This auction has ended. View lot details
You may also be interested in
Lot 137
Large and Exceptional Red Fire Opal
7 December 2016, 10:00 PST
Los AngelesUS$3,500 - US$4,500
Looking for a similar item?
Our Lapidary Works of Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.
Find your local specialistAsk about this lot
Client Services (San Francisco)
Client Services (New York)
Large and Exceptional Red Fire Opal
Magdelena, Jalisco, Mexico
Opals were formed during the Cretaceous period and brought to the Earth's surface during the Pleistocene age. There are 25 or so varieties of opals but the most significant fire opal deposits are found in Mexico. One of the two largest sites for mining the Mexican fire opal, is located near Magdalena, Jalisco, a small city located approximately 100 miles east of Vallarta. Magdalena is in a region laden with igneous rocks, obsidian, volcanic lava, and more that 300 opal mines.
Mexican fire opals consist of silicon dioxide or silica spheres arranged in an orderly pattern with iron oxide dispersed throughout giving the fire opal its distinctive brilliant flame-like colors of yellow, orange, and red. The three most important attributes of the fire opal are body colors, transparency, and play-of-color (differing colors when viewed from various angles). Simply put, the greater the play-of-color, the more precious the gemstone. Because most opals are not faceted, they are generally displayed in the cabochon form; however, fire opals are often the exception. Mexican fire opal was known by the Aztecs and was used by Mayans as well for ritualistic purposes and in various mosaics. Even today many connoisseurs believe that fire opals bestow courage, stamina, and energy to the wearer due to its warm, fiery orange-red colors.
Bright cherry-red in color, this present oval faceted opal is from the famed volcanic deposits of Mexico. Red opals from this region are increasingly difficult to obtain in today's market. The present opal is an oval, modified brilliant-cut having a vivid reddish orange hue. Weighing approximately 30.47 carats and measuring 24.08 x 18.61 x 15.32 mm
Opals were formed during the Cretaceous period and brought to the Earth's surface during the Pleistocene age. There are 25 or so varieties of opals but the most significant fire opal deposits are found in Mexico. One of the two largest sites for mining the Mexican fire opal, is located near Magdalena, Jalisco, a small city located approximately 100 miles east of Vallarta. Magdalena is in a region laden with igneous rocks, obsidian, volcanic lava, and more that 300 opal mines.
Mexican fire opals consist of silicon dioxide or silica spheres arranged in an orderly pattern with iron oxide dispersed throughout giving the fire opal its distinctive brilliant flame-like colors of yellow, orange, and red. The three most important attributes of the fire opal are body colors, transparency, and play-of-color (differing colors when viewed from various angles). Simply put, the greater the play-of-color, the more precious the gemstone. Because most opals are not faceted, they are generally displayed in the cabochon form; however, fire opals are often the exception. Mexican fire opal was known by the Aztecs and was used by Mayans as well for ritualistic purposes and in various mosaics. Even today many connoisseurs believe that fire opals bestow courage, stamina, and energy to the wearer due to its warm, fiery orange-red colors.
Bright cherry-red in color, this present oval faceted opal is from the famed volcanic deposits of Mexico. Red opals from this region are increasingly difficult to obtain in today's market. The present opal is an oval, modified brilliant-cut having a vivid reddish orange hue. Weighing approximately 30.47 carats and measuring 24.08 x 18.61 x 15.32 mm
Footnotes
Accompanied by a Gemological Institute of America report number 2165185530 dated November 13, 2014 stating that the transparent reddish orange opal is natural.