The November birthstone color is usually light to dark yellow, however, topaz, the official November birthstone comes in a range of great colors such as several shades of yellow, pale green, blue, red, pink, black, and brown. Pure topaz is actually a colorless stone. The red and pink topaz gets their color from chromium. Most of the other colors come from minor element substitutions or a defect in the crystal. In New York at the American Museum of Natural History, the largest uncut topaz that weighs almost 600 pounds and found in Brazil is displayed.
Topaz offers a lively clarity, fire, and gorgeous colors and the hardness of the mineral is great for making jewelry such as necklaces, clips, brooches, and bracelets. When pure topaz is cut correctly it can be mistaken for a diamond. The rarest color and thus the most valuable color of topaz are red.
The largest producer of topaz is Brazil with the most notable source the Minas Geranis region. These gems are also found in the Ukraine, Russia, Sri Lanka, Japan, Scotland, and Pakistan. In the United States topaz has been found in California and Colorado.
History of Topaz
The word topaz comes from the Sanskrit word that means fire. In ancient lore the stone was used to control heat. It was said that topaz could cool boiling water and cure excessive anger. Topaz was also used as a medication to cure fevers.
The clergy and royalty used topaz during the middle ages. One belief of the 13th century was that if you had a topaz that was engraved with a falcon you would earn the good will of magnates, princes, and kings.
The stone was once thought to increase wisdom and strengthen the mind. It was also used to help prevent some mental disorders. Topaz was also thought to guard against dying suddenly. Topaz was ground up and added to wine as a way to prevent insomnia and asthma. One recipe used to cure weak vision called for the stone to be immersed in wine for 3 nights and days and then the liquid was rubbed into the eyes.
November birthstone meaning
- It has been said that it can attract positive personality traits and character, making the wearer more charismatic to other people.
- It can also help in protecting the person wearing it.
- It has healing properties.
- It can encourage confidence and self-realization.
- It gives strength to be able to overcome any unstable emotions.
- It may help in banishing bad dreams.
- It attracts love.
- It can protect against disease, envy, black magic and untimely death.
- If combined with tiger eye, it could bring money and wealth.
- It can stimulate the appetite.
- It can aid in exhaustion from nervousness.
- It encourages metabolism and vitality.
November Birth Flower
The birth flower for the month of November is the Chrysanthemum. This plant is mostly perennial and is often called the mum. It symbolized love and cheerfulness. It comes in many different colors ranging from yellow, red, white, oranges, pinks, and mauves.
The flowers were first cultivated in China during the 15th century and by the early part of the 1600s there were more than 500 cultivators that existed.
Chrysanthemums are symbolic in several cultures including east Asia and China who consider it to be one of the 4 gentlemen of art. It is very significant during the double 9th festival. Japan adopted the flower as its official emperor seal after it was introduced to the country during the 8th century. The Festival of Happiness in Japan is a celebration of the flower. The Chrysanthemum came to the United States during the late part of the 1700s when it was gifted by Colonel John Stevens.