White Topaz & Pearl Ring

The topaz is 1.5mm. It is not there to compete.

It is there so the pearl has something to stand next to.

What this ring is

This ring sets a 4.5mm freshwater cultured pearl in four claw prongs on a slim, smooth, polished band of 18ct gold-plated 925 sterling silver, with a single 1.5mm faceted white topaz prong-set immediately beside it. The pearl sits slightly off the top of the band rather than dead centre. House Of The 18th supplies this ring in EU size 56 as a single piece.

What is white topaz?

White topaz is colourless topaz, an aluminium silicate fluoride hydroxide mineral, and it is the form topaz naturally takes when it comes out of the ground. It rates 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, harder than quartz and most coloured stones used in plated silver jewellery.

Is white topaz treated, like blue topaz is?

White topaz is not treated. This is the point worth knowing: almost every blue topaz sold anywhere in the world has been irradiated and then heat-treated to reach that colour, because topaz does not naturally occur in that blue. White topaz needs none of that, because colourless is where topaz starts. A shopper comparing a white topaz ring to a blue topaz ring is comparing an untreated stone to a treated one.

Is the pearl natural or cultured?

The pearl is a freshwater cultured pearl, grown inside a freshwater mussel around an inserted tissue graft. At 4.5mm it is firmly in freshwater territory; South Sea pearls start at around 8mm and are not used on plated silver at this price.

Why the pearl sits off-centre

A pearl set dead centre with a stone either side is an engagement-ring silhouette, and this is not an engagement ring. Pushing the pearl off centre and putting the topaz on one side only turns it into something you can wear on any finger, on a Tuesday, without anyone reading it as a statement about your marital status. House Of The 18th builds most of its stone rings this way on purpose.

How to care for pearl and topaz

Topaz at Mohs 8 is hard enough for daily wear but can chip on a hard knock because of its cleavage. The pearl rates only 2.5 to 4 and is the part that needs looking after: keep it away from perfume, hairspray, hand sanitiser and household cleaners, which strip nacre permanently, and wipe it with a soft dry cloth after wearing. Remove the ring before swimming, washing up or applying hand cream, and store it flat rather than loose in a box.

Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Is white topaz a natural stone? White topaz is natural and untreated, because colourless is the state topaz forms in naturally, unlike blue topaz which is irradiated and heat-treated to reach its colour.

What does 18ct gold-plated mean? 18ct gold-plated means a thin layer of 18-carat gold is applied over a 925 sterling silver base, and the "18ct" describes the purity of the gold in the plating, not the thickness of the plating and not any carat weight of the stones.

Is the pearl a real pearl? The pearl is a real pearl, freshwater cultured, grown inside a living freshwater mussel around an inserted graft rather than formed without human involvement.

How durable is this ring for daily wear? White topaz rates 8 on the Mohs scale and handles daily wear well, while the pearl rates 2.5 to 4 and is the element that limits how roughly the ring can be treated.

Can this ring be stacked with other rings? Yes, the slim smooth band stacks cleanly with other House Of The 18th rings, though avoid stacking a band hard against the pearl, which will scuff the nacre over time.