The finest opals display a beauty that is challenging to describe in words, and writers have compared the opal to volcanoes, galaxies, and fireworks. Fire opals are unique in the abundant world of opals.
Named for its color, the fire opal is a fiery treasure, defined by its background color: a transparent to translucent yellow, orange, or red. The top color is usually red-orange to bright red, and the color must be uniform throughout the stone. Like other opals the fire opal is composed of silica and has a relatively high water content. The color is believed to be caused by iron impurities. Many fire opals display the phenomena play-of-color; however, it is the warm and lush hues that make the fire opals blazing back ground colors valued apart from any phenomena. Photos of Fire Opals
Fire opals hardness is 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, which places it among gemstones which require a protective setting, especially when set in a ring. The fire opals color and clarity make its one of the few opal types which is sometimes faceted. When a fire opal displays an attractive play-of-color, it’s usually cut as a cabochon to feature the phenomenon. The oval shape is regarded as the classic shape for valuable fire opals.
Mexico is has the most significant fire opal deposits in the world. The orange-red stones are found in other countries such as, Honduras, USA, Canada, Australia, Ethiopia, and Turkey, most of these sites are of little economic significance. However, in recent years Brazil has discovered fire opals colored yellow to orange, they are distinguished by their beautiful colors, a slight clouding, and no play of color. What is most remarkable about the Brazil deposits is the size of the raw stones, which are as large as a man’s fist.
Avoid purchasing fire opals with a cloudy look, which is a sign that the stone is drying out and in danger of cracking. The water content in opals is unevenly distributed, therefore opals need to avoid great heat, which would cause the stone to artificially dry and crack.
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