While visiting the Capao mine here in Brazil, I learned the true beauty and rarity of Imperial Topaz. This mine is the ONLY working commercial Imperial Topaz mine in the WORLD and only a small amount of goods come out of this small section of land.  The colors of this precious topaz range from a soft golden color to a brilliant salmon pink color.  What makes it look so mesmerizing is it's glistening, watery appearance. It had me spellbound.  I HAD to purchase a few pieces to take back to the store!  I don't know if it's because it's so beautiful or if it's because I've crawled through it's birthplace and learned how rare this royal gem actually is.  This ain't no smokey quartz!  

This trip has really solidified in my heart how valuable these gemstones truly are.  The amount of effort just to find those few crystals good enough to be used in a piece of jewelry is astounding. I only hope that I can return home and share this experience with everyone and convey the same excitement and passion that we felt here in Brazil.