Caribbean Opal Jewelry
The mineraloid opal is amorphous, hydrated silicon dioxide. Opal ranges from clear through white, gray, red, yellow, green, shore, blue, magenta, brown, and black. Of these hues, red and black are the most rare and dear, whereas white and green are the most common. Common opal is truly amorphous, but precious opal does have a structural element. The word opal comes from the Latin opalus. Opal is one of the mineraloids that can form or replace fossils. The resulting fossils, though not of any extra scientific interest, appeal to collectors.Opals are also Australia's national gemstone.
Caribbean Blue Opal is relatively rare and is only found in the Andes mountains near San Patricio, Peru. It is a very translucent stone with color similar to the Caribbean Sea. Depending on how the stone is cut it can be clear, scenic (showing varying degrees of color) or dendritic which has black fern like inclusions.
This is the national stone of Peru and, unfortunately, in recent years dyed stones have been mass marketed by unreputable dealers as Caribbean Blue Opal. If the blue color is uneven you are probably looking at a dyed stone. Dyed stones are quite common and sell very cheaply at gem shows and on internet auctions.
Caribbean Blue Opal ranges between 5.5 and 6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. The luster is vitreous to pearly but the sheen of the Caribbean Blue Opal can range from transparent to translucent. The Caribbean Blue Opal fracture is similiar to obsidean and glass in that it breaks in a conchoidal curve - no particular pattern.
The Caribbean Blue Opal has soft relaxing energies. Legend says that it takes the tension out of communication and helps ideas flow freely. It softens the impact of stress from the outside world and can help one to release the trauma of old wounds. It facilitates facing the future with a tranquil healing nature.
This stone is reported to be good for quieting the mind and as an aid to sleep.
Until the nineteenth century the only source of precious opal known to Europeans was the mining district of Cervenica, then in Hungary, now Slovakia.
Opal without play of color is very common and can be found all over the world, unlike precious opal deposits that are in greater scope found today only in Australia, U.S. and Mexico.
Australia produces around 97% of the world's opal. 90% is called 'light opal' or white and crystal opal. White makes up 60% but not all the opal fields produce white opal; Crystal opal or pure hydrated silica makes up 30%; 8% is black and only 2% is boulder opal.
The town of Coober Pedy in South Australia is a major source of opal. Another Australian town, Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, is the main source of black opal, opal containing a predominantly dark background (dark-gray to blue-black displaying the play of color). Boulder opal consists of concretions and fracture fillings in a dark siliceous ironstone matrix. It is found sporadically in western Queensland, from Kynuna in the north, to Yowah and Koroit in the south. Multi-color rough opal specimen from Virgin Valley, Nevada, USA. Multi-color rough opal specimen from Virgin Valley, Nevada, USA
Fire opal is found mostly in Mexico and Mesoamerica. In South America, a city called Pedro II, located in Brazil, produces opal that was discovered in 1930. In Honduras there was also some fine black opal mined from volcanic ash deposits. This opal is known for its stability.
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