High-quality topaz is still very affordable in sizes under 1 carat, costing between $7.00 to $18.00 per carat, 1-2 carat sized stones are priced between $15.00 to $25.00 per carat, and larger stones, which are on the rare side, are priced at $25.00+ per carat. Imperial topaz is regarded as the best in the world due to its unique reddish-orange color and is priced between $100.00 to $1,000.00 per carat.
Topaz comes in a range of hues, tones, and saturations. The darker the tone and higher the saturation the higher the cost per carat. Imperial and pink topaz will bring the highest price per carat because of their rarity. The main sources of high-quality topaz come from Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Norte, Ceara, and Madagascar.
How to Determine Topaz’s Value and Cost
When determining the value of the gemstone you will be using GIA guidelines which means color, clarity, carat weight, and cut. You’ll want to look at each one of these individually and then circle back when finished to evaluate the stone as a whole. If you need help identifying topaz then go here first.
Color is going to be the most important factor when determining the value of gemstones. Clarity and carat weight are tied for the second most important factor. When valuing amethyst you’ll need to know that Siberian amethyst is the most sought after with amethyst sourced from Uruguay a close second.
Color – The more intense the color the more valuable the stone is. When dealing with warm colors, think of red and orange, you’ll want to determine if there are brown undertones. If you can’t see brown undertones then the color should be very vibrant. The more vibrant and saturated the color the more expensive the gemstone. If the gemstone has a unique “neon-like glow” then it will demand the highest price per carat.
Clarity – Buyers, and collectors prefer stones with no internal inclusions visible to the eye. Aquamarine can be found with visible inclusions all the way to flawless. To determine the clarity ranking you’ll need at a minimum a 10x loop and a higher-powered microscope to confirm internally flawless and flawless designations.
If you can visibly see the inclusion while holding the gemstone then the highest designation would be SI1 and if the inclusion detracts from the overall beauty of the stone then the clarity designation would be I1 – I3.
Clarity designations – FL, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, I1, I2, I3
Carat – Topaz can be found in sizes ranging from below 1 carat to above 10 carats. Generally speaking, topaz can be sourced in any carat weight but imperial topaz can be difficult to find in larger sizes due to it’s rarity.
Cut – It is sad to say but cut has the least impact on value and cost unless it affects the stone in an extreme way. For example, when you look at the stone you would be able to see through it which means light is not being reflected back to the eye. This is called a window in the stone and it would have to be quite large to impact the price. The other extreme would occur when you look at a stone and see a rough circle or oval shape inside the stone. This occurs when the stone is very shallow and it’s reflecting the rough girdle inside the stone. Note: the girdle is the edge/side of the stone where the pavilion and crown meet.
Colors by Value
Swiss Blue Topaz price per carat = $7.00 – $20.00
- Large sizes are common
- Mostly found in inexpensive jewelry
London Blue Topaz price per carat = $10.00 – $25.00
- Common in all sizes
- Price varies based on weight
Golden Yellow Imperial Topaz price per carat = $70.00 – $250.00
- Small and medium-sized stones can be sourced from gem dealers
- Larger stones can bring $5,000 per carat due to rarity
Pink Topaz price per carat = $200.00 – $500.00
- Colored gemstone dealers will have these from time to time
- Fairly rare due to low commercial availability and high demand
- Needs to be a natural pink color
- Large stones can bring up to $5,000.00 per carat
Blue Topaz cabochons = $5.00 – $25.00
- Can be sourced online or gem dealers will have them
- All shapes and sizes are fairly common
How valuable is topaz?
Topaz has brought a higher dollar per carat when dealing with pink topaz and imperial topaz. If you’re looking to add topaz to your collection then you should focus on stones with high saturation and hue.
Values of pink topaz and imperial topaz will continue to increase
Each year I research market prices for topaz and I can tell you the prices for pink and imperial will continue to increase each year due to rarity.
If you’re not sure how to value a gemstone then you should consider a gemstone appraisal. Individuals acquiring gemstones through inheritance, estate sales, and auctions typically have the gemstone appraised to determine the value and to ensure the gem is what they think it is.
- Identify Enstatite - March 12, 2024
- Identify Cerussite - March 3, 2024
- Identify Bytownite - February 18, 2024
10 Responses
Hi
I just finished Natural Topaz from Colombia. Loupe clean. Precision pear shape cut and 100+CT.
Can you help me with guessing the value of this stone. I made it to my collection, but what would be the value something like this?
Maick – Anything weighing 100 carats doesn’t have a viable use case. You can’t use it in jewelry but you can add it to your gemstone collection.
Value will depend on color. If the stone is loop clean then it will be VS2 or higher.
Mr jarred.Thank you very much for your full demonstration on types of ” Color ed Topaz” .But you didn’t mentioned anything on “White Topaz” .Does it have any special value in the market?.
White Topaz or Clear Topaz doesn’t demand a high price. Most of these stones will sell for a couple of dollars per carat and are commercially cut.
Questions for Jarred Morris:
a) Does heat-treating or its absence affect the price (for jewelry) of a cut big pink topaz (say 10 ct)?
b) i have recently seen two similar clear, oval, cushion-cut, purple-pink topaz pendants which sold/sell for vastly different prices per carat. One for ca $100 per ct is darker and more pink than purple, “dark” facets red-brown. The other is paler with a gray tone, “dark” facets sold at $500 per ct at auction. Cut, clarity and size are roughly equal. If anything the color of the $100 one is more vivid and nicer. Do you have a possible explanation?
Best,
If the color is natural then it will bring a higher price per carat
Some stones, like Sapphires and Rubies are heated and the industry has accepted it as a normal activity
Typically, the brighter, more vivid color will bring a higher price if the stones weigh the same. If one stone is larger then it might make it more rare which would offset the difference btw the colors.
FYI – Colored gemstone pricing has no rules. Which means there will be huge price swings
Hi , i have a 5 caret orange/brown imperial topaz set in a vintage 14 caret white gold ring, im wondering what the worth of my ring is , it dates back to the late 1930’s early 1940’s by a jeweler named walter lapl
I’ll email you directly and do my best to help out.
I inherited a custom made pendent. It has a 14k gold open framed, twenty small diamonds and a large stone I am not sure whether it is topaz or smoky quartz. The stone is cut in an emerald shape and measurers about 40mm x 32mm and 15mm thick. I could take it to a gemologist, but I would like to know if the part of the world where it was mined can be determined and I don’t believe a gemologist can determine that. It is about seventy years old and find it odd that this relative would go to the expense of having it custom made for an inexpensive gem. This relative did own land in Colorado and if it came from Colorado, he may have mined it himself,
There’s no easy way to determine where it was mined.
Colorado does have Smoky Quartz and Topaz but the Topaz is not stable. If you wear the Topaz in the sunlight, over time it will fade.