The finest topaz crystals were extracted during the following decade and a half. From then on, the Schneckenstein workings were called the Königskrone (“Kings Crown”) mine. Only a few months later, Augustus the Strong (1670–1733 as Friedrich August I Elector of Saxony, and as August II King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania) purchased the property from von Trützschler and authorized Kraut to expand mining activities-with the precondition that Kraut would surrender the largest and most beautiful stones to him (Buchner, 1740). Professional exploitation started in 1727, by furrier and draper Christian Kraut of Auerbach, with permission of the impoverished landowner von Trützschler.
Gemstone mining at Schneckenstein had its short zenith in the second quarter of the eighteenth century. In contrast, excitation wavelengths in the 400–440 nm range are much more efficient in exciting pinkish red emission that is assigned to trace levels (10–40 ppm) of Cr 3+ incorporated at the six-coordinated Al 3+ site.įor more than three centuries, the Schneckenstein crag in western Saxony, Germany, has been a source of gem-quality topaz. Schneckenstein topaz appears inert under common long-wave (~365 nm) and short-wave (~254 nm) UV light sources.
Particular emphasis lies on the photoluminescence (PL) behavior of the material. The present study provides a mineral-chemical and spectroscopic characterization of Schneckenstein topaz and its inclusions taking into consideration past and current research results. Surprisingly, mineralogical studies of the material are comparably scarce and have focused mainly on crystal forms and trace element geochemistry. Yellow topaz from the Schneckenstein crag in Saxony, Germany, is a famous and historically important gemstone. Photos by Jürgen Karpinski courtesy of the board of the Green Vault in Dresden. Right: Selection of five (out of 48) coat buttons (2.1–2.2 cm diameter inventory number VIII 248) and five (out of 36) cuff links (1.8 cm inventory number VIII 249), all cushion-cut topaz set in gold. Left: Rattan walking stick with a 2.3-cm-tall topaz knob (inventory number VIII 253). All specimens were handcrafted in 1734 by Johann Heinrich Köhler in Dresden and are now in the collection of the Green Vault in Dresden. Historical objects containing Schneckenstein topaz, from the former possession of Friedrich August II (Elector of Saxony and as Augustus III concurrently King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania). Comprehensive CAD/CAM For Jewelry Certificateįigure 1.
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