Topaz — the imperial and the blue

Topaz is the bright, affordable workhorse of the fine-gem shelf — with one
structural quirk every jeweller should know.

The colours — natural imperial topaz (golden-orange-pink) is the
collector tier; the abundant "Swiss blue" and "London blue" of the market
are STARTED from colourless topaz and irradiated/heat-treated — stable and
standard practice.

The quirk — hardness 8 (excellent) but PERFECT cleavage: one sharp
knock in the wrong direction splits the stone. Settings protect edges;
ultrasonic cleaners are out; watch straps and rings with care.

Value — blue topaz is remarkably affordable; imperial commands real
money. Size is easy to come by, which is why huge topaz pieces cost less
than modest sapphires.

Treatment disclosure norms and testing appear in the
gemmology course syllabus.

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Go deeper — free

Watch the free replays at the gem webinar library — the gem e-book is the written companion. When curiosity becomes commitment, the gemmology foundation course is the ladder's first rung (online entry: GT100e); dates on the calendar. Play Name That Gem to train the eye between sessions.

What students say

“Attended the courses here and it's worth way more than what you have to pay for. The instructors are all super approachable and welcoming everytime they see you. The tools needed are provided and you get to bring home the crafts that you make during the class. Even the class schedules are pretty flexible. I enjoyed myself here a lot and will definitely sign up for more classes.”

— Nebulla L. (Singapore) · published student feedback

“I am using the skills in my everyday life and my spare time has become very productive.”

— Shirley M. (Philippines) · published student feedback

Free ways to explore

No sign-up, no payment — start with any of these.

WWatch a free gem webinarFREE
Full recorded sessions — the best free starting point.JJDMIS on YouTubeFREE
Course previews, blended-learning explainers and school life.FFree jewellery webinar replaysFREE
Recorded sessions on design and the jewellery industry.DDownload the gem e-bookFREE
The school's free guide to gems — pairs with the replays.

Keep exploring

Tanzanite — one hill in TanzaniaTanzanite explained — the blue-violet zoisite found on one hill, heat treatment, pleochroiGem treatments explained — heat, oil, filling and diffusionThe gem treatment landscape explained — heat, oiling, filling, irradiation and diffusion —Birthstones by month — the video-era gift guideThe twelve birthstones with colours, hardness and gift notes — the fastest way to personalHow gems are graded — colour, clarity, cut, weight beyond diamondsHow coloured gemstones are graded — colour first, then clarity by species, cut quality and

See the online and blended options

Gemmology can be started fully online, and every classroom course at JDMIS has a video-supported path.

Visit jdmis.edu.sg