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The Mexican Opals that we sell come from mines in the remote Sierra of Jalisco, Mexico, were Opal mining has been a tradition there since the 1930"s.

To locate & remove these opals from the high silica lava were they are found, & prepare them for mounting in Jewelry, is not an easy process. These Opals are found in areas were there once existed ancient active volcanoes. The grounds were they are found are very hard, and require sometimes that they be blasted with dynamite, to loosen the rock around them. The remaining boulders must be broken apart by hand with a hammer, sledge chisel, and bar. Unfortunately, this results in much lost gem material. Many hands must screen through tons of earth, & rubble, in an effort to find quality opal material; this involves a lot of work, by many people. After the selected material is gathered, it must be graded, cut, polished, and then stored under observation for several months, in order to insure that the material is "STABLE" and will not crack or craze over. Only after this long and tedious process can this material be safely placed on the market.

About 30 years ago this material was a lot more abundant, and not very well known throughout the world. Many gem enthusiasts, invested in it, and sold it overseas, primarily in Japan and other countries in Asia. The popularity of this gemstone rose dramatically throughout the world in just three decades. Prices rose considerably, due to stronger demand, and increased scarcity. Many of the Mexican Opal mines that once were famous for yielding a constant and rich supply of high quality Mexican opal are no longer producing, and many of the new mines working today rarely meet expectations. These are some of the reasons why this Gem is so RARE, and not commonly seen. Unfortunately, high quality stable material is not easily found, and this is why it is so treasured by collectors.

Pieces with color change or fire are valued in order of the brightness that they generate as follows :

Brightness	Description
Faint	Shows play of color only under direct sunlight
Dull	Shows some color under low light but under direct sunlight the fire is dull.
Bright	Shows fair color under low light and very nice fire under indirect sunlight.
Very Bright	Shows good color under low light and sharp crisp color under indirect sunlight.
Brilliant	Shows exceptionally bright crisp color under indirect sunlight and often shows even brighter in subdued light

We specialize in Mexican opal, and take the vital and timely precautions to insure the Opal we sell is STABLE (unless otherwise clearly stated), and that the polish & cut, of all our Mexican Opal is Ideal, & free of any scratches,. This superb quality control is our mark, & can only be attained by the Most Experienced Mexican Opal cutters, and connoisseurs.

We hope that your visit to our distinctive Opal Collection on line, will give you a vivid glimpse into the diverse spectrum of color and activity, that abounds in Mexican Opal, and likely inspire you to collect some.

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