2.86 Ct. Precious Topaz from Brazil

This piece from The Natural Gemstone Company is a transparent, yellowish orange precious topaz weighing 2.86 carat, with dimensions of 11.44 by 6.84 by 3.56 mm, rendered in a classic emerald cut. The gem exhibits medium color intensity, calibrated to present a warm, golden orange hue that is balanced rather than saturated, allowing both body color and internal light play to remain visible. Clarity is graded as very slightly included at eye level, which in the case of topaz typically indicates minor, well healed fissures or tiny crystal inclusions that do not interrupt the surface or detract from overall transparency. The cut is an elongated rectangular emerald style, with stepped crown and pavilion facets, a broad table, and truncated corners, all executed to deliver long linear reflections, excellent light transmission, and a refined, architectural aesthetic. The stone has undergone controlled heat treatment to enhance tone and reduce any localized brownish zoning, a standard, stable enhancement for Brazilian topaz, applied to optimize color uniformity while preserving natural character.

From a faceting and finish perspective, the emerald cut on this specimen emphasizes parallel step facets rather than brilliant style facets, creating a hall of mirrors effect that reads as linear flashes and broad, mirror like planes, rather than pinpoint scintillation. The crown facets are proportioned to moderate table size versus crown depth, yielding a clear window through the table into the pavilion where step facets direct light back in broad, coherent bands. The pavilion steps are aligned with precision, supporting symmetrical return paths for incident light, and the girdle has been maintained to a practical thickness to assist secure setting without creating unnecessary weight. The polish is excellent across all facet junctions, producing crisp facet delineation and minimizing surface diffusion, which aids both luster and the ability to capture and return directional light. The trimming of the corners transforms stress points into neat bevels, improving durability and creating additional small reflective facets that register as bright accents when rotated.

Optical performance varies with lighting, offering predictable and attractive behavior under a range of conditions. In bright daylight, especially under clear sun, the medium intensity yellowish orange will appear warmer and more saturated, as full spectrum sunlight accentuates red and orange wavelengths, and the stepped facets will produce long luminous ribbons across the table and along the step lines. In diffused natural light such as window light on an overcast day, color will read softer and more pastel, and the clarity will be more evident, showcasing the gem as a transparent, golden, honey like topaz with smooth internal reflections. Under LED lighting with a cooler color temperature, the stone will appear slightly fresher and more lemon gold, with sharper facet contrast, while under incandescent or halogen sources with warmer color temperature, the orange warmth will deepen, appearing richer and more amber. In candlelight or low lumen environments, the medium intensity color and excellent polish work together to produce a warm glow, with the emerald cut delivering broad flashes rather than scintillation, creating an elegant, antique inspired presence. The gem photographs well under mixed lighting, maintaining color fidelity so that images accurately represent tone and reflective character when captured with balanced white light.

Regarding clarity, treatment and practical considerations for setting, the very slightly included grade at eye level indicates inclusions that are detectable to trained binocular observation in some orientations, but generally do not interfere with the clean visual impression when set, especially in designs that face the table outward. The inclusions in this topaz are internal and stable, not reaching the surface, and the excellent polish prevents any stress concentrators at facet junctions. Heat treatment has been applied to enhance homogeneity of color, a stable process for topaz that does not compromise durability, and the origin from Brazil is consistent with exemplary crystal habit and clarity characteristics associated with the region. For jewelry application, the elongated emerald cut is ideal for east west ring settings, long pendant profiles, and streamlined bracelet bezels, where the linear reflections complement architectural metalwork. We recommend protective settings that shield the corners and maintain the gem above the bezel plane to allow light entry through the crown, maximizing the hall of mirrors effect intrinsic to the cut. At The Natural Gemstone Company we adhere to rigorous visual grading and finish standards to ensure that this 2.86 carat Brazilian topaz performs as described, and we can assist with bespoke mounting recommendations to achieve the intended optical appearance in the final piece.