CURRENT OBSESSION

Besides pinecones.... I'm obsessed with raw opal. The pinecones are a little easier for me to obtain, but hopefully in the future I will own a piece of opal jewelry. Be careful though, a lot of opal out there today is synthetic. I want the real deal!

MAGIC ROCKS

Iceland Spar is a clear, transparent, colorless crystallized variety of calcite. It is best known for exhibiting the optical properties or double refraction...anything viewed through the crystal appears double. It was first found in Iceland, hence the name, but has been found in a few other areas such as New Mexico. It's used for many things including LCD screens and optical equipment. It has been linked to stories of it's use in viking navigation and has been dubbed the "Viking Sunstone." It is also believed that it has healing powers for migraine headaches. I might need to get one and test this theory.

MAGIC ROCKS

The Opal is an amorphous form of silica related to Quartz. It's not actually considered a mineral but a mineraloid, which is a mineral-like substance. It's internal structure makes it diffract light. Depending on the conditions in which it is formed determines what colors it will end up. Opal is the national gemstone of Australia, which also produces 97% of the worlds supply. When it comes to jewelry, beware of synthetic opal. When held under magnification, synthetic opal will have patches of color in a pattern such as lizard skin or chicken wire so be sure to inspect the gem carefully before purchasing.