Two Antique Handcut Genuine Natural Russian Twenty Carat Briolette Cut Red Topaz Semi-Precious Gemstone. Mounted into contemporary high quality 14kt gold fill French hooks.

ORIGIN: The Ural Mountains, Siberia, Russia.

CLASSIFICATION: Briolette Cut Red Topaz.

SIZE: Length: 16mm. Width: 10. All measurements are approximate.

WEIGHT: 25.18 carats (combined gemstone weight).

NOTES: Other setting styles (euro clicks, lever backs, kidney wires, ball/stud dangles) are available upon request, both in 14kt solid gold and in 14kt gold fill.

DETAIL: In the ancient world topaz came from Topazion, an Island in the Red Sea now called Zabargad. In the ancient world, topaz was thought to protect against evil and to the ancient Egyptians, the sparkle of topaz symbolized "Ra", their sun god. These are magnificent, sparkling red topaz semi-precious gemstones from the Ural Mountains of Russia. Gorgeous, vibrant, and vividly hued, these striking semi-precious gemstones are of very high quality and possesses breathtaking luster. They have been hand cut into a sparkling, brilliant, faceted briolettes with lots of flash and depth. As you can see, this is an exceptionally good quality gemstone. Certainly to the eye the gemstones are nothing less than perfect, they are truly beautiful, sumptuous, and regal-sized semi-precious gemstones. The gemstones were hand crafted and faceted by a Russian artisan, part of a centuries-long heritage renown for the production of the elaborate gemstones and jewelry of the Czars of Medieval, Renaissance, and Victorian Russia.

Under magnification the gemstones show the unmistakable characteristics of having been hand crafted. The coarseness of the antique, handcrafted finish is considered appealing to most gemstone collectors, and is not considered a detriment, or to detract from the value of a gemstone. These characteristics are not only expected of hand-finished gemstones, most serious collectors consider such gemstones more desirable, possessed of greater character and uniqueness when compared to today's cookie-cutter mass-produced machine-faceted gemstones. Unlike today's computer controlled machine produced gemstones that approach flawlessness in a perfect finish, the cut and finish of a handcrafted gemstone such as this is the cultural legacy passed onwards by artisans who lived two centuries ago.

The earring settings are of contemporary origin. They are high quality settings manufactured by one of the USA's leading semi-custom mount producers. They are constructed of 14kt gold fill. They are not cheap, gold electroplated earrings. They are of genuine 14kt gold fill, designed to last a lifetime. It's a first-class piece of jewelry throughout. We can reset into 14kt solid gold upon request, and there are also many other setting styles available upon request including euro clicks, lever backs, kidney wires, ball/stud dangles, etc.

These gemstones have great luster and sparkle, and to the eye are completely transparent, but not absolutely flawless. True, any blemishes they possess are not visible to the naked eye, and even at 500% as in these photo enlargements here (or under a 5x jeweler's loupe) there are no discernible flaws. However we hesitate to use the word "flawless", as sooner or later blemishes will show up at higher levels of magnification with almost every natural gemstone. An absolutely flawless gemstone is very rare in nature (and usually turns out to be synthetic). However the gemstone can be characterized at a minimum, to use trade jargon, as "eye clean". To the eye it is indeed flawless; and even to a jeweler's loupe it is difficult to find any imperfections. However close examination with a jeweler's loupe will however reveal occasional blemishes within the gemstone (as is the case with most any natural gemstone), as well as slight irregularities in the faceting and finish. Of course these characteristics are to be expected of antique, hand-finished gemstones. However for most, the unique nature and character of antique gemstones such as this more than makes up for any minor blemishes or faceting imperfections which by and large, are (if at all) only visible under high magnification.

HISTORY: The origin of topaz in the ancient world was a small island in the Red Sea known as Topazion, a Greek term meaning "to guess". The island was typically obscured by fog, making it difficult for early navigators to find. Typically yellow, topaz in the ancient world was held as a talisman to protect against evil and was used to treat many different ailments including asthma. The ancient Greeks believed topaz would give great strength to whomsoever wore the stone, and was also worn as an amulet to ward off enchantment, In ancient Egypt the golden glow of yellow topaz symbolized "Ra", their sun god. There are also many references to "topaz" in ancient texts, including numerous references in the Bible. It is believed that the topaz of modern mineralogists was unknown to the ancients. Rather, that the stone called topazios was the mineral chrysolite or peridot. Likewise, the "topaz" referred to in the Old Testament was most likely chrysolite. Topaz is found in yellow, orange, green, blue, red, and white (colorless) hues. Topaz is one of the hardest minerals in nature, and for that reason, highly valued as a gemstone.

SHIPPING OPTIONS: All purchases are backed by an unlimited guarantee of satisfaction and authenticity. If for any reason you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a complete and immediate refund of your entire purchase price. Most of these antique gemstones were originally part of two collections, one originating in India principally composed of gemstones originally mined in India, Burma, Ceylon, and Siam, and then hand faceted in India. The addition of a second accumulation of antique gemstones originally mined in the Urals in the mid to late 19th century (including alexandrite) completed the collection. These gemstones as well were hand finished. The Urals have been one of the world's major sources of precious and semi-precious gemstones for many centuries. As well, additional specimens are occasionally acquired from other institutions and dealers in Eastern Europe and Asia. These antique gemstones are now in the United States and are available for immediate delivery.

We ship inventory from the USA order fulfillment center near Seattle, Washington. Your purchase will ordinarily be shipping within 48 hours of payment. A certificate of authenticity is available upon request. We prefer your personal check or money order over any other form of payment - and we will ship immediately upon receipt of your check (no "holds"). We will accept PayPal payments. Please see our "ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SALE".