Nat Blue Opal

Nat Blue Opal From India 4.78 CT 

Natural blue opal is a captivating mineraloid featuring soothing pastel-to-ocean blue hues. Prices vary dramatically depending on whether it is "common" (no color play) or "precious" (exhibits fire), typically ranging from $2 to over $1,000 per carat depending on origin and clarity.

Key Characteristics & Varieties

Peruvian Blue Opal: Sourced from the Andes mountains, this is a semi-opaque to opaque common opal with a beautiful teal or sea-glass appearance. It rarely shows play-of-color. 

Australian (Lightning Ridge) Blue Opal: Highly prized precious opals that feature intense blue body tones combined with vibrant, flashing "fire" (play-of-color). 

Owyhee Blue Opal: Found in Oregon, USA, these stones display soothing light to dark pastel blue tones without play-of-color.

Paraiba Opal: A rare, vibrant neon blue-green variety found in Brazil that closely resembles the color of sea glass.

Gemstone Properties

Composition: Hydrated silica spheres that refract light, giving the stone its signature blue scattering effect.

Hardness: Ranks between 5 and 6.5 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a relatively soft, delicate stone (similar to turquoise) that is best suited for earrings, pendants, or protected bezel-set rings.

Metaphysical: Believed by holistic healers to aid in communication, emotional balance, and relaxation