can someone show me a good Mexican fire opal?

[Arkteia]

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]

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]

Found a photo from the museum itself.

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

 

[willamsky]

wow,so nice.

 

[JewelFreak]

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]

Are you looking for something faceted or cabbed? Some have wonderful colour but doesn't have the colour play.

 

[Arkteia]

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

 

[zeolite]

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.

 

[kas baby]

mmmm, they look like candy!

 

[pregcurious]

I had no idea that fire opal could look like that.

 

[Arkteia]

Thank you , Mr. Zeolite, they are blazing!