THE COLOR INSTABILITY OF BROWN TOPAZ FROM THE THOMAS RANGE, UTAH: THOUGHTFUL AND CREATIVE LIGHT EXPERIMENTS

Sherry-brown to yellow topaz is known by many to fade from sun exposure and even incandescent light. This is caused by the UV-rays distortion of the radiation present within the crystals, resulting in colorless or white topaz. This leads to difficulty in displaying the topaz.

Displaying high quality topaz, particularly fast fading varieties such as those from the Thomas Range, Utah, is extremely difficult. The topaz, collected from a fresh vug, is a rich sherry-brown that rapidly fades when exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet light. This research aims at determining the best method for storage/display of topaz.

Some types of glass hold the best UV protection for these samples and allow for the best display. Types of glass tested include clear, green, blue, brown, and UV resistant framers glass. Plastic of various color and thickness is also included with these tests. The crystals will be cut in half, one piece is stored in a dark secure location and the other is exposed to sunlight within a glass or plastic vessel.