About Imperial Topaz

Imperial Topaz - The Noble Gem

Imperial Topaz gets its name from former Emperor of Brazil Dom Pedro II, who reserved the finest quality specimens mined within Brazil’s borders for use by the Brazilian Imperial family. Imperial Topaz, also known as “Rio topaz” due to the fact that almost all imperial topaz was mined in the Rio de Janeiro area, gets its name from its use by royalty throughout history. Imperial topaz itself is comprised of golden-orange to reddish-pink crystals and is one of the rarest topaz gems in existence. Pure Imperial Topaz can only be found in one place on earth: Minas Gerais, Brazil.


Imperial Topaz actually gets its color from impurities of chromium within the crystal itself. Chromium also gives emeralds their color, however due to the rarity of Imperial Topaz it is considered much rarer than emeralds. Imperial Topaz in its finest forms are comparable to diamond in price. Imperial Topaz crystals are mined in many places, but true Imperial Topaz can only be found in one place. Imperial Topaz can come in a variety of colors ranging from deep champagne and cognac amber, to salmon pink and reddish-orange. These colors are rarely found in common topaz, which tends to be blue or white.


Brazil’s former emperor Dom Pedro II loved Imperial Topaz so much he passed laws restricting who could mine and sell the stones to ensure only the finest specimens became part of the Imperial collection. Dom Pedro II ruled Brazil between the years of 1831 and 1889 and cherished Imperial Topaz. Records show that Dom Pedro rarely sold Imperial Topaz to anyone who did not sit upon a throne.


The first discovery of Imperial Topaz was made in the 1700s in the Brazilian city of Ouro Preto. Miners had originally thought the crystals were gold, however when the miners reached the area now known as Ouro Preto, it turned out that topaz was worth more than gold! Though topaz can be found all over the world in many different colors, true Imperial Topaz is only found in one place. True Imperial Topaz is so rare that you could fit every Imperial Topaz mine in the entire world inside of a golf ball.


One of the earliest royal families to fall in love with Imperial Topaz was the royal family of Russia. Several pieces containing Imperial Topaz are known to have been in the possession of Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra. Most notable of these pieces is a necklace passed down to the Romanov family from Queen Victoria which features imperial topaz mined from the Brazilian Imperial mines.


Royal families all over Europe sought out Imperial Topaz for their courts once the gem made its way through diplomatic channels. Imperial topaz became known as the “royal gem” throughout Europe, with only the richest able to attain samples of the rare mineral. In Russia Imperial Topaz came to symbolize the strength of the Romanov family. As royal gifts from Dom Pedro II of Brazil made their way through Europe more and more heads of state became aware of the valuable resource found within Brazil.

Imperial Topaz gets its name from former Emperor of Brazil Dom Pedro II, known as Emperor Pedro the Magnanimous

The three premium sought-after colors of Imperial Topaz

How Cognac-Colored Imperial Topaz is Being Graded

Cognac colored Imperial Topaz is one of the rarest and most coveted natural gemstones on Earth. Imperial Topaz itself is already a rare mineral, but the deep, warm brown-orange shade that signifies fine cognac is particularly hard to come by. Most Imperial Topaz found during mining operations are lighter and less saturated. Only the smallest percentage of stones come up from the mine with the warm, glowing richness that we consider true Cognac color. It’s this rarity that makes Cognac Imperial Topaz so highly prized. But what makes Cognac Imperial Topaz desirable isn’t just its rarity. A deep cognac shade will always remind one of wealth, sophistication, and old-world glamour. Light shining through a premium Cognac Imperial Topaz has a luminosity to it that resembles the rich, deep color of fine cognac in a glass. The color has depth and richness that is second to none.Couple that with a hue that complements virtually any skin tone and type of metal, and you have a gemstone that is in high demand for custom jewelry pieces and gem collections alike. Don’t confuse Cognac colored Imperial Topaz with similar warm-toned Imperial gems. Champagne and Peach colored Imperial Topaz are both beautiful stones, but they fall into different categories when it comes to color and value. While Champagne Imperial Topaz features lighter, golden-beige tones, Peach colored Imperial Topaz is imbued with a soft, pinkish-orange shade. Cognac Imperial Topaz, on the other hand, is deeper, more saturated, and features more color layers than either of these other stones. Expect Cognac Imperial Topaz to have rich notes of deep orange, amber, and brown when held up to light. This is what gives Cognac Imperial Topaz its reputation as one of the most valuable Imperial Topaz varieties. At our company, we take grading Cognac Imperial Topaz seriously. While many companies may give their own Imperial Topaz gems the ‘Cognac’ classification, we take steps to make sure that only the real deal is sold under that name. Each and every stone that we come across is compared against a color chart to ensure that it meets requirements to be considered Cognac-colored. Only Cognac Imperial Topaz gems are offered up to our customers. But we don’t just compare stones to a color chart. The real difference between the way we grade Cognac Imperial Topaz and other companies is that we use real cognac. That’s right. We use bottles of some of the finest cognac liquors in the world to color match Imperial Topaz gems. Our go-to bottles are Rémy Martin Louis XIII, Camus XO, Henri Mounier Extra, and Tiffon XO. All four of these bottles exhibit a luxurious cognac color that falls within the same shade range. Rémy Martin Louis XIII, Camus XO, Henri Mounier Extra, and Tiffon XO are all prestigious cognacs that share deep amber tones and brown-orange notes. While the colors of each bottle are not identical, they are similar enough that we can use them to create a gradient color scale. If a stone passes through our cognac grading process, then we can guarantee to customers that the color of their Cognac Imperial Topaz is the real thing. Each bottle we use has its own unique take on cognac coloring. Rémy Martin Louis XIII has a deep, rich orange tone to it, while Camus XO features plenty of amber. What makes Henri Mounier Extra stand out is its dark, brown undertones. Meanwhile, Tiffon XO is perhaps the deepest colored cognac we use. Because each bottle varies slightly, we can create a range of colors that all fit within the cognac family. If a stone matches the color of Imperial Topaz to any of these four brands, then we consider it to be Cognac colored. It’s this meticulous process that ensures you receive a quality product from us when you buy a Cognac Imperial Topaz.



Cognac colored Imperial Topaz is one of the rarest natural gemstones on Earth. Imperial Topaz itself is already a rare mineral, but the deep, warm brown-orange shade that signifies fine cognac is particularly hard to come by. Most Imperial Topaz found during mining operations are lighter and less saturated. Only the smallest percentage of stones come up from the mine with the warm, glowing richness that we consider true Cognac color. It’s this rarity that makes Cognac Imperial Topaz so highly prized. But what makes Cognac Imperial Topaz desirable isn’t just its rarity. A deep cognac shade will always remind one of wealth, sophistication, and old-world glamour. Light shining through a premium Cognac Imperial Topaz has a luminosity to it that resembles the rich, deep color of fine cognac in a glass. The color has depth and richness that is second to none.

paz. Some of the rarest and most desirable gemstones in existence, . the rare treasures in the world of gemstones, Imperial Topaz is in a one of the most coveted gemstones


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