The Cambridge Topaz in Blue Goatskin
It takes a lot for a Bible to blow me away these days. I’ve been privileged to get to check out many of the nicest Bibles out there. I really thought I had just about seen and experienced it all. When I first heard about Cambridge’s new Bible, I figured it would be much of the same things I had seen and experienced. All of that changed when I finally received a copy to review. The Topaz blew me away. It set the bar higher for what a premium Bible should be. I was honestly pretty shocked. What makes the Topaz so great? Let’s talk about it.
I love the design of the box the Topaz comes in. Just the box itself says, "This Bible is going to be different." It’s a clam shell box, but it has a beautiful design on it. It makes you want to know what’s inside. I’m reviewing the blue goatskin version of this Bible, but it also comes in black goatskin, black calfskin, and red calfskin.
When I pulled the Bible out, the first thing I noticed was the size. If there is a perfect Bible size, I think this is it. It’s not too thick and not too thin. It fits in your hand nicely. According to evangelicalbible.com, the textblock is 6″ x 9″ x 1-1/4″ and it weighs almost two and a half pounds. I really do think it just has the perfect feel in your hand. The goatskin is supple and the Bible is flexible. The flex is one of my favorite things about premium Bibles.
I love the feel of Cambridge’s goatskin. It has such a nice grain and I find the blue really striking. The blue edition of this Bible is definitely my favorite. It’s not a navy, but it’s not a royal blue. It’s beautiful without making you stick out in a crowd.
On the front is printed "HOLY BIBLE" in gold. Honestly, I prefer my Bible covers to be blank, but this has grown on me, which I imagine is a testament to how much I really like this Bible. The spine has five raised ribs with the words, "HOLY BIBLE, English Standard Version, and CAMBRIDGE" all in gold. There is a good semi-yapp protecting the page edges and the edges themselves are a blue under gold gilt.
The Bible has two blue silk bookmarks. I would have loved to see at least one more bookmark in this Bible. Two seems to be a minimum I could definitely use three when I preach or teach. However, they are really nice bookmarks and have a good length. I always like longer, but these will pull to the corner with no problem.
Inside, the Bible is edge-lined and has a black calfskin liner. One thing I’d love to see Cambridge do is add a gilt line, but the lack of one does set them apart. The Bible is Smyth sewn. You will immediately find a presentation page and family records pages. The family records pages are thick and are some of the most extensive I’ve seen in a Bible, which I happen to really like. Finally, before getting to the Scripture itself, you’ll find a Preface and Explanation of Features.
The paper in the Bible is a 28 gsm Indopaque. It is very white, which makes the black text look bold and jump off the page. The text is line matched, which also helps eliminate ghosting. There is minimal ghosting, but definitely not enough to be distracting. The text itself is a 10 point modern typeface. Chapter and verse numbers are in red except when the words of Christ are in red and then the verse numbers are black. This Bible does feature the words of Christ in red, which is desirable for some. I personally prefer the text to be all black, but this definitely isn’t a deal breaker when it comes to choosing a Bible.
The page layout is double column and verse-by-verse. The cross-references are in the outer margin, which I really like. This makes locating a cross reference easy and convenient. Textual notes are found in a single column at the bottom of the page. In the back of the Bible you’ll find a concordance and a wealth of maps.
Conclusion
Cambridge has produced a beautiful Bible with the Topaz. Before actually handling the Topaz, I had stated that I thought the ESV Verse-by-Verse would suit someone just as well. After handling the Topaz, I will recommend that you save your money for it if you can. It really is a worthy upgrade and should be the verse-by-verse Bible of choice when it comes to the English Standard Version. It’s beautiful and high quality. I also hear the calfskin is excellent if you’d like to save some money.
I believe the Topaz may be the nicest ESV on the market. I will go as far as to say for preaching and teaching, it is the nicest ESV on the market. If you preach or teach regularly from the ESV, this is the Bible for you. Check out some comparison pictures below.
You can get the Topaz in goatskin from Amazon (affilate).
You can get the Topaz in calfskin from Amazon (affilate).
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this Bible from Cambridge in exchange for a fair and honest review.
