Whats the main differance between smoky topaz and smoky quartz.?
and how can you tell them apart in jewelry?
We are talking about two quite different minerals. First quartz in a crystalline form. Quartz is Silicon Dioxide SiO2 (not a silicate!) - smokey only refers to its colour which in this case brown to nearly black which is produced by millions of years exposure to the background radiation in its parent rocks. It is also produced artificially by putting clear quartz into a cobalt 60 radiation chamber which does the job in about an hour.
The properties of quartz are :-
Refractive index 1.544 - 1.553
Specific Gravity 2.65 - 2.66
Hardness 7
Topaz. This is Aluminium silicate Al2(OH,F)2SiO4 which contains variable amounts of OH and F. The colours are varied but it never produces the dark browns of Smokey Quartz. The term Smokey Topaz is in fact a misnomer coined by less honest members of the jewellery trade to sell cheap quartz as a much more expensive to people who do not understand gem stones. It is a term that should NOT be used.
Topaz constants are :-
Refractive Index 1.607 - 1.619 to 1.629 - 1.637
S.G. 3.50 - 3.60
Hardness 8
To sum up if you have a stone that is some shade of brown (may have a greenish yellow tint) to nearly black it is not likely to be any form of topaz. Testing the Refractive Index is a sure fire way to tell. Be careful of hardness testing as topaz splits very easily. and you may wreck a good stone. If its cheap its not topaz believe me.
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Manhattan Dining Chair Metal Finish: Topaz, Seat Type: Everest Smoky Quartz $440.00 MP02-011+Topaz Metal Finish(JC218) Metal Finish: Topaz, Seat Type: Everest Smoky Quartz Features: -Dining chair.-Triangle folded front leg.-Coordinates with Manhattan and Modena tables. Options: -Available in many metal finishes and several seat upholsteries. Construction: -High-quality powder-coat metal construction. Dimensions: -Overall dimensions: 40'' H x 25'' W x 20'' D. Collection: -Manhatta... |
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Piazza Cafe Dining Chair (Set of 2) Metal Finish: Topaz, Seat Type: Everest Smoky Quartz MP01-002+Topaz Metal Finish(JC218) Metal Finish: Topaz, Seat Type: Everest Smoky Quartz Features: -Set of two dining chairs. -Piazza collection. -Available in many metal finishes and several seat upholsteries. -High-quality powder-coat metal construction. -Laser cut design. -Overall dimensions: 39'' H x 22'' W x 21'' D.... |
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Quartz cufflinks, 'Smoke' NOVICA, in association with National Geographic, offers thousands of limited edition and one-of-a-kind gifts, jewelry, and home decor treasures handmade by master artists and artisans throughout the world. Always mysterious, smoky quartz meets sterling silver in a design by Shubhra Singh. She sets emerald cut gems in contemporary cufflinks. .925 rating silver Artisan Info: "Hello, I am Shubhra Sin... |
