Photo #81
Topaz from Brazil. Definitely not facet grade material (especially for what I paid for it). The darker pieces of topaz (Photo #104) are often labeled as 'Imperial Topaz'. Due to the clarity of the material it is easy to see imperfections inside the stone...this same clarity and increased scratch resistance makes Topaz perfect for jewelry.
I have so many quartz varieties that sometimes I mix up topaz with other stones. Quartz (Mohs 7 hardness) is unable to scratch Topaz (Mohs 8), but, it is not the best ID method for polished stones because I will scratch the stone if I am wrong. Sometimes the internal fracture pattern is the easiest method to ID without a semi-destructive test.
Side note: I had originally bought Topaz in bulk from Brazil with the intent to use it as filler in my rotary tumbling barrels (since it is harder than most materials and wears down slower), unfortunately increased hardness comes with increased brittleness and Topaz is prone to shatter while rock tumbling...so I cannot use it for this purpose...
Oh, and as for the snake: Don't let the head stamp fool you, this is a Wild Type ('Normal') from a proof cross, no currently acknowledged morph genes present.
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