusty orange, and they all have a vitreous luster on their clean, smooth faces. All are transparent and very clear, though two of the darker crystals appear slightly foggy, and all show small internal fractures and inclusions. The largest of these crystals has dimensions of 0.6 x 0.4 x 0.2" (1.5 x 1.0 x 0.5 cm), and the others are half that size or less. They rest on a base of cream-colored rock that is probably laden with tiny Topaz crystals, as it sparkles lightly in places. I have affixed it to the inside of a domed plastic thimble box with a removable putty.

Dims: 1.3" x 1.2" x 1.0" (3.3 x 3.0 x 2.5 cm)

Wt: 14.6 g

Tepetate, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

I can count at least 9 complete Topaz crystals on this specimen. All are in excellent condition, with no human-induced damage, and have generally good form, though a few are somewhat warped and have incomplete terminations. Almost all of them have an orthorombic prismatic form and are topped with pseudohexagonal pyramidal terminations that are truncated with small basal faces. Their color ranges from a pale gold with a hint of pink to a deeper, almost rusty orange. All have a vitreous luster and are transparent, though the deeper-colored crystals tend to be slightly cloudy, whereas the paler crystals are quite clear. They also have minor internal flaws and/or veil-like inclusions. The host rock on which they rest is cream-colored, and seems to be partially composed of similarly-colored, broken Topaz crystals. There are also probably many tiny crystals growing on its surface, as it sparkles lightly. It is affixed to the inside of a plastic domed thimble box for display.

Dims: 1.6" x 1.5" x 1.1" (4.1 x 3.8 x 2.8 cm)

Wt: 16.3 g

Tepetate, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Several Topaz crystals constitute this specimen. Most are in excellent condion, though a few are obviously broken. Those that are intact have excellent orthorombic prismatic form and are topped by steep pseudohexagonal pyramidal terminations that are truncated by small basal faces. These unbroken crystals have a pale golden coloration with a hint of pink, a vitreous luster, and are transparent with excellent clarity. Their internal perfection is spoiled, though, by internal fractures, veil-like inclusions, and other flaws. The largest of these crystals measures 1.0 x 0.4 x 0.3" (2.5 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm); the other crystals are considerably smaller than that. The host rock on which they rest is made up mostly of large, broken Topaz crystals that have a cream color and vitreous luster, but are opaque. I tried to put this specimen into a thimble box, but that one crystal was simply too large for it to fit.

Dims: 1.5" x 1.4" x 0.9" (3.8 x 3.6 x 2.3 cm)

Wt: 1.02 oz. (28.9 g)

Afghanistan

A single Topaz crystal dominates this large thumbnail specimen. It measures 1.4 x 0.5 x 0.5" (3.6 x 1.3 x 1.3 cm) and was naturally exposed along at least half of its length; the other half was not exposed before it was harvested, and shows a pattern of interaction with the base material that covered it. Its sides are clean and very smooth, and its edges are well-defined, accentuating its shiny, vitreous luster. It has a nearly flawless orthorombic prismatic form with a complex, domed termination. Its color is a very pale tan and it is transparent and incredibly clear- only two very visible internal fractures and a few tiny bubbles represent its internal flaws where it was naturally exposed. The material that was below the surface is rife with internal fractures that substantially reduce its clarity. The host rock appears to be made up of at least 3 incomplete hexagonal prismatic quartz crystals. Two of them have a heavy coating of a pale brown material, though, and may actually be other Topaz crystals. They are relatively colorless and transparent from what I can see, and have a vitreous luster on some faces and a duller, pearly-to-waxy luster on others. On their substantial breakage surfaces are a few bits of black, triangular crystals that may represent cross-sections of schorl tourmaline, but there is not an actual "host rock" present. It is a very pretty specimen, with one of the best forms that I have seen on a naturally-colored Topaz crystal.

Dims: 1.3" x 0.6" x 0.5" (3.3 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm)

Wt: 7.6 g

Afghanistan

This thumbnail specimen consists of a single orthorombic prismatic Topaz crystal that is set into a semicrystalline calcite matrix. The crystal appears to be missing a portion of its lower length, though one cannot tell how much was removed, but is in otherwise excellent condition. It has dimensions of 0.5 x 0.4 x 0.3" (1.3 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm) and a good form topped by a complex, domed termination, and a pale tan color and a vitreous luster. It is transparent and relatively clear, though there are many internal fractures, some of which create a pretty iridescence in spots. There don't seem to be any other minerals present in the white host rock.

