Blue opal can be found in deposits in Australia and across the Americas, but all pale in comparison to the stunning turquoise-colored pieces of the Andes. Peruvian blue opal often shows darker dendritic crystals across its surface, and interplay of two geological processes that produce a completely unique piece.

This pendant contains a Peruvian blue opal centerpiece mined from the most famous blue opal deposits in the world. This variety of opal lacks the iridescence of the gemstone, featuring instead a fixed deep blue color that captivates the eye.

The Peruvian Blue 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.

Each pendant has been photographed and listed separately. You can see all our currently available Peruvian Blue Opal Pendants in the collection below!

Unlike most gemstones, opal does not have a single crystalline lattice structure stretching throughout the material. Rather, opal is a collection of very tiny spheres of silicon dioxide which are packed together and compressed. Scientists estimate it takes up to five million years to form a single centimeter of natural opal.

The “fire” of opal is the result of diffraction as light passes through the silicon dioxide sphere within the stone. These spheres are aligned in an ordered network which continually diffracts the white light as it passes through each sphere and creates the shifting, brilliant colors we see. The result is a gemstone that shimmers in new colors at every angle.

Opal forms in areas where water comes in contact with sandstone and filters deep
into the Earth, picking up more silica along the way. This silica-rich solution settles into cracks, natural fractures in the rock, or even into fossilized organic material. Under the intense heat and pressure, most of the water evaporates leaving the silica behind.

Peruvian blue opal is a particularly striking form of blue opal known from South American deposits, hence its other name: Andean opal. Its consistency ranges from a milky translucence to a bold transparency that can be temporaily enhanced after emersion in water. Some pieces show brown dendrites scattered across their surface, branching crystals interacting with the gemstone base.