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can someone show me a good Mexican fire opal?

Arkteia

Ideal_Rock
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Nov 3, 2009
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7,589
I am not an opal girl, but Mexican fire opals resemble me good spessartites and I am an "orange" girl hence my interest in buying a fire opal. I have looked at some, however, most are just pale orange, without this red undertone, and some are too red ("cherry") which is also not good. Can someone show me photos of a really good Mexican fire opal so that I know what to look for? Also, warn me against common mistakes that people make when they purchase these stones?
 

T L

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
24,906
crasru|1312759411|2986086 said:
I am not an opal girl, but Mexican fire opals resemble me good spessartites and I am an "orange" girl hence my interest in buying a fire opal. I have looked at some, however, most are just pale orange, without this red undertone, and some are too red ("cherry") which is also not good. Can someone show me photos of a really good Mexican fire opal so that I know what to look for? Also, warn me against common mistakes that people make when they purchase these stones?

I saw a magnificent one at the Field Museum Grainger Hall of gems. It was a pendant on a silk cord. Just do a google search on "Grainger Hall of Gems Fire Opal" and you'll see a photo of it by someone who took a better picture than I did, but no photo does it justice. It was neon, like a burning hot orange glow, more neon than any spessartite. It also had the bonus of a play of color. Very very beautiful, and I'm sure extremely expensive.
 

T L

Super_Ideal_Rock
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24,906
Found a photo from the museum itself.

This photo is not as neon as the real thing though.

fireopalgrainger.jpg
 

JewelFreak

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
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7,768
Gorgeous, I can only imagine how it lights up IRL. I've wanted a fire opal for ages too. PrecisionGem had some nice ones but long gone now.
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Apr 22, 2004
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38,303
Are you looking for something faceted or cabbed? Some have wonderful colour but doesn't have the colour play.
 

Arkteia

Ideal_Rock
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Nov 3, 2009
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It, really, does not matter. Perhaps I should post a couple and ask what you think of them.
 

zeolite

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 13, 2008
Messages
619
Here's a matched pair of fire opals; opposed bar cuts, 3.36 cts tw. I also have a red, which I haven't bothered to photograph. This picture is in diffused light, so it doesn't show the intense blazing flashes of golden color that will show with direct, undiffused light.

2opals5058.jpg
 

kas baby

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jun 5, 2009
Messages
973
mmmm, they look like candy! :lickout:
 
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