When comparing aquamarine and topaz, they look remarkably similar. Because of that, some people struggle to tell the difference between these beautiful gems. There are a few differences between these gems, and there are various ways you can tell them apart if you are not a trained gemmologist. Below are some ways to differentiate between the gems to have a better idea of what you are looking at when shopping for gemstone jewellery made from aquamarine or topaz.
The Differences In Colour
The colour of aquamarine and topaz can be similar and, to the untrained eye, hard to tell apart. When you see a raw aquamarine stone for sale, it will have a higher price when it has a rich and dark blue hue. The most common colours of aquamarine have a blueish green hue to them, and these can look like topaz. Topaz often has a much lighter blue colour, and some gems can almost be white. You could say that a blue topaz looks like a lower quality aquamarine gemstone, but the higher quality aquamarine has a much deeper colour than topaz.
The Difference In Hardness
When judging the hardness of a gemstone, you use the Mohs scale, which ranges from one to ten, with ten being the hardest. When you judge the two gems on hardness, the topaz comes out slightly ahead of aquamarine. On the Mohs scale, a topaz scores an eight, but the aquamarine only scores between 7.5-8, so they are similar, but aquamarine is not quite as hard as topaz.
The Differences In How The Refract Light
The gems also behave differently when they refract light. Blue topaz is much more refractive than aquamarine. Comparing the refraction properties is an excellent way to tell the difference between these two beautiful gemstones, and something to look for is a double refraction line. When you see a double refraction line, you can be assured that what you are looking at is a topaz rather than an aquamarine gem.
The Difference In Price
Another significant difference between aquamarine and topaz is the price, and this is also a simple way to tell what you are looking at when comparing the gemstones. Aquamarine is much rarer than topaz, which means they also command a much higher price. It is also more common for topaz to be enhanced, while with aquamarines, it is not as common to enhance them, but it does still happen. Due to their rarity and because aquamarines can be sold without enhancing the gems, aquamarines are much more valuable than topaz and more popular with consumers.
More Prone To Scratches & Fractures
When comparing aquamarine and topaz, you also find that topaz is much more vulnerable to scratches, despite being harder than aquamarine. You are also more likely to find fractures within a topaz, which is another reason why people prefer aquamarine over them. It makes cleaning much easier as you can use ultrasonic and steam cleaners to clean aquamarine, but these may damage a topaz. However, you can clean both gems using warm water, mild dishwashing detergent, a soft bristle brush, and a soft cloth.