We call our opal "Tucson Blue" as most of the stones are sky blue. We also want people to recognize the area from which it comes, Southern Arizona.

This opal is volcanic in origin, which makes it harder and more durable than other opal. Most opal is sedementary opal. Our opal is almost agate hard which is an important factor in durability. This opal was formed by hydrothermal activity--the geysers in Yellowstone Park, if all the conditions are right, are making opal right now, and in another 100,000 years we might find opal in Yellowstone Park. Tucson Blue stones range in color from a very pale blue to a very dark blue , similar to the Lightning Ridge black opal from Australia. Stones will have red yellow blue and green --sometimes purple play of color. This opal does not have the water content that makes other opal delicate.

Tucson Blue Opal is very different from other opal in several ways; the color of the stone is sky blue, and most of the stones are NOT translucent, they are opaque. Tucson Blue is harder than most opal, registering between a 6 and 7 on the MOH hardness scale. Tucson Blue is rare. It only occurs in a small area in Southern Arizona. We are the only people actively mining the gem and at this time production is limited.

"This doesn't look like any opal I've ever seen"