Topaz

Topaz is an aluminum nesosilicate. In its purest form, this stone is colorless. Other elements turn it light blue or golden brown to yellow orange or pink to red.

Topaz is often heated or irradiated to produce a deep blue, orange, light blue, pink or purple color.

It is one of the hardest natural minerals, with a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale. It is between that of sapphire and emerald in terms of hardness. Topaz can break fairly easily along its fracture lines, though, so it should be treated with caution.

Topaz is mined on every continent. Brazil is the main producer.