PERUVIAN OPALS

Whenever I travel I am always on the lookout for places to purchase beautiful stones and pieces for my jewelry designs.  On a recent trip to the quaint little town of Mendocino,  I happened upon a little Rock and Gem store, and naturally it was calling my name.  I slipped in and couldn't believe all the beautiful finds in there.    My birthstone is opal and I am always attracted to this gem, so needless to say, I had to have a couple of strands of the beautiful Peruvian Opal.  After some swift negotiations I was the proud owner of these strands.  Stop by soon to see how they fit into my designs.

I have posted some information below on this gem and it's healing properties.  

Peruvian Blue Opal Facts, Information and Description

    See Peruvian blue opal jewelry

Peruvian blue opal is relatively rare and is only found in the Andes mountains near San Patricio, Peru. It is a very translucent stone with color similar to the Caribbean Sea. Depending on how the stone is cut it can be clear, scenic (showing varying degrees of color) or dendritic which has black fern like inclusions.

This is the national stone of Peru and, unfortunately, in recent years dyed stones have been mass marketed by unreputable dealers as Peruvian Blue Opal. If the blue color is uneven you are probably looking at a dyed stone. Dyed stones are quite common and sell very cheaply at gem shows and on internet auctions.

Peruvian opal ranges between 5.5 and 6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness.

Luster: Vitreous to pearly.
Transparency: Transparent to translucent.
Fracture: Conchoidal.
Streak: White.

Folklore & Legend: 

The Peruvian blue opal has soft relaxing energies. Legend says that it takes the tension out of communication and helps ideas flow freely. It softens the impact of stress from the outside world and can help one to release the trauma of old wounds. It facilitates facing the future with a tranquil healing nature.

This stone is reported to be good for quieting the mind and as an aid to sleep.