Blue Andean Opal

Gemstone Quality Standard

About Blue Andean Opal

A Peruvian opal (also called blue opal) is a translucent to opaque blue-green stone found in Peru, which is often cut to include the matrix in the more opaque stones. It does not display a play of color.

Rarity

Andean Blue Opal is very rare.

Rarity

We are sourcing small amounts of Blue Andean Opal for custom cabochon cutting and for our own jewelry.

Quality-grades and color variations

1.) Top Quality – transparent to translucent, blue/green (sometimes dendritic)

2.) Uniform colored, milky blue/green

3.) Milky, blue/green

4.) Transparent to translucent, dendritic

5.a) Andean Blue Boulder Opal (blue layers in matrix)

5.b) Andean Blue Boulder Opal (blue layers in matrix)

You can buy our finished top-quality cabochons for jewelry makers.

National and international shipping from our US-based warehouse.

Buy your Blue Andean Opal Cabochons here

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Be aware of “fake” Andean Blue Opal

During our market study, we found several cabochons, sold as Blue Andean Opal, which are not Blue Andean Opal. In this case the word “fake” is not used to indicate an artificial stone, but the misleading act of selling something as Blue Andean Opal which is not. The picture shows a low-grade Boulder Pink Opal which was offered as Blue Andean Opal. Pink Boulder Opals are comparatively very cheap to source as rough rock. Polishing them and selling them for a much higher price as Andean Blue Opal must be taken as a scam.

Polishable

Andean Blue Opal can be polished to glass-finish.

Cutting Quality

Advantages:

Opal does not tend to break or chip. Experienced cutters therefore can obtain very sharp unchipped edges between the backside and bezel as well as between the bezel and dome.

Top-cutting-quality is characterized by:

a polished backside
a sharp unchipped edge between the backside and the bezel
a very straight and even highly polished bezel
a sharp unchipped edge between the bezel and the dome
a well-shaped dome, not showing any deformation
Top-quality polish

Pricing

Adequate pricing must take into account the cost factors to obtain top-quality cabochons:

Acquisition of top-grade Opal.
A usual material loss of approximately 90 % of the selected material during the cutting and shaping process.
The level of experience required by a cutter to produce a flawlessly shaped and highly polished cabochon.

You can buy our finished top-quality cabochons for jewelry makers.

National and international shipping from our US-based warehouse.

Buy your Andean Blue Opal Cabochons here

The data in this sheet has been compiled by reviewing a great number of websites and sales platforms.

Top Quality – transparent to translucent, blue/green (sometimes dendritic): Prices range from 10 to 60 USD per carat.

Milky, Light Blue – uniform colored or multi-colored: Prices range from 10 to 20 USD per carat.

Milky, translucent dendritic: Prices range from 10 to 25 USD per carat.

Blue Andean Boulder Opal: Prices range from 2 to 15 USD per carat

Cutting quality:

Overall good but not excellent

Quality Grading

Like in other stones, the grading is not based on any logic or real characteristics but is a marketing trick to increase the price. Boulder Opals are frequently promoted as AAA+ Blue Andean Opals.

Cutting Quality:

Straight bezel (minor irregularities possible), 3 mm high
Perfect dome (3-5 mm high)
Edges between bezel and dome, as well as bezel and backside: sharp and crispy, minor chips on lower edge possible
Backside flat at 280 grit, unpolished

Pricing:

Blue Andean Boulder Opal. Recommended Retail Price: 9 USD per carat

Cutting Quality:

Straight bezel, 3 mm high
Flat and perfect dome (3 mm high)
Edges between bezel and dome, as well as bezel and backside: sharp and crispy, minor chips on lower edge possible but very rare.
Backside flat, at 280 grit

Pricing:

Top Quality – transparent to translucent, blue/green (sometimes dendritic). Recommended Retail Price: 60.- USD per carat

Milky, Light Blue – uniform colored or multi-colored. Recommended Retail Price: 15.- USD per carat

Milky, translucent dendritic. Recommended Retail Price: 25.- USD per carat

Blue Andean Boulder Opal. Recommended Retail Price: 15.- USD per carat

AA+: add 1 USD/c if you buy cabochons with polished backside

Cutting Quality:

Only cut by our best master cutters
Straight bezel, 3 mm high
Flat and perfect dome (1-3 mm high)
Edges between bezel and dome, as well as bezel and backside: sharp and crispy, no chips on lower edge.
Backside flat, polished to 3000 grit

Pricing:

Top Quality – transparent to translucent, blue/green (sometimes dendritic). Recommended Retail Price: 70.- USD per carat

Milky, Light Blue – uniform colored or multi-colored. Recommended Retail Price: 25.- USD per carat

Milky, translucent dendritic. Recommended Retail Price: 30.- USD per carat

Blue Andean Boulder Opal. Recommended Retail Price: 25.- USD per carat

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Cutting services

Do you need reliable high-quality cutting services for a reasonable price? Are you looking for a service provider that is willing to develop new products according to your requirements? Would you like to get expert advice in order to improve your product? Do you wish for someone to optimize the process and get the most out of your rough? Just talk to us.