Mexican Fire Opal

The Mexican fire opal is the national gem stone of Mexico. A Mexican fire opal is one of the most sensational, stunning orange-red colored gem stones in the world. If you are a fan of gem stones, you will want to add the Mexican fire opal to your jewelry collection.

The largest supply of opals comes from Australia, but the world’s largest supply of fire opals comes from Mexico. The Mexican fire opal is among the rarest of the fire opals. In Mexico, many small mines are located in the states of Queretaro and Jalisco. The Mexican fire opal is mined in open-pit quarries. Other variations of the fire opal have been found in Turkey, Canada, Australia, Ethiopia, and the United States.

There are three kinds of opals. Precious opals have fire flashes. Fire opals, also known as girasol, are yellow to orange to red and are named for their color, not their flash. Fire opals are the only type of opals that are faceted. Mexican fire opals fall into this category. The third type, common opals, also known as potch, can be a variety of colors. The word opal means precious stone. 

The color of the Mexican fire opal is a result of iron oxide found within the stone. Usually, they are orange to red in color. A deep red colored Mexican fire opal is sometimes referred to as a cherry opal. Fire opals are also unique in that they contain water. They are sometime referred to as wet stones. The more transparent and the deeper the color, the more valuable the stone will be.

Along with tourmaline, opal, with its many varieties (which includes the Mexican fire opal), is the birthstone for the month of October.

You will want to take care of your Mexican fire opal jewelry. With a hardness of 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, Mexican fire opal is a brittle stone and caution must be observed when cleaning. Do not use harsh chemicals, acids, or ultrasonic cleaning methods.  Also, avoid extreme heat, drastic temperature changes, or prolonged exposure to extremely bright lights. When mounted in jewelry, protective settings are necessary. Pendants usually are the best type of jewelry for a Mexican fire opal to be set in. When used in a ring, make sure not to wear the ring during physical activities in which it could chip or become scratched or cracked. Mexican fire opals mined from drier places tend to be a little more durable than those found in moist surroundings.

Ancient Aztecs used Mexican fire opal in their mosaic creations and in their many rituals. Many people of today’s era believe the stone creates positive emotions and gives us energy.

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