Dims: 0.9" x 0.6" x 0.6" (2.3 x 1.5 x 1.5 cm)

Wt: 9.3 g

Afghanistan

This small specimen consists of a single Topaz crystal. It appears to have been broken and then partially healed, but still has a recognizable orthorhombic crystal form. Its termination appears to have undergone healing, but there are still a few subtle but visible faces that seem to have re-formed. Partial healing has also affected the base surface of the crystal, and it appears that another termination was beginning to form there. There are 3 intact prism faces that are all smooth and well-defined; these show a bright, vitreous luster. The Topaz has a pale beige color with a subtle hint of rose, and is transparent and rather clear, though there are several visible inclusions. Some of these inclusions are rather interesting- one of them is either a tiny included crystal or an air bubble that has retained a crystalline form, as it shows a definitely geometric shape when light is reflected off of it. The other appears in some respects to be a flat internal fracture, but I think that it actually consists of a small, thin book of muscovite that was enveloped by the Topaz.

Dims: 0.8" x 0.7" x 0.5" (2.03 x 1.8 x 1.3 cm)

Wt: 7.1 g

Kunar Valley, Afghanistan

This thumbnail specimen consists of a single Topaz crystal that boasts exceptional orthorhombic prismatic form. It is in excellent condition, though one of its acute prism edges is damaged near its base. Its termination edges, though, show only a few chips that are almost microscopic in size. All edges are straight and very well-defined, and all faces are clean and show a bright, vitreous luster. The crystal has a pale beige coloration with a slight hint of pink and is transparent and very clear. It does contain a few noticeable internal fractures and inclusions; these are just large and numerous enough to prevent the cutting of a flawless stone in any good size. There is a tiny bit of a host rock present; I cannot identify it, but I have a feeling it is some kind of feldspar.

Dims: 0.6 x 0.4 x 0.3" (1.4 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 4.4 g w/ base

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil

A single, small Topaz crystal makes up this thumbnail specimen. It is in excellent condition, showing no visible damage, and has good orthorhombic prismatic form, with well-defined edges and clean faces. There is one large depression in one of its prism faces, but this depression has an almost geometric shape and has not greatly interfered with the crystal form. The Topaz has a very attractive pink color that borders on pale violet, and possesses the standard vitreous luster of its species. It is transparent and moderately clear, though intense internal fracturing provides much interference. It is easily removable from its acrylic base, as it is affixed by a small amount of an adhesive putty.

Dims: 2.1 x 1.6 x 1.3" (5.3 x 4.1 x 3.3 cm)

Wt: 2.04 oz. (57.9 g)

Gilgit, Pakistan

A single Topaz crystal rests in the Albite host rock of this large thumbnail specimen. It has dimensions of 1.3 x 0.8 x 0.6" (3.3 x 2.0 x 1.5 cm) and is in fair condition, as it shows considerable, though, not very severe damage. Its orthorhombic prismatic form is also fair, as its prism length is quite warped due to limited growth space- it was likely intergrown with another Topaz that was separated from it. Its termination edges are well-defined, however, and most termination faces are complete and clean, possessing a rather dull, pearly luster. Its color is a pale brown with a hint of pink, and it is transparent and very clear at its termination, but is heavily internally-fractured in areas of its prism length. It is attached to a base made of intergrown albite blades that have excellent pseudohexagonal form and are in good condition.

Dims: 3.4 x 3.2 x 2.4" (8.6 x 8.1 x 6.1 cm)

Wt: 9.29 oz. (263.6 g)

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

Five visible Topaz crystals rest on the pale brown host rock of this hand specimen. All are in very good conditionn, showing little damage. The largest of these measures 0.8" (2.0 cm) long and like one of the others is rather heavily intergrown with host rock and very warped. The remaining crystals, however, are of gem-quality and have excellent orthorhombic prismatic form, with well-defined edges and clean faces. They all possess a pale brown color and a bright, vitreous luster, and are transparent and exceptionally clear. They are accompanied by a few tiny pseuobrookite octahedrons that are also embedded in the host rock.

