Chances are you have heard of opal stones either through commercials and shows about fine jewelry or by overhearing people go on and on about how beautiful they are. If you love jewelry then chances are also good that you've visited many different shops and boutiques with plenty more to explore. It is also highly probable that among the beautiful jewelry pieces you have seen, some of them were pieces made from and adorned with opal stones. Another probability is that among these opal stone pieces, there were also some that were made from the unique Mexican opal and there were some that were made from fire opal stones.
All opals stones are made of water and silicon dioxide. The amount of water varies per individual opal stone and gives the determination of the fragility of each given stone. Fire opal stones formation is due to the silicon dioxide becoming wet and turning to a gel. The gel goes ahead to work its way into the spacing in between caves and rocks. As its setting takes place, sets, fire opals stones are formed.
Primarily, the opal gemstone retains some small percentage of which results in it being soft and very delicate. These fire opal stones come in different shades of coloration; orange, yellow, red, white, black, pink, green and blue. Fire opal stones are loved for their dazzling hue which takes place as light bounces off the spheres of silica.
What you probably don’t know about fire opal stones is what makes them stand out from the other opals. The silicon dioxide contained in fire opals becomes wet and eventually becomes a gel like substance. This fascinating geological fact results in results in a truly magnificent gem. After turning into this gel like compound, the wet silicon dioxide then works its way into the spaces that lie between the rocks of the earth. In these spaces, the compound sets and hardens and after all this, the beautiful result is the formation of fire opal stones that usually take on bright fiery colors like shades of orange, red or yellow.
Another fact about fire opal stones is that they tend to be quite delicate given that they were once a gel at a point in their existence and formation. They are much softer than your average opal stone, which makes creating jewelry that feature fire opals especially challenging. The result is that anyone connected with these opals must treat them with care. That includes everyone from the people who mine these precious stones, to the artisans who create the jewelry and, of course, the people who invest in fire opals for their jewelry wardrobe. The good thing about fire opals is that they are very stunning given their strong, bright and attractive colors. They are mostly used to make fire opal rings as they are such chow-stoppers. One of these beauties on your finger and no one would fail to notice that you are recently engaged; that’s how eye-catching they are.
Where do the fire opal stones come from?
The reason why Mexican opal is very common is because fire opal stones actually originated from there. They were first mined there and therefore whenever you hear of fire opal stones, you normally just associate them with Mexican opal. Fire opal for sale is very common in Mexico as it is a huge producer of the gem; the country even wound up being associated with the precious jewel as its official gemstone. Fire opal stones are also mined in other countries in North and South America but they are most closely associated with Mexico.
The opal is also considered Mexico's official gemstone. Ancient Aztecs and the Mayans made use of this Mexican opal in the creation of mosaics and in special ceremonies. While most of fire opals for sale are likely to originate from Mexico, other mines are present in the USA, Australia and S. America. Fire opal stones of a size to be considered were in the near past discovered in Brazil
The opal stone is the birthstone for October. This can be the right moment to give a surprise to a lady at her birthday with the bold hot shades of a fire opal rings instead of the more basically known pastel iridescent gemstones. Looking at them would definitely lift up her spirit and give her energy thanks to its mineral properties and the rich, dynamic color they have.
Cleaning and Caring for the Mexican Opal Jewelry
The presence of water within the fire opal makes it extremely delicate, with a Mohs scale ranking of 5.5 and 6.5. The jewelry pieces needs to be given protection against chips and scratches. This can be easily done by keeping them in a soft jewelry bag away from other harder pieces of jewelry. Mexican fire opals should also be kept away from extreme and sudden changes in temperature as well as dry conditions that can dry the gemstones out. Cleaning them with some gentle soap and clean piece of clothing can help a lot in getting rid of any residue on them. Saving the Mexican opal jewelry for special occasion can play a very big role in ensuring that the stones last longer although that may mean wearing them less often.
While fire opals do require extra commitment in terms of care, the payoff is well worth it. Their complex beauty and deep, rich autumnal coloring make them truly stand out when compared to other gemstones. Fire opals remain some of the most stunning gemstones in the world - a surefire way to add beauty to your jewelry collection as well as a way to enhance your look.