Cocktail rings

Choosing, Wearing and Caring For Mystic Topaz Rings Articles By Amy Everet

When you think about gemstones, do particular colours come to your mind? Do you think of the colour of lush wine or fiery sun-yellow; of celestial blue, ocean green or sweet, blushing pink? Well natural topaz comes in all of these shades, but man-made Mystic Topaz encompasses all these colours and more besides. This amazing new gem is created when natural or white topaz is heat-treated with a very light misting of titanium, or similar hard metallic substance,on its reverse to create a prismatic action and flood the stone with a veritable rainbow of colours whenever it catches the light.

Depending on the faceting and how the light shines on the gem, a brilliant spectroscopic display radiates from it. What woman would not want to have this magical little colour show on her fingers, ears or neck? Since natural topaz became 'Mystic' at the turn of the century, this beautiful gemstone has been used in rings, earrings and pendants and has grown in popularity with each passing year. Perhaps the best thing of all about it is that, in its natural form, it is fairly common (being produced all over the world, including the US) which makes it relatively inexpensive as a gemstone.

So now you know what it is, the next question must be how to choose from such a vast range of Mystic Topaz rings on the market? Until you see this range for yourself, don't even attempt to shop for one, unless you are just beginning a collection! The best way to do this is to type the relevant key words - for example: 'Mystic Topaz' - into your usual search engine and then refine your search using the drop-down menu, to sort by relevance (price, seller rating or product rating), then sit back and prepare to be dazzled.

For a gold cocktail ring you can expect to pay anything from $100.00 to over $300.00, depending on the carat of the gold and the size of the gemstone or stones. Jewellery World offer some extremely pretty 9 ct gold rings with Mystic Topaz and diamonds, including a very stylish oval twist ring, which would grace any finger, at only $108.00, but the setting of Bonanzle's 5 stone ring (current retail price $239.99) will show off these exotic gemstones to spectacular advantage. Bonanzle also has a beautiful and very modern-looking 'Hot diamond' ring made by 'Iced Lilac' which, as its name suggests, has a small row of diamonds snuggling the gemstone to enhance its beautiful iridescence. At only $89.00, this lovely ring is an absolute steal!

Once you have chosen your ring, do check its provenance before purchase. In the US, the Mystic Topaz process is patented and protected by Azotic Technology. AGTA, or the American Gem Trade Association also keeps a watchful eye on the sale of these gems and will want to hear of any problems. Another thing to remember is to give your beautiful gemstone the best possible care. Topaz is a very hard stone, but can be brittle. Its coating also is vulnerable, so avoid any abrasives, contact with harsh chemicals or scratching. If the surface is damaged, the beautiful rainbow effect of the stone will deteriorate.