Dims: 1.7 x 1.2 x 1.2" (4.3 x 3.0 x 3.0 cm)

Wt: 1.17 oz. (33.3 g)

Gilgit, Pakistan

This thumbnail specimen consists of two Topaz crystals that are partly intergrown with their crystalline quartz host. The larger of these crystals has dimensions of 0.6 x 0.4 x 0.3" (1.5 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm), and is in excellent condition, showing no visible damage. The smaller crystal, however, is damaged along nearly its entire length and is not quite complete. Both have excellent orthorhombic prismatic form, with well-defined edges and clean faces. Their color is a pale brown with a hint of pink, their luster is vitreous, and both are transparent and very clear. The accompanying quartz crystals are generally a bit larger in size and are in generally good condtion. Their hexagonal form is very good, and all are colorless, transparent, and reasonably clear, though they contain both veil-like inclusions and internal fractures. There are also a few broken albite crystals and muscovite books present.

Dims: 0.9 x 0.8 x 0.7" (2.3 x 2.0 x 1.8 cm)

Wt: 17.6 g w/ specimen box

Thomas Mountains, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This piece consists of a chunk of beige rock that serves as a base for several Topaz crystals. Only the two largest crystals are appreciably exposed, and one of these is broken and incomplete. The other crystal, however, is in excellent condition, showing almost no visible damage. It has dimensions of 0.5 x 0.3 x 0.3" (1.3 x 0.8 x 0.8 cm) and has exceptional orthorhombic prismatic form with one of the finest terminations that I have seen on a Topaz from this locality. It has a pale golden-brown color that is common for its species and a bright, vitreous luster, and is transparent and extremely clear- I can see only one or two internal fractures. The piece is hot-glued into a plastic specimen box.

Dims: 0.7 x 0.4 x 0.3" (1.8 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 3.0 g

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil

This single Topaz crystal is in moderately good condition but with substantial damage to one prism edge. Where intact, however, it has excellent orthorhombic prismatic form, with well-defined edges, clean faces, and a well-formed pyramidal termination. Its color is its most striking characteristic, being a pink-violet that fades to pink with a subtle orange tinge at its base. It has a moderate to bright pearly luster and is transparent and moderately to dimly clear due to internal fractures and inclusions. There is no host rock present, and it is affixed inside a plastic specimen box with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 3.5 x 2.7 x 2.1" (8.9 x 6.9 x 5.3 cm)

Wt: 10.0 oz. (287 g)

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This large hand specimen consists of several Topaz crystals resting in a hollow in a chunk of rhyolite. All but one of the crystals measure 0.1" (3 mm) or less in length- the other crystal is about 0.6" (1.5 cm) long. It is in excellent condition, showing no damage, and though part of it is obscured by host rock, it appears to have excellent orthorhombic form, with well-defined edges and very clean faces that possess a vitreous luster. The crystal has a rich, golden-brown coloration and is transparent and quite clear, though it contains a few internal fractures and cloudy inclusions near its base. A small black, tabular crystal with a rhombic outline rests nearby, and a few tiny ones are partly embedded in the big crystal. I have recently been told by an experienced Utah native that these are likely hematite crystals.

Dims: 1.1 x 0.8 x 0.6" (2.8 x 2.0 x 1.5 cm)

Wt: 13.1 g w/ base

Pismire Mine, Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

A cluster of 3 or 4 Topaz crystals make up the bulk of this thumbnail specimen. All but 2 of these crystals are broken and incomplete, but the intact ones are in excellent condition, showing no damage. Both of these crystals have dimensions of about 0.9 x 0.3 x 0.2" (2.3 x 0.8 x 0.2 cm), though one is slightly larger. Their orthorhombic form is excellent, with well-defined edges and very clean faces that possess the standard vitreous luster. Their golden-brown color is standard for Topaz from this locality, and they are transparent and very clear at their terminations, though both tend to cloud a bit with inclusions towards their bases. Only small amounts of the rhyolite host rock are present, mostly attached to the broken crystals. The piece is affixed to a flat, square acrylic base with a removable putty.

