Mexican Cantera Opal Cabochon - Jalisco, Mexico Stalactite glowing green hues

glowing green hues

These polished stones are more likely to be heated after extraction from the earth

Because these are completely natural stones shaped by expert lapidaries

displaying a rich palette of mossy forest greens

In regular daylight

Mexican Cantera Opal Cabochon - Jalisco, Mexico Stalactite glowing green huesIve always been fascinated by how certain minerals look when they are left partially embedded in their host rock, and this Mexican Cantera Opal Cabochon is a perfect example of that natural contrast. In Spanish, "Cantera" translates to quarry or stone, which refers to the pinkish tan rhyolite matrix that surrounds the precious opal. Instead of being cut out as a traditional gemstone, these specimens are shaped and polished so that the opal sits like a