Topaz

Happy November, it's time for Topaz!  Of our gemstones, Topaz probably has the widest range of colors it's found in naturally - browns, golds, blues, pinks, purple, even colorless. Topaz is also pleochroic, meaning that the gem can show different colors in different crystal directions. Most etymology of the word "topaz" seems to refer to the mineral topaz itself, but there is the potential origin of from the Sanskrit word तपस् "tapas", meaning "heat" or "fire". In the Middle Ages, topaz referred to any yellow stone, but in modern times, it only refers to the specific silicate mineral of aluminum and fluorine. There was an English superstition that claimed that topaz cured lunacy, and  ancient Romans believed that topaz provided protection from danger while traveling. During the Middle Ages, attaching the topaz to the left arm was thought protect the owner from any curse and warded off the evil eye. Wearing topaz was also believed to increase body heat, which would enable people to reli