Blue topaz occurs rarely in nature but is a popular and common gemstone due to its relatively inexpensive price. Most of the blue topaz that exists is created through various treatments to make clear stones take on a blue color. Blue topaz is the modern birthstone for the month of December and, therefore, is seen often in birthstone jewelry. The stone is thought by some to also have healing properties.
Physical Properties
Blue topaz is a silicate mineral usually found in igneous rocks in the countries of Brazil, Mexico and Sri Lanka. Blue topaz has an orthorhombic crystal system and is usually found in well-formed prisms in nature. It has a hardness rating of 8 and a cleavage rating of 1, which is considered virtually perfect. It is fairly tough but slightly brittle due to its cleavage. Crystal cleavage is the way that crystals split along structural planes to form geometric shapes.
