DENDRITE OPAL Dendritic Opal (or Moss Opal) is the name given to any common opal with tree or fern like silicates or manganese oxides. The stones more popular marketing title is Merlinite (i..e the Crystal Bible). According to the Oxford Dictionary the word Dendrite refers to a a natural tree-like or moss-like marking on a rock or mineral. Common Opal is Silica that has no uniformed structure. Dendritic Opal has no play of colour so is therefore a boulder opal or an agate/chalcedony. The magnaese oxide, which is the black part of the stone, is an excellent balance to the white. This stone is very popular because of the black and white contrasting colours The best stone is mined in the northern part of Kazakhstan, one of the former soviet republics. This stone looks especially good if it is cut as a thin cabochon, when the trees are distinctly seen on the semi- transparent background. In Australia there is a lot of this stone in rough at the Local Gemshows. The famous Russian jeweler Carl Faberge, who was the Supplier of the Russian Imperial Court from 1885 to 1916, used Dendritic Opal together with diamonds and other precious stones for his works.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 20:39:21 +0000
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