Blue Fire Agate Double Braid Bracelet

Description

A variety of chalcedony, Fire Agate is a semi-precious gemstone discovered so far only in certain areas of cental and northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, (New Mexico, Arizona, and California). During the Tertiary Period, approximately 24-36 million years ago, these areas were sujected to massive volcanic activity – fire agates were formed during this period when hot water, saturated with silica and iron oxide, repeatedly filled cracks and bubbles in the surrounding rock.

Fire agates have beautiful iridescent rainbow colors, similar to opal, with a hardness between 5 and 7 Mohs, which reduces the occurrence of scratching. The iridescent rainbow colors found within are created by the Schiller effect as found in mother-of-pearl, caused by the alternating silica and iron oxide layers allowing light to pass and form an interference of colors within the mico-structure layering of the stone causing the fire effect.

Agate gemstones have been values all over the world for thousands of years, with archaeological evidence of their cultural significance dating back to the Neolithic Era. The name “Agate” comes from the Greek philosopher Theophrastus who named the stone for the Achates River, (now named Dirillo River).