Texas State Gem

Texas Blue Topaz Adopted: March 26, 1969

Texas State Gem: Texas Blue Topaz
Topaz gem photographs

The Texas blue topaz became the official state gem when Governor Preston Earnest Smith signed House Concurrent Resolution No. 12 on March 26, 1969.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 12 also named petrified palmwood the official state stone of the State of Texas.

Texas blue topaz, the state gem of Texas, is found in the Llano uplift area in Central Texas, especially west to northwest of Mason.

H.C.R. No. 12

House Concurrent Resolution

WHEREAS, The State of Texas has not officially designated a state gem or a state stone; and

WHEREAS, The Texas Gem and Mineral Society has adopted appropriate resolutions in support of designating the TEXAS BLUE TOPAZ as the official State gem and PETRIFIED PALMWOOD as the official State stone; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate that the State Legislature take the necessary action whereby the TEXAS BLUE TOPAZ and PETRIFIED PALMWOOD may be officially named as the State gem and the State stone, respectively; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the State of Texas, the Senate concurring, that the recommendations of the Texas Gem and Mineral Society be and are hereby adopted, and that the TEXAS BLUE TOPAZ be and is hereby declared to be the official State gem and PETRIFIED PALMWOOD be and is hereby declared to be the official State stone of Texas.

In 1977, the lone star cut was named the official state gemstone cut of Texas by House Concurrent Resolution No. 97.

Texas State Gem: Texas Blue Topaz [ Lone Star Cut ]
Photograph: C. Kirk Root Designs. Used with permission.

Texas Law

Because the Texas blue topaz was adopted as the official gem of the State of Texas by House Concurrent Resolution, it is not listed in the Texas Statutes.

Only a few of Texas' myriad symbols were actually adopted by an act of the legislature and written into the Texas Statutes.

Sources...

"House Concurrent Resolution No. 12." Legislative Reference Library of Texas. Legislative Reference Library of Texas, n.d. Web. 28 Nov 2011. .
Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols: A Historical Guide Third Edition, Revised and Expanded. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 3 Sub edition, 2001.

Texas State Gem: Texas Blue Topaz
Topaz gem photographs

Additional Information

Topaz: From the website DesertUSA.com.

Topaz: All About Colored Gemstones: The International Colored Gemstone Association.

E.M. Barron Minerals and Gem Collections: Texas Memorial Museum.

Topaz: Classification, occurrences, physical properties, crystallography, and more from the Crystal Atlas at mindat.org.

The Largest Known Lone Star Cut Blue Topaz: From PureTexan.com: Texas Rocks, Texas Style.

Mason County Topaz: The Mason County Chamber of Commerce.

6. Dig for Topaz: 10 Adventures in Texas' Hidden Hill Country from Southern Living.

Texas Topaz; True Gemstone Points: Article Originally by by Shannon Graham at ArrowHeadology.com.

Looking for Texas topaz?: Highway 29 - Llano to Mason. Department of Geology; University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.

Texas Star Cut Topaz Collection: C. Kirk Root Designs Texas star cut jewelry collection.

Texas Gemstones : by Elbert A. King, Jr. Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin.

State gemstones: Complete list of official state gemstones from NETSTATE.COM.

More symbols & emblems: Complete list of official Texas state symbols from NETSTATE.COM.

Crystal & Gem

Crystal & Gem (Eyewitness Books), by R.F. Symes and R.R. Harding. 72 pages. Publisher: DK Dorling Kindersley (June 25, 2007) Reading level: Ages 9-12. Be an eyewitness to the stunning natural beauty of crystals of every size, shape, and color -- and their remarkable uses for everything from surgeons' scalpels to silicon chips. Full-color photos. Learn about the formation and practical uses of crystals, semiprecious stones, and precious metals. "The dazzling full-color photographs on uncluttered pages make this a visual treat."--School Library Journal. Clip-art CD included.

Gemstones
Cally Hall

Gemstones (Smithsonian Handbooks), by Cally Hall. 160 pages. Publisher: DK Dorling Kindersley 2 edition (May 15, 2002) The Smithsonian Handbook of Gemstones is packed with more than 800 vivid full-colour photographs of more than 130 varieties of cut and uncut stones, organic gemstones and precious metals. With authoritative text, clear photography and a systematic approach, this concise guide to identification enables you to recognize each gemstone instantly.

Rock and Gem
Ronald L. Bonewit

Rock and Gem, by Ronald Louis Bonewit. 360 pages. Publisher: Covent Garden Books; 1st edition (2008) From glittering gemstones to fascinating minerals and fossils, Rock and Gem is an incredible celebration of the Earth's buried treasures. Including specially commissioned photographs of more than 450 illustrious specimens and information-rich text, this book illustrates each stone¹s unique characteristics and its relationship to humankind through the ages. About the Author With more than 40 years experience as a geologist, prospector, and gem cutter, Dr. Ronald L. Bonewitz provides a unique perspective on the subject.