The topaz is one of the stones reportedly set in the breastplate of the Hebrew high priest. The ancient Greeks thought that topaz gave them strength. During the middle ages, people thought topaz could break magic spells.

Topaz is considered a mellow, empathic stone that soothes, heals, recharges and re-centers its wearers. Associated with compassion and communication, it's a preferred stone to wear for "building bridges" between people. Blue topaz, in particular, is believed to promote truth and forgiveness, relaxing the spirit as well as the body. Those who use meditation advocate it as a splendid stone for attuning to their higher self.

Topaz of any color is often used to strengthen emotional support, stabilizing the emotions and making the wearer receptive to love from every source. It is believed to unburden the soul of arrogance and calmly verbalize in emotional situations.

Blue topaz is one of the accepted modern birthstones for December.

Although most natural topaz is actually colorless, ancient lovers of gemstones assigned the name to almost any yellow and brown gemstone.