Wow!!! What A Find "The Leopard Opal"

THE NEW BLACK TIE GEM
Be sure to be one of the first to sport this fine unique Leopard Opal and  express your individuality. They are very rare and unique in any fine piece of jewelery for a Black Tie Affair...Would be Great for the Ladies in a Ring, Pendant or Brooch. For the Gentleman consider a set of Custom Cuff links or a Tie Pin.

Also as an Investment these are at a great price now and will only grow in value as time goes on $30 per carat. Available in Cab cuts in sizes from 2 carats to 30 carats. Very few people have seen. So make your statement.

Need more gemological information:

LEOPARD OPAL – A New Type of Mexican Opal

From the Ancient Mines of the Aztecs

Single Source Rare Variety of Opal

Leopard Opal is a variety of opalized vesicular basalt or Matrix Opal where the vesicles in the basalt have been filled with precious opal showing a strong colour pattern. Leopard Opal is a term that was coined during its reintroduced to the world gemstone markets at the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show in 1996 (Gems & Gemology, Gem News, Spring 1996, pp 54-55).   Prior to 1996 Leopard Opal was known to only a select few individuals and has not been commercially available to the world markets. In the mid 1960s Leopard Opal was sold as Basalt Opal with modest acceptance by the North American gem and mineral community. In Mexico it is erroneously referred to as Opalo Negro or Black Opal but is not at all like Australian Black Opal.

 

There is anecdotal and physical evidence in the academic literature that these Leopard Opal deposits had been worked in the State of Hidalgo in pre-Columbian times - possibly by the Aztecs.

In 2006 a comprehensive scientific article on Leopard Opal was written by Coenraads & Zenil (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2006, Vol XLII, pp. 236-246) that discussed the geology and mode of formation of the opals on the original discovery deposit in the State of Hidalgo in Mexico.  Subsequent to this discovery in 1965 other occurrences and potentially economic deposits of Leopard Opal have been discovered and are presently being exploited in the same vicinity.

In 2008 was the only known commercially producing Leopard Opal mine located in the State of Hidalgo in Mexico. This is a gemstone of significance because it occurs in substantial size blocks in volcanic rock making the Leopard Opal amenable to both polishing or faceting as well as suitable for gemstone carving and design work.  

The Leopard Opal deposit is also associated with rarer quantities of high quality solid precious opal similar to the traditional Mexican and Australian opal.

Why you should invest in Gems 3% of Hard Assets

I have put together a visual representation of the possiblities and worth of actual Collectable Fine Gems... Right Now the worlds elite are purchasing huge parcels of the finest gems. As an asset it will truly carry from One Generation to the Next... So make sure you put at least One Fine Natural Gem in your Pocket.

Missed Opportunity

This is a parcel of 7 - 10 carat each Mozambique Copper Bearing Tourmalines ... I had a chance to buy the parcel at $50 a carat . This is when the trade was calling the Pariaba Tourmalines from Brazil. I felt we should call them Mozambique, I spent a couple of weeks thinking about. I was to late... Now... I would be very lucky to get them at $2,500 a carat. The lesson is listen to your gut when it comes to gems, like the stock market things move up, but very rarely down in Fine GEMS.

This is our first official Blog

I would like to thank Barbara Mackie for selling me on the concept of having a blog. She also expressed that it is very important to show your passion. In my case it is Gems!

It was 7 years ago when I was bit by the the Gem bug, which was when my wife decided she wanted a colored stone. I was suprised when we traveled and looked around at jewellers and there was only the big four; diamonds, ruby's, sapphires and emeralds. (Did you know sapphires come in other colors than just blue?) As I started studying, I met and spoke with miners, gem brokers and gem traders from around the world. My passion and my contacts with gemologists continues to grow today and I am always looking for new sources of fine gems.

I look forward to this journey of sharing some of the most unique gems in the world with you.

REMEMBER: Keep a gem in your pocket and you will always see the best in people.