Dims: 0.6 x 0.5 x 0.3" (1.5 x 1.3 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 9.0 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

A single Topaz crystal makes up this thumbnail piece. It is in excellent condition, showing no visible damage, and has excellent orthorhombic prismatic form. Actually, some of the termination faces have oddly-curved and beveled edges, though they are definitely natural. It has a moderate pinkish-brown color that makes me think of "champagne" diamonds and a vitreous luster, and it is transparent and very clear, though it does contain several inclusions. There is no host rock present.

Dims: 0.9 x 0.4 x 0.3" (2.3 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 9.7 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This single Topaz crystal is in excellent condition, showing no damage, and has excellent orthorhombic form. Its edges are quite well-defined and its faces are very clean, possessing the standard vitreous luster. Its color is a rich, pale brown with a hint of pink, and it is transparent and very clear, containing only a few tiny inclusions. A small amount of host rock is intergrown at its base.

Dims: 1.1 x 0.4 x 0.2" (2.8 x 1.0 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 9.7 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

A lone Topaz crystal comprises this thumbnail piece. It is in excellent condition, showing little damage if any, and has exceptional orthorhombic prismatic form- when viewed from above along one plane, it shows near-perfect symmetry. The crystal has the rich, pale-brown color with a hint of pink that is standard for pieces from this locality, and is transparent and moderately to very clear along the upper half of its length. Below that, it is intergrown with the rhyolite host rock and is only translucent at best.

Dims: 0.7 x 0.4 x 0.2" (1.8 x 1.0 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 9.2 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This single Topaz crystal is in excellent condition, showing no surface damage, and has equally excellent orthorhombic prismatic form. A few termination faces that are almost linearly arranged have a nearly matte luster, but the rest show the standard vitreous luster. Its color is a pale brown with tinges of pink and orange and it is transparent and quite clear, containing only one shallow internal fracture and some included rhyolite at its base. The rhyolite extends from the crystal and is its host material. The piece is affixed to a flat, black acrylic base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 0.9 x 0.6 x 0.5" (2.3 x 1.4 x 1.1 cm)

Wt: 2.9 g

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

Four intersecting Topaz crystals make up this thumbnail specimen. One of these crystals is incomplete due to breakage, but the rest are in excellent condition. They range in length from 0.3 - 0.9" (0.8 - 2.3 cm) and show very good orthorhombic prismatic form, though their intergrowth with each other has caused some warping. They have the pale brown color with a pinkish tinge that is standard for Topaz from this locality and are transparent. Their clarity varies widely from very dim to very high due to rhyolite inclusions. The piece is affixed to an acrylic base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 0.6 x 0.3 x 0.2" (1.5 x 0.8 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 9.2 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This thumbnail piece consists of a single, well-formed Topaz crystal. This crystal shows slight damage on one edge near its termination, but is otherwise in excellent condition. Its orthorhombic prismatic form is excellent, and it has the standard pinkish-brown coloration and vitreous luster of pieces from this locality. It is transparent and moderately clear, containing a few small internal fractures and some rhyolite inclusions. Two very small bixbyite cubes extend off of its surface- they are incomplete due to their growth off of the Topaz, but still have excellent cubic form. The piece is affixed to a flat acrylic base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 0.8 x 0.7 x 0.7" (2.0 x 1.8 x 1.8 cm)

Wt: 11.6 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This thumbnail specimen consists of several Topaz crystals that are clustered together on a chunk of rhyolite host rock. Though one crystal appears to have been cleaved cleanly off at its base, the rest are in very good condition. All but 2 of them measure less than 0.1" (3 mm) in length. These larger crystals have lengths of 0.6" (1.5 cm) and 0.4" (1.0 cm) respectively and show excellent orthorhombic prismatic form. They have the classic pinkish-brown coloration and vitreous luster of pieces from this locality, and are transparent and moderately to very clear- the smaller crystal contains several rhyolite inclusions, and the larger contains a few at its base. The other, smaller crystals are heavily included with rhyolite and are essentially translucent.

