Perennially favored, blue is a universally adored gemstone hue. It brings to mind the open skies as well as pristine seas. No wonder cruise line passengers and others gravitate to it on their jewelry shopping excursions.
The short list for desirability in all colored stones with serious collectors includes hardness and its ability to produce an outstanding brilliance. The priciest blue hued stones include sapphire, spinel, diamonds with or without heat treatment, and tanzanite.
But we have customers in all price points who want to experience gorgeous blue gemstones as well. This is one of the reasons blue topaz remains popular year after year. Contrasted to softer blue stones, albeit stunners like kyanite, fluorite or even saturated iolite, blue topaz offers excellent hardness; ranking 8 on the Mohs scale.
The hardness of topaz makes it an ideal candidate for all jewelry types, including rings which can take a beating when clients wear them regularly. The 8 hardness guarantees that a topaz ring will be enjoyed for many years. The material is abundant and that keeps the pricing in check so consumers can get a great look without a big investment.
Designers look for different ways to tempt with topaz, so that customers are enticed to add to their collection or start a new one with this popular stone. One of the ways to stop ‘em in their tracks is by introducing modern cabochon cuts on more familiar colored stones like a blue topaz. Cabochons update a jewelry piece and ramp up its chic-factor.
Jewelry artist Richard Rothenberg gives pride of place to his hand picked cabochon blue topaz. Hand carving the wax molding allowed him to customize the mounting and prongs for a one-off creation. This attention to detail resonates with collectors who search for jewelry that no one else will be wearing, and its price point under $1,000 makes it a candidate for gift giving or self purchase.
Take a new look at the way cabochon cuts bring a new twist to already strong sellers like blue topaz.
Award winning trade journalist and gemologist Diana Jarrett is a Registered Master Valuer Appraiser and a member of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (NAJA). She’s a popular speaker at conferences and trade shows. Jarrett writes for trade and consumer publications, online outlets, Color-n-Ice blog, and at www.jewelrywebsitedesigners.com. Contact her at info@dianajarrett.com, visit her website at www.dianajarrett.com, and/or follow her on Facebook and Twitter (Loupey).
