What is Opalina?

Shop LC brings you rare and beautiful gems from across the globe. And, few are as scarce as opalina. A unique opalized blend of chrysocolla, opalina only occurs in Peru. The Andus mines produce this gem material. Opalina is blue to greenish blue in color. Often, gem material contains striking natural patterns – no two are alike! An opaque jewel, they are fashioned into cabochons.

Opalina earrings in sterling silver.

To build a several hours long event, the Shop LC team purchased many small parcels of gem material over a span of three years. Why? Opalina is rare. Our buying team purchased all the rough material from the only vendors selling it in Tucson. As new material became available on the market, Shop LC buyers were there to buy it. And, even with this active sourcing, it took several years of patient waiting.

Opalina earrings in sterling silver with chrome diopside accents.

Opalina is porous. Unfortunately, cutting this particular stone is very tough. The material is prone to breaking at nearly every step. Many potential gems were lost as this event was slowly crafted. This quality makes it difficult to cut. So, stones frequently undergo stabilization.

Three-stone opalina ring in sterling silver.

Only expert stone cutters have the skill to shape these jewels to Shop LC specifications. Their expertise helps guide them in unearthing the natural beauty of these gemstones, teasing the unique patterns of these gems to the surface.

Opalina earrings in floral pattern.

Discover beautiful opalina jewelry from Shop LC.

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