Dims: 1.2 x 0.4 x 0.3" (3.0 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 9.8 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This single Topaz crystal is in excellent condition, showing no damage, and has very good orthorhombic prismatic form. It has a pale brown coloration with hints of orange and pink and is transparent and very clear, but only near its termination. It contains an increasing concentration of rhyolite inclusions towards its base, which is opaque. Another, smaller Topaz crystal extends from near its termination and 9 or 10 tiny bixbyite cubes are attached down near its base. These cubes do not exceed 0.1" (3 mm) in diameter but have good form and the standard black color and submetallic luster.

Dims: 0.9 x 0.3 x 0.2" (2.3 x 0.8 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 9.2 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

A single Topaz crystal comprises this specimen. It is in excellent condition, showing no damage, and has excellent orthorhombic prismatic form. Its pale brown color with a hint of pink and its vitreous luster are standard for Topazes from this locality, and it is transparent and quite clear, though a large rhyolite inclusion spoils the view through most of its length. It is affixed to a square acrylic base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 0.7 x 0.5 x 0.2" (1.8 x 1.3 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 9.4 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This small crystal is rather unusual due to its flattened orthorhombic prismatic form and its termination. It grew into a piece of the rhyolite host rock, disturbing its development, and causing the termination to split into two smaller terminations that rest alongside each other. Otherwise, it is in excellent condition and has very good form. Its pale brown color and vitreous luster are standard for the locality, and it is transparent and very clear where the rhyolite is not included. The piece is attached to a square acrylic base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 1.1 x 0.6 x 0.4" (2.8 x 1.5 x 1.0 cm)

Wt: 8.9 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This small specimen consists of two intersecting Topaz crystals. One is incomplete due to a basal parting, but the other is intact and in excellent condition, showing excellent orthorhombic form. Both have the standard pale brown color and vitreous luster. Though the broken crystal is essentially opaque due to rhyolite inclusions, the intact one is transparent and quite clear. Both serve as a base to several very small bixbyite crystals, and the piece is affixed to an octagonal acrylic base.

Dims: 1.1 x 0.4 x 0.3" (2.8 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 8.1 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This small specimen consists of a single well-formed Topaz crystal. It is in excellent condition and has the standard pale pink-brown color and vitreous luster. However, rhyolite inclusions completely spoil its clarity, rendering it translucent at best. Two or three rounded bixbyite crystals are attached at its base, and the piece is affixed to a square acrylic base.

Dims: 0.8 x 0.5 x 0.3" (2.0 x 1.3 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 11.0 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This thumbnail specimen consists of a single Topaz crystal that is in excellent condition, showing no damage. Its orthorhombic form is likewise excellent, being quite symmetrical along one axis. It has the standard vitreous luster on all but two faces- these faces oppose each other on the termination and are basically dull in luster. It has the classic golden-brown color with a hint of pink and is transparent and dimly to moderately clear, containing several internal fractures and several basal internal cleavage planes. There is no rhyolite host rock present, and the piece is affixed to a square acrylic base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 0.6 x 0.5 x 0.3" (1.5 x 1.3 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 9.0 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

A single Topaz crystal comprises this specimen. This crystal is in moderately good condition, as its base shows some damage and what I believe is basal parting in one area. Its orthorhombic prismatic form is excellent and quite symmetrical, and its pale brown color and vitreous luster are standard for the locality. It is transparent and moderately clear due to many sprays of tiny black crystals that are included- I cannot identify these crystals, though they could be pseudobrookite, which is found in association at times. The piece is affixed to a flat acrylic base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 0.7 x 0.5 x 0.3" (1.8 x 1.3 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 12.4 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This thumbnail piece consists of a single Topaz crystal that is in excellent condition, though its base denotes basal parting. Its orthorhombic prismatic form is likewise excellent, showing good symmetry along one plane when viewed from above. Its pale brown color with a hint of pink and its vitreous luster are standard for pieces from its locality, but a few termination faces (again, symmetrical along the aforementioned plane) have a matte luster. There is no host rock, and the crystal is attached to a flat, acrylic base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.3" (1.3 x 1.3 x 0.8 cm)

Wt: 10.4 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

A single Topaz crystal comprises this specimen. It is in excellent condition, showing no damage, and has excellent orthorhombic prismatic form that shows tiny areas of incompleteness due to its intersection with the original host rock in a few places. Its color is pale brown with a hint of pink, and its luster is vitreous and bright. There is no host rock present now, and it is affixed to a flat, acrylic base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 0.9 x 0.7 x 0.6" (2.3 x 1.8 x 1.5 cm)

