Peruvian Opal Information

Peruvian Opal is the national stone of Peru and it is relatively rare and can only be found in the Andes mountains. Its internal crystalline composition is random, meaning this gemstone lacks the colour play or fire of a usual Opal. Peruvian Opal is a sedimentary rock formed at low temperature from an igneous rock with high silica content. Its composition is basically composed of oxygen, silicon and hydrogen.

Blue Peruvian opal

Its high water content makes the Peruvian Blue Opal delicate and prone to heat. Heat can make these stones lose their intensity or even fracture. The stone has an iridescent property, especially in light at the right angle.

Pink Peruvian Opal

Peru Pink Opal is high in silica and this opal is almost a light to bright pink chalcedony. Pink opal is also found in western Australia. Pink opal is considered stable and also known as pink Andean Opal, Angelskin Opal and Andean Opal, and scientific name of silicified palygorskite.

Rough Pink opal specimens can display stalactites, each coated with druze chalcedony and sometimes hyalite opal pockets form and these are crystal clear.

These Peruvian polished opal specimens do make beautiful specimens or spheres as mixture of pink opal and other impurities do give a beautiful appearance and some are covered with a unique rough formations of different shades pink and different shades white from porcelain white to petrified white chalk to chalcedony

Peruvian opal carvings are popular and easy to carve and have good polish and as mentioned some are combination opal and other minerals

Pink opal is formed by bubbling water near volcanic ash that dissolves the silica and forms in nodules from volcanic activity, so many specimens contain pink opal mixed with minerals as rhyolite.

Peruvian Opal Colours

This gemstone is usually coloured blue to blue-green. Most jewellers describe it as the colour of the Caribbean Sea. These stones may enclose dark inclusions that look like ferns. Also the amount of this colour may vary within a single specimen. Pastel pinks to red pinks are also popular as beads. Peruvian Opal rough is a good stone for those starting to learn about Opal cutting. It is recommended to always wear a mask when cutting this Opal and to have lot of water on the opal cutting wheels.

Sources of Peruvian Opal

Peruvian Opals are usually found only in the Andes Mountains of Peru. In fact, they are considered as a gift from Pachamama, the earliest Inca goddess of fruitfulness and Mother Earth.

Chemical Composition

Holistic Aspects of Peruvian Opal

According to fables Peruvian Opal stones is a calming stone that can pacify the mind and alleviate sleep issues. Sleeping with a Peruvian opal is believed to cure subconscious pain from your past.

This stone has the power of relaxation, tradition tells us that it can take away any tension from communications and will allow ideas to flow generously. It is an excellent stone for calming the mind and considered useful for a good nights sleep.

This stone correlates to the heart chakra, the energy centralized with concern and communication. The blue opal is said to be the most powerful of all healing stones. It can increase creativeness and inspiration, the stone is associated with good luck.

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Peruvian Opal