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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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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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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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Found a photo from the museum itself.

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

fireopalgrainger.jpg
 

willamsky

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Aug 8, 2011
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wow,so nice.
 

JewelFreak

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

zeolite

Brilliant_Rock
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Aug 13, 2008
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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
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Jun 5, 2009
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973
mmmm, they look like candy! :lickout:
 

pregcurious

Ideal_Rock
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Mar 18, 2009
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I had no idea that fire opal could look like that.
 

Arkteia

Ideal_Rock
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Nov 3, 2009
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Thank you , Mr. Zeolite, they are blazing!
 
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