Wt: 12.0 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This thumbnail specimen consists of at least 4 intersecting Topaz crystals. These crystals are in excellent condition, showing no appreciable damage, and reach dimensions of 0.9 x 0.5 x 0.4" (2.3 x 1.3 x 1.0 cm). Two of them have good orthorhombic form and a pale brown color, and are transparent and quite clear. The others, however, show a very warped and uneven form and have a dull gray color due to the fact that they intergrew with quantities of the rhyolite host rock. The piece is affixed to a flat, square base with an adhesive putty.

Dims: 1.0 x 0.7 x 0.5" (2.5 x 1.8 x 1.3 cm)

Wt: 11.7 g w/ base

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

At least 4 small Topaz crystals extend from the rhyolite host of this thumbnail. These crystals do not exceed 0.5" (1.3 cm) in length, and only one of them is really easy to study. This particular crystal has excellent orthorhombic form and a pale brown color, and is transparent and very clear. Its prism faces have the standard vitreous luster, but most of its termination faces are positively dull. The piece is affixed to a flat acrylic base with a sticky putty.

Dims: 1.7 x 1.3 x 1.1" (4.4 x 3.3 x 2.7 cm)

Wt: 25.7 g

Shengus, Pakistan

This excellent hand specimen consists of a single Topaz crystal that extends from a white pegmatite base. The crystal has dimensions of 0.7 x 0.6 x 0.5" (1.8 x 1.4 x 1.2 cm) and is in excellent condition, showing no fresh damage. There is a suspicious looking break at its base, but this breakage occurred prior to mining, and the crystal healed back onto its base. Its orthorhombic prismatic form is likewise excellent, and its pyramidal termination is truncated by a small basal face that has an almost perfectly symmetrical hexagonal shape. It is colorless, transparent and quite clear - a few internal fractures are present - and it has a pearly-to-greasy luster.

Dims: 1.9 x 1.5 x 1.0" (4.7 x 3.9 x 2.5 cm)

Wt: 1.11 oz. (31.6 g)

Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A.

This small hand specimen consists of a chunk of rhyolite base rock on which rest about 15 tiny Topaz crystals. These crystals are in excellent condition, showing no damage, but do not exceed 0.2" (5 mm) in length. Their orthorhombic form is excellent, and their pink-beige color is so faint that they appear to be nearly colorless. Their luster is vitreous, and all are transparent and quite clear. They have grown adjacent to a single, large bixbyite crystal that is in very good condition but has a very warped, flattened cubo-octahedral form. It has the standard black-gray color and submetallic luster of its species.

Dims: 0.7 x 0.7 x 0.4" (1.8 x 1.7 x 1.1 cm)

Wt: 0.5 oz. (15 g) w/ specimen box

Peck Nuristan, Afghanistan

This thumbnail piece consists of a single Topaz crystal that is in excellent condition. Its orthorhombic form is very good, but a growth irregularity caused a small parallel "offshoot" that could almost be considered a second crystal. The Topaz has a very pale pink-brown coloration and the standard vitreous luster, and is transparent and contains only a few inclusions and internal fractures. There is no host rock present, and the piece is affixed firmly inside a plastic thumbnail box.

Dims: 0.8 x 0.3 x 0.2" ( 2.0 x 0.8 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 0.08 oz. (2.2g)

Thomas Range, Utah, USA

This specimen could be classified as a topaz with bixbyite, or as a bixbyite on topaz. It is mostly topaz, transparent and gemmy at one end, but it also has three bizbyite crystals, the largest of which is exceptional. There are also a couple of tiny topaz crystals on this undamaged specimen.

Dims: 0.6 x 0.5 x 0.5" ( 1.5 x 1.3 x 1.3 cm)

Wt: 0.09 oz. ( 2.4g)

Thomas Range, Utah, USA

This cluster of three topaz crystals is dominated by a single very clear golden topaz, whose perfection is only marred by two internal fractures and the two terminal faces that are frosted instead of smooth and clear. Otherwise, this is a very gemmy crystal which presents well. I don't think that there is any human-induced damage, only places on the smaller topaz crystals where other minerals were attached.

