Topaz and the Chrysoberyls
The Elfstones
Hardness: 8
As Tolkein himself pointed out at the Ford of Bruinen, the chrysoberyls are the true elfstones. Whenever one is found, the finder should consider it a token of the fae: pure beryl?, chrysoberyl?, heliodor?, morganite?, emerald?, green spinel?, Balas spinel, star spinel?, cymophane?, topaz?, aquamarine?, blue spinel?, clear spinel?, brown spinel?, brown topaz?, taaffeite?, red beryl?, and alexandrite?.
The true chrysoberls are: the faceted form?, the form with many inclusions (which produces a foggy translucence and is cut as a cabochon to produce the purest cats-eye, known as cymophane?), and alexandrite?.
The other beryls are also true tokens of Elvenkind: green emerald?, pink morganite?, yellow heliodor?, blue-green or blue aquamarine?, and white pure beryl? are all more common than red beryl? colored by iron impurities.
Spinels can be mistaken for rubies to which they are closely related (although they can take on more variety in their color): Balas spinel is usually called "Balas ruby"; clear spinel? is the pure form as is often the case; green spinel?; blue spinel? is sometimes known as "zinc spinel" for the obvious reason; star spinel? can have 4- or 6-rayed stars; and the yellow form is deep enough to be called brown spinel?.
Other elfstones: taafeite? is often mistaken for pure spinel because of its color; true topaz? is yellow; and brown topaz? has a rich golden color with more water in it.
See also Gems.
— Scotus - 23 Dec 2001
