The name "topaz" is thought to come from the Sanskrit word "tapas," which means "fire." The stone occurs naturally in a range of different colors and is also heat-treated to produce the more popular hues. Pink topaz, for example, is usually an irradiated form of the more common yellow.

In 1235, St. Hildegard offered a simple remedy for failing eyesight: steep a topaz in wine for three days and then lightly rub it over the eyes.

Worn around the neck, topaz is thought to cure madness.