0.84 Ct. Fire Opal from Mexico

This listing presents a single transparent Fire Opal, weighing 0.84 carat, cut to an oval outline with exact dimensions of 7.31 by 6.08 by 4.16 millimeters, offered by The Natural Gemstone Company. The piece displays a vivid orange body color, transparent clarity, and an overall visual character that combines intense saturation with excellent light transmission. The gem has been evaluated at eye level and carries a clarity grade of very slightly included, which indicates minute internal features that do not obstruct the visual pathways of light through the stone. No enhancements have been applied, and the origin is documented as Mexico, a well known source for high quality fire opals with pure body color and consistent transparency.

The faceting is a mixed brilliant style engineered for oval proportions, where a brilliant facet arrangement on the crown is paired with a more controlled pavilion architecture to balance color saturation and light return. The oval length to width ratio calculates to approximately 1.20, presenting a classic slightly elongated profile that lends itself to both solitaire and multi stone settings. The total depth of 4.16 millimeters yields a depth to average diameter ratio of approximately 62 percent, a proportion selected to maximize internal reflection without overdeepening the pavilion. Facet junctions are executed with tight meeting points and uniform facet sizes across the crown, creating a network of small mirror planes that promote high frequency scintillation under point lighting, while the pavilion geometry directs light back through the crown in controlled flashes, enhancing perceived brilliance.

From a materials science perspective the Fire Opal achieves its distinctive sparkle through a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, and the cutting strategy employed here accentuates both. Unlike precious opals that exhibit play of color through ordered silica sphere diffraction, Mexican Fire Opal primarily exhibits body color that is intensified by clean transmission and surface reflections. The mixed brilliant configuration leverages the opal matrix refractive properties by adopting crown angles and pavilion slopes that are optimized for the opal refractive index range, resulting in efficient internal reflection and minimal light leakage. High polish quality reduces surface scattering, allowing specular highlights to dominate, and the transparent nature of this stone permits deeper optical penetration before reflection, producing layered flashes of saturated orange that appear to emanate from within the gem rather than merely from the surface.

The combination of very slightly included clarity, vivid color intensity, and excellent polish produces a visual effect that is technically superior for faceted fire opals. In practical terms the minor inclusions observed at eye level are localized and composed primarily of fluid or microscopic mineral remnants, they act as points of contrast that can increase scintillation without compromising structural integrity. The excellent polish facilitates crisp facet reflections and clean facet junctions, resulting in tight scintillation patterns and strong contrast between bright and dark facet areas when the gem is moved under light. For the connoisseur or lapidary minded buyer this specimen offers a precisely executed balance between color saturation, optical performance, and durability for typical wear in rings or pendants, while requiring standard opal care given the material hardness. This Fire Opal from Mexico embodies the technical refinement and natural characteristics that collectors and designers seek, and it is offered with full provenance and the craftsmanship standards of The Natural Gemstone Company.