Unusual Engagement Rings: The Fierce Fire Opal

Unusual engagement rings are coming back in a big way. Many celebrities have been seen sporting gemstone rings, choosing to bypass the classic diamond for something much more unique. Of all the stones, the opal is certainly one of the most spectacular. Many people believe their brilliance to be greater than the diamond’s, as the stone reflects the light to reveal a whole spectrum of different colours.

Your opal will never fail to surprise you, revealing new colours and patterns for years to come. Potential buyers who want something truly unique are attracted by the fact that no two opals are the same. You can truly state that the gemstone in your ring is one-of-a-kind.

The Fire Opal

This stone is Mexico’s national gemstone as that is where the majority of the opal deposits are located. The fire in its name refers to the stunning colour of the stone, ranging from vivid red to oranges and also bright yellows. It is an absolutely ideal choice when considering a stone which is unusual. Engagement rings with fire opals are rare and would make yours very original.

Opals are usually associated with play-of-colour, the brilliant colour flashes the stone reflects in the light. The wonderful rarity of fire opals is that there are versions of this stone which have both play-of-colour and are transparent or translucent.

The fire opal is an ancient stone formed in Mexican volcanoes. As with other opals, it is formed primarily by water. It is created when water drips into lava which then fills any hollows or seams in the volcano. As lava contains high amounts of silica, this combined with water creates a solid gel containing the remaining water. This is a fast process which gives fire opals their translucence, as opposed to other opals which have a longer period to settle and form their play-of-colour diffraction grids. Fire opals form a play-of-colour only very occasionally if they happen to form in a spot which has less heat and pressure.

Both types of the fire opal look very spectacular and unusual. Engagement rings that use this stone should really have a protective setting which will shield the edges of the opal, due to its high water base and relative softness.

The highest value fire opals are the transparent type, as this means the stone is most often faceted. This is an element which is very attractive to wearers as the stone not only has its dazzling depth of fiery colour but is also very sparkly, too. It is said that the sparkling fire opal often reminds people of a dancing flame. Many people love the idea of owning a gemstone formed purely by Mother Nature; they believe it gives their unusual engagement ring even deeper meaning.