What is Fire Opal? The Fiery Mexican Gemstone

What is fire opal?

Fire opal is a special and rare type of opal distinguished by its fiery colors — from bright orange and yellow to deep red — reminiscent of a sunset or flames. Unlike most opals, fire opal has little or no play-of-color (opalescence), but rather an intense, transparent to semi-transparent body color. Fire opal scores 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and is primarily found in Mexico, but also in Brazil and Turkey. View our crystal jewelry collection for fire opal and other special gemstones.

History and origin of fire opal

Fire opal was already valued by the Aztecs and Mayans as a sacred stone — they called it quetzalitzlipyollitli, the stone of the quetzal bird. The Aztecs believed that fire opal was the stone of the bird of paradise and used it in religious ceremonies and as an adornment for high priests. To this day, Mexico remains the most important source of fire opal, particularly the state of Querétaro. European explorers brought fire opal to Europe in the 16th century, where it quickly became beloved by European nobility.

Characteristics of fire opal

Color — bright orange, yellow, red or a combination — caused by iron oxide in the silica structure. Opalescence — fire opal typically has little or no play-of-color, unlike precious opal. Transparency — transparent to semi-transparent, which gives the fiery color extra depth. Hardness — 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale: relatively soft, handle with care. Note: fire opal is sensitive to dehydration and can crack with extreme temperature changes.

Use of fire opal in jewelry