These amazing clusters were from a then, new find from the Kullu pass in India. When I first opened these up from my supplier, I was kind of wondering what the fuss was about … and then the light hit the crystals and they were on fire! Colors appeared all over the faces … fiery colors of every shade in the rainbow! I explored them with a loupe and the fire was even more intense! I think you will be stunned as I was! My supplier and I have pondered over how these amazing little crystals developed such fire and testing has been inconclusive. Near as we can tell, they have had an overlay of rainbow opal (aka precious opal). Precious opal is closely related to quartz – quartz is silicon dioxide and opal is hydrated silicon dioxide. Lots of chemistry, but the major difference is that opal is non-crystalline and is known for the way it refracts light. If you look closely under the loupe, you can see that there is an opalescent kind of reverse-phantom layer on top of the quartz, sometimes just a thin layer and others, it’s maybe a fraction of a mm or two thick. With the glaciers receding in the Kullu pass, Mother Earth is sharing her treasures and oh what a treasure this is! This petite, moonglow cluster is 1.9 oz and 2” by 1.5” by 0.9” and is one of the ‘silvery moon’ clusters. Her colors tend towards the cooler shades (blue, teal, green, hot violet) although there are flashes of the rest but, all beneath that frosting as if they were more a winter moon … the entire effect is pearly and positively breathtaking. Because the crystals are arranged in various angles, it is difficult to see the colors unless you move the cluster around in the light. Try sitting in the sun with her and watching the colors come alive! Her base is a golden healer stained and she is elegant and wondrous!

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Pearly Moon Opal Radiance Quartz Cluster