The word topaz comes from the Sanskrit tapas , meaning fire . Most gems in the age of antiquity that were yellow in colour were called topaz . Today some jewelers and gemstone experts give the name topaz to citrine , a yellow gem, which is in fact a form of quartz . Many varieties of topaz are highly prized gemstones, and can be extremely rare, such as the pink, blue, and imperial varieties. Other formations, such as the colourless variety, may even resemble diamonds , and are occasionally used to replicate it. Some of the most precious topaz gemstones will display tear-shaped interior cavities. These cavities are made up of trapped gas bubbles of liquids.

 

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