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People have been loving deep red fire opals, so we have been working extra hard to supply you with more of these rich, vibrant opals. The opal is known as the national gemstone of Mexico and has been revered in these parts for centuries, with the ancient Mayans and Aztecs using the opal in rituals and art. They called the fire opal ‘quetzalitzlipyollitli’, the ‘stone of the bird of paradise’ and saw the opal as the symbol of ardent love. The opal is found in the Mexican highlands near extinct volcanos, with the best opals coming from the drier regions. Our Mexican fire opals have been sourced from the states of Jalisco and Querétaro. The Mexican fire opal consists of silicic acid and a high water content, giving it the warm dynamic colors they are world renowned for. The rich red opals we now have in stock get their color from traces of iron oxide. The metaphysical properties of the Mexican fire opal include smoothing the path of change whilst encouraging progress, enhancing personal power and reenergizing body and mind. These Mexican fire opals come in a great range of shapes and sizes, perfect for individual jewelry pieces and other unique designs. Check out all our individual and opal collections here in our Opal page.
Many of these minerals, including most opals, were formed during the Cretaceous period and brought to the Earth’s surface during the Pleistocene age. Of the 25 or so varieties of opals, the fire opal is the only naturally faceted opal and the most significant fire opal deposits are found in Mexico. One of the two largest sites for mining the Mexican fire opal, which just so happens to be the "national gemstone of Mexico," is located near Magdalena, Jalisco; a small city located approximately 100 miles east of Vallarta that can be visited from PV during one of the ten hour day tours. Magdalena is in a region laden with igneous rocks, obsidian, volcanic lava, and more than 300 opal mines.
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