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PERUVIAN OPAL, CHIPS, 10 MM

PRODUCT CODE: PRLCHP0010


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16 1/2 Inch strand of Natural Peruvian Opal beads. Each smooth chip is approximately 10 mm.

Minimum quantity to add this item to cart is 1

Mix and Match Prices	1-9	10-19	20-49	50+

As low as $50.00 Per Strand	$60.64	$55.13	$52.50	$50.00

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Peruvian opal Beads
Peruvian opal, mined in the Peruvian Andes, is also hydrous silica gel. It differs from precious opal in that it has no fire or play of color. Rather, Peruvian opals come in gentle pastel tones of aquamarine, sea-green, pink and tan. These opals range from opaque to translucent, and depending on how the stone is cut, the color will either be clear or show the stone’s matrix and inclusions. (Like agates, some Peruvian opals show the scenic fern-like dendritic inclusions.) Peruvian opal is also known as Andean opal
Mined as thick veins in host rocks, the green-blue Peruvian opal’s color comes from trace amounts of copper. The pink opal derives its color from trace amounts of included organic compounds known as quinones.
In pre-Hispanic Peru, the ancient Incas considered these opals sacred to the Earth goddess Pachamama. Pachamama, who is still worshipped in Peru, has always been known as a generous deity, the goddess of fertility and good luck. Peruvian opal, which is considered a gift from the goddess as well as part of her domain, has a long history of use in ceremonial objects and jewelry.
The name opal originated with the Sanskrit upala, which means precious stone. The Greek derivative opallios means “to see a change in color. The Romans called it cupid paederos, “child beautiful as love,” and ancient Arabic writings explained that opals contained bits of lightning that the stones absorbed when lightning struck the ground. The Mayas and Aztecs called it “bird of paradise stone” and “hummingbird stone.”
Opal is hardened silica gel—or a hydrated form of silica. It occurs in veins in volcanic rocks or it fills cavities in arid, sedimentary areas, and is most commonly found in sandstone, rhyolite, limonite, and basalt. It also forms stalactites and stalagmites and can replace organic matter in fossilized wood, bone and shell. Because its internal structure is not crystalline, opal is considered a mineraloid, rather than a mineral.
Mineralogists divide opals into three groups: the precious opals, which show opalescence--flashes of color (iridescence); the yellow-red fire opals; and the common (or “potch”) opals. All opals contain water, though the amount of water varies. Visually, the three groups are dramatically different from each other, as they have quite different physical properties.