Mexican Fire Opal

Browsing through the fine jewelry stores of Los Cabos reveals a gem of mystical proportions — the Mexican Fire Opal. Totally outside the mainstream of expectations, this beautiful, charismatic gem comes from 120 small mines in the state of Jalisco.

It owes its name to the immense variety of tonalities or colors. Natural colors or fires are like rainbows that leap into the eyes of its admirers, fulfilling the most demanding tastes.

Those who see it love it as true remembrance of their Mexican vacation.

For many years the fire opal has been a favorite of oriental groups, especially the Japanese who bestow it with great importance for its mystical meaning. There are two main kinds of opals. The ones from Australia have two or three tonalities. But those that come from Mexico have no less than 28 different shades. Due to its uniqueness, rarely two stones are alike. That’s why matching a pair of earrings can be difficult. Rings and necklaces are the best sellers.

There is little written about the Fire Opal. The hardness, according to the Mo scale, fluctuates between 5.5 and 6.5. One in every thousand is a Black Opal, also known as the jet opal, even rarer and found in Magdalena, Jalisco, Las Cruses and San Martin. The largest Fire Opal mined to date is 250 grams (1250 carats) in weight and belongs to a private collection in Hong Kong.

Click here to browse the shops in Cabo and other areas of Baja, Mexico.