Blue Opal Crystal Guide: meaning, origin & properties
Learn what Blue Opal is, where ours comes from, traditional associations across cultures, and how to identify a real specimen, in our complete Blue Opal Crystal Guide.
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These are AA-grade Andean Blue Opal tumbled stones from Acari, Peru, sold by the piece or by the pound. This is true common opal in sky-to-teal blue with natural white matrix, not manmade opalite glass. Each piece runs 0.25-0.75 inch at Mohs 5.5-6.5, bought directly at the source. A favorite emotional healing stone for gifting.
Andean Blue Opal is a mineraloid (not a true crystalline mineral) composed of amorphous hydrated silica, with a Mohs hardness of 5.5 to 6.5. The blue color comes from trace copper compounds and other minerals.
AA grade material shows cleaner color saturation and fewer matrix inclusions than A grade.
On the market, watch for opalite (manmade glass) and synthetic opals that mimic the look but lack the natural color variation and inclusions.
Andean Blue Opal is traditionally associated with emotional healing, stress relief, gentle intuition, and confident communication. Many people work with this stone for soft processing of difficult emotions, calm under pressure, and finding their voice in situations that feel overwhelming.
The smaller size makes these well-suited for jewelry wire-wrapping, crystal grids, or keeping in a pocket.
These are traditional associations drawn from historical practice. This stone is not a substitute for medical or mental health care.
Offered as a starting point for your own practice.
Andean Blue Opal sits at 5.5-6.5 on the Mohs scale, about as hard as glass, so it handles daily use but will scratch against harder stones. Long soaks dull the surface, so keep any water contact brief and dry it fully.
Natural andean blue opal from Acari, Peru. No dye and no stabilizing resin. The blue is natural, which is exactly why color varies from piece to piece.
You'll receive pieces from the same batch photographed, weighed to the amount you choose. Every piece passes our quality control and meets or exceeds what you see in the photos. Single specimens are listed separately and say so.
Each piece measures 0.25 to 0.75 inches on its longest side and weighs 1 to 5 grams. About 120 to 200 pieces per pound at this size, and each option shows its piece count.
Grade AA. Even blue color, limited matrix, and a clean tumble polish. Each piece is 0.25 to 0.75 inches, small enough to carry. Grades reflect visual quality within a batch. A is standard, with typical inclusions. AA shows stronger color, cleaner surfaces and tighter sizing. AAA is the top 10 to 15 percent of a batch. Every lot is inspected and graded by our team in Rockville, Maryland, not taken on the supplier’s word.
Acari, Peru. Peru is the primary commercial source for blue Andean opal. It came to us through a direct source, one of the sourcing models we publish and stand behind.
Every lot is inspected and graded by our expert team before it is listed, not taken on the supplier's word. AA on this listing means stronger color, cleaner surfaces and tighter sizing than the batch average. Pieces that miss the mark never reach the shop.
How We GradeWe work directly with the mine or workshop, with no intermediaries in between. The relationship is personal, pricing is transparent, and we can speak to each batch. We say what we know and where our tracing stops.
Our Sourcing StandardsEverything we sell is natural in origin: never synthetic, never dyed, never coated. Where a stone has been heated, irradiated or stabilized, which is common in the trade for some species, we say so on the listing. If a piece is not as described, return it within 90 days of delivery.
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