Blue Dendritic Opal

Item Description

Opal chemically is essentially Quartz with attached water molecules, and Quartz is one of the most "inclusion friendly" gems out there. This stone is what is known as Dendritic Opal with inclusions of Manganese oxide or Iron oxide. The word Dendritic comes from the Greek word "dendros" meaning tree, as the inclusions in these stones typically resemble plant life. This gem has some classic black inclusions floating inside a soft blue color host gem. The inclusions appear slightly golden in hue when the gem is backlit. The stone was somewhat difficult to photograph, but it really is beautiful up close. It has a simple "Sail Cabochon" cut, and is one of the more unique gems of this material that I have encountered. Valued at $185.75 high retail. Enjoy.