Dims: 0.8 x 0.3 x 0.2" ( 2.0 x 0.8 x 0.5 cm)

Wt: 0.12 oz. ( 3.4g)

Thomas Range, Utah, USA

A single tall golden topaz crystal, this specimen is clear enough to sparkle, and yet has numerous basal cleavage planes (internal fractures) and many small black inclusions, especially near the base. There are a couple of streaks of milkyness running through the crystal from bottom to top. The termination is perfectly formed, and the crystal is undamaged. Except for the crystal faces and density, I am reminded of a piece of amber with many small inclusions and wispy patches of milkyness.

Dims: 0.8x0.4x0.3" (2.0x1.0x0.8 cm)

Wt: 14.80 ct (2.96 g)

Thomas Range, Utah, USA

This thumbnail specimen of topaz consists mostly of a single large crystal. It is well formed and shows no damage, although 4 of the prismatic termination faces are frosted - all other faces of this crystal are transparent. The bottom of the crystal is covered by the rhyolite host rock and another thin topaz crystal. Under a loupe, one can see numerous tiny black (presumably bixbyite) crystals, both on the surface and inside the topaz.

Dims: 1.1x0.6x0.6" (2.8x1.5x1.5cm)

Wt: 22.1ct (4.42g)

Thomas Range, Utah, USA

This specimen has a large, a medium, and two small topaz crystals slightly intergrown on a ryolite matrix, which may contain more topaz. The medium size crystal is very clear and perfectly shaped, except for what appears to be contact damage near one corner (it is not a ding or scrape, but rather an irregular pit). All of the crystals have some amount of ryolite crystals on one or more faces, and there are black inclusions and surface crystals that look like bixbyite.

Dims: 1.2x0.6x0.6" (3.0x1.5x1.5cm)

Wt: 0.20oz (5.56g)

Thomas Range, Utah, USA

A small and essentially perfect golden topaz crystal sits against a backdrop of a large horizontal topaz crystal that has grown around (and into) a gray host rock. The larger crystal has a complex shape and is doubly-terminated.

Dims: 1.1x0.3x0.2" (2.8x0.8x0.5cm)

Wt: 0.13oz (3.6g)

Thomas Range, Utah, USA

This topaz crystal is transparent and golden near the point, but the bottom of the crystal is opaque due to coatings and inclusions of ryolite. The topaz has an interesting crevice of transparency. The only damage (other than where it was separated from the host ryolite) is the tip of the crystal, which has been neatly cleaved off showing the perfect basal cleavage of topaz. There are also several tiny black bixbyite crystals present - a loupe is needed to examine these. Inside the topaz, a loupe reveals that the inclusions are fine, lacy, transparent crystals of an unidentified mineral.

Dims: 0.8x0.3x0.2" (2.0x0.8x0.5cm)

Wt: 10.5ct (2.1g)

Thomas Range, Utah, USA

This is a nice topaz crystal, with a slightly pinkish golden color. It is transparent, with multiple internal fractures and a cloudy patch, plus several tiny bixbyite crystals as inclusions. The topaz has eight sides, although its shape is close to a parallelogram, and it has a pyramid termination. At first glance, it looks like a ridge along the termination has been damaged, but a loupe reveals that the whiteness is actually a coating of the host rock, and the specimen is essentially damage free.

Dims: 3.35x2.51x1.91" (8.50x6.37x4.86cm)

Wt: 8.57oz (243g)

Thomas Range, Utah, USA

A small hand-sized chunk of ryolite is host to a single large nearly perfect topaz crystal. At one end this prismatic crystal has a dome termination, while at the other it tapers to a point. It is quite clear, has a typical honey color, a vitreous luster, and few internal fractures or inclusions (although there is an area of both near the center of the crystal). The host rock does contain many more tiny topaz crystals, plus several tiny bixbyites. There is quite a bit of a white mineral that I don't recognize - it has tabular crystals, is colorless to white with a vitreous luster, in some places displays cleavage and in others a conchoidal fracture, shows some hexagonal outlines and also striations. Any ideas?