Topaz has been used as gemstones since the days of ancient Egypt and Rome. However, it seems that it was not very popular during the Middle Ages, since there are no accounts of it from that era. In latter times, the French gemstone merchant Tavernier, in his travel journal The Six Voyages published in 1678, noted that gems such as ruby, spinel, yellow topaz, sapphire, hyacinth (zircon), and amethyst were mined in Burma (Myanmar), and that among these, topaz was considered an important yellow gemstone. Topaz become popular in Spain and France during the 18th century, and was used in jewelry, surrounded by diamonds. It is also noted that topaz and amethyst were highly popular as the center stones in earrings and necklaces in France and England during the early 19th century.

In addition to yellow, topaz may be colorless, light blue, green, or pink; red topaz is rarely mined. Pink and red colors are caused by the presence of chromium, while other colors result from other elements or natural radiation. The Mohs hardness of topaz is a relatively hard 8, allowing polished surfaces to be smooth and lustrous; on the other hand, it cleaves very easily, making polishing difficult.

Pink topaz, also called rose topaz, is an extremely attractive gemstone. It closely resembles a beautiful pink diamond or the bright, light-colored rubies from Sri Lanka. However, pink diamonds are extremely expensive, and pink rubies (light-colored rubies) from Sri Lanka are often cut in uneven sizes, making many of them difficult to use in jewelry. Because of this, it may be said that pink topaz surpasses these two gems in terms of both affordability and quality.