The scent hits you before your feet even touch the shore. As you step from the boat onto the famous black sand of Grenada, another warm breeze drifts down from the island. Sweet, spicy, and mingled with the clean salt air of the Caribbean, the fragrance is captivating. You stop for a moment simply to breathe it in.
Our boat captain smiles when we mention it. Carrying a bag of freshly caught conch over his shoulder, he proudly explains that Grenada is known as “The Spice Isle.” Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and other spices grow in abundance here, and when the trees and flowers are blooming, their fragrances mingle with the tropical air. He heads up the beach toward a small restaurant, carrying the conch that will become part of that evening’s dinner, Grenada’s famous curried conch soup. We have other plans for the afternoon. Masks, snorkels, and fins come out, and we turn toward the water.
There is something almost ethereal about the Caribbean. It is so clear, so warm, and such an extraordinary shade of aqua blue that sometimes it hardly looks real. Sunlight seems to travel straight through it, illuminating the sandy bottom below and breaking into dancing ribbons of light with every small movement of the sea. You slip beneath the surface, and the rest of the world begins to disappear. The water is wonderfully warm. Everything becomes quieter. You swim slowly through that brilliant blue, watching fish dart beneath you and conchs resting along the bottom. Time seems to lose its importance. We swim for most of the afternoon in that beautiful blue lagoon, alongside some of the very conchs that will eventually find their way into island kitchens.
Years later, whenever I see a beautiful Blue Topaz, I think of those waters. Of all the gemstones I have encountered, Blue Topaz comes closest to capturing that extraordinary Caribbean blue. There is a purity to its color that reminds me of sunlight passing through warm, crystal-clear water. And when Blue Topaz is beautifully cut, its brilliance brings the color alive, flashing and sparkling as the stone moves in the light.
Perhaps that is why I love Topaz so much. For me, Blue Topaz will always hold a little piece of the Spice Isle: warm Caribbean water, black sand beneath my feet, sunlight dancing beneath the surface, and the scent of nutmeg and cinnamon drifting down from the hills.
Why We Love This Gem
Topaz is exceptionally durable and resistant to everyday scuffing and scratching, making it a wonderful choice for jewelry meant to be worn and enjoyed. It also has a high refractive index, which is jeweler talk for the way a gemstone bends and reflects light. When Blue Sky Topaz is beautifully cut, that combination of clarity, color, and light creates a remarkably bright and sparkling pastel-blue gem.
