Fire Opal

The gemstone from the mineral class of silicates

overview

Naming : The fire opal got its name from its characteristic color.
Mineral group: The fire opal is a variety of opal, which is characterized by its bright fiery red.
Color: If the color is too pale or too dark, the gemstone cannot be called fire opal. The most highly valued color is an intense deep red.
Special feature : The Mayas valued the fire opal, but it was subsequently forgotten. It was not until 1835, during the Spanish conquest, that people became aware of Mexico's rich deposits again. In the meantime, the fire opal was chosen as the national gemstone of the Central American state.

Color

An important criterion for determining the quality of a fire opal is its color. The color palette ranges from yellowish orange to red to a rich dark red - the most sought-after is an intense red-orange. A fire opal is particularly valuable, however, if in addition to its fascinating color it also has colorful opalescence, as is known from precious opals.

carat

The carat number indicates the weight of a gemstone. One carat (ct) is approximately equal to 0.2 grams. Different factors play an important role in measuring the value of a gemstone - the color, the clarity, the carat number and the cut.

purity

A fire opal has the most beautiful effect when it is as transparent and translucent as possible, as this highlights its warm sparkle.

cut

A single-coloured fire opal is usually cut faceted to bring out its warm shine particularly well – the very rare opalescent gemstones, on the other hand, are usually given the shape of a cabochon.

The gemstone and its high value in history

The fire opal was admired from an early age; in India, in the ancient kingdom of Persia and in Central America it was considered a gemstone of love because of its fiery red color. It was widely believed that the fire opal was created in paradise, and the Mayas and Aztecs called it the "stone of the bird of paradise" and often used it for mosaics and in rituals.

Special fire opals

Above-average sized fire opals come from the city of Campos Borges in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul – some specimens are even the size of a fist.

Special occasions

birthstone

The fire opal is – like all varieties of the opal group – the birthstone of the month October.

occurrence of fire opal

Mexico

The Mexican mountain landscape with its numerous extinct volcanoes is by far the most important source of fire opal. The so-called opal belt stretches from Guadalajara in the west to the eastern city of Pachuca.

Other occurrences

Fire opals are also found in many other countries such as Guatemala, Australia, the USA, Honduras, Canada and Ethiopia, but apart from the Mexican deposits, only those in Brazil are of economic importance.

jewelry with fire opals

With its intense and vibrant color, the fire opal gives every piece of jewelry - whether necklace, ring, bracelet or earrings - an incomparably warm sparkle. At RENÉSIM you can get beautiful pieces of jewelry that are completely customized to your needs.