Opal-AN (Hyalite Opal) (''Blood Vessel Opal'')

Item Description

A cool rare gem from this small discovery dating back to 2016. This stone was cut from rough that was collected by a friend of ours who is working a claim with a few of the locals for this unique Opal. This "Round Brilliant" cut stone is what used to be called "Hyalite Opal", but now more technically is defined as Opal-AN. The stone is translucent in areas, but the most important aspect of the piece is the fact that it features red "capillary"-like inclusions of iron oxide which as given this material the nickname "Blood Vessel Opal" or "Vascular Opal". This material is specifically an amorphous (often colorless) form of Opal that is found in spherical aggregates, that are often intergrown or stacked with a "bead"-like appearance. The listing on mindat.org states that "The "A" in the name stands for amorphous; the subscript "N" is to imply its structure is network-like similar to silica glass; however, it still contains about 3-8% water". If you look closely you can see the tiny inclusions that have an almost organic appearance. Unique and interesting! We've never seen anything like it, and we were proud to be the first ones to bring it to the public. One of the great aspects of the material is that unlike a lot of Mexican Opal, and Opal in general for that matter, this particular Opal is incredibly durable and strong, and doesn't fall apart, crumble or chip apart when cut and / or polished. It's not often that we see such richly colored Hyalite, and considering it's from a new and very limited discovery, it's a great opportunity to purchase something that nobody else has right now. Don't miss out on this beautiful and rare gem of this well-known Opal variety.