Topaz has an exceptionally wide color range that, besides brown, includes various tones and saturations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple. Colorless topaz is plentiful, and is often treated to give it a blue color. Topaz is also pleochroic, meaning that the gem can show different colors in different crystal directions. The gemstone has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it the hardest silicate mineral.

Topaz is the birthstone of November. The ancient Greeks believed that topaz gave them strength. In Europe during the Renaissance people thought that topaz could break magic spells and dispel anger. For centuries, many people in India have believed that topaz worn above the heart assures long life, beauty, and intelligence.