What is Topaz?

Topaz is a rare silicate mineral with a chemical composition of Al₂SiO₄(F,OH)₂. It is best known for being these four things:

one of the most popular colored stones
number “8” in the Mohs Hardness Scale
a birthstone for the month of November
a gemstone of many colors

Topaz obtains much of its popularity from its beautiful colors and its status as a birthstone.

faceted topaz in natural colors — **Natural Topaz Colors:** A collection of faceted topaz in a variety of colors. Starting at the bottom is yellow topaz, sometimes called “golden topaz”. In the middle is orange topaz. Some gemologists would call these two specimens “imperial topaz” because they display reddish orange pleochroic colors on both ends of the gem. At the top are orangy pink and purplish pink gems that are sometimes called “pink topaz”. The rarity and value of these natural topaz colors is lowest at the bottom of the photo and highest at the top.

Natural topaz colors include rare and valuable yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, and blue. The most affordable and frequently purchased are blue topaz and mystic topaz that have received their colors from treatment.

In 1812, Friedrich Mohs developed a set of 10 standard minerals that could be used to assign a relative hardness to minerals and other materials. Today, over 200 years later, his hardness scale is still used by students and geologists throughout the world to identify mineral specimens.

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