Fire opal appears the world over, but none can beat the striking colors of the Mexican variety. These blazing reds, oranges, and yellows are an enriched color that breathes through the gemstone like burning flame.

This pendant contains a Mexican fire opal centerpiece mined from the very deposits that enriched the Aztecs. The transparent structure offers an incredible view of the fiery hues that earned this opal its name.

The Mexican Fire Opal Pendant is set into a sterling silver backing and comes with an 18" silver chain. The necklace comes in a padded jewelry box and includes a small information card about the specimen. The card serves as the certificate of authenticity and can be found underneath the padded lining of the display box.

Two varieties of this necklace are available, a gemstone and a larger gem-in-matrix style. Each pendant has been photographed and listed separately. You can see all our currently available Mexican Fire Opal Pendants in the collection below!

Fire opal is found across the world but is best known from deposits in Mexico, particularly in Querétaro to the south. The gem adorned Aztec ceremonial objects and was called the “hummingbird stone” based on its vibrant iridescence. One of the most famous of these Aztec gems is the 35-carat Sun God Opal, carved in the shape of a human face and looted from a temple in the 16th century by conquistadors. 

Fire opals in this region tend to form in areas of volcanic rock, where silicate rich lava and water combine under intense pressure to form these fantastic red and orange gemstones.

The location of the opal deposits was lost in the violent colonization of the region but was rediscovered in the mid-nineteenth century and continues to be a productive source of the gem.

The Mexican variety is distinguished from other fire opals by its greater transparency and by its especially vibrant coloring.