This Aguascalientes Fire Agate cabochon, nearly round at 10.5 x 10 x 4 mm and weighing 6.1 carats, is ideal for jewelry mounting. It features a striking play of colors including orange, green, gold, and blue, with strong light refraction under quality lighting. The polished, flat-backed stone is prepared for final setting or display in a gemstone collection. Its photos were captured indoors under dry conditions to best highlight the internal fire.
This fire agate gemstone comes from the Calvillo Fire Agate (Agata De Fuego) mines located in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Renowned for their quality, these mines yield fire agates exhibiting a diverse range of rainbow colors, including reds, greens, purples, and blues.
The vibrant colors in fire agates result from the Schiller effect, similar to that seen in mother-of-pearl and opals. This phenomenon occurs due to alternating layers of silica and iron oxide that diffract light, producing the characteristic color interference known as fire. Optimal lighting is essential to fully appreciate this effect, as many fire agates appear darker or brownish in dim conditions.
Aguascalientes Mexico is known for producing quality fire agate gemstones, celebrated for their mesmerizing play of color and intricate internal banding. The fire agate rough from Aguascalientes is a treasure trove of fire agate beauty for collectors and carvers which prize this locality for its rough specimens. Mexican fire agate rough often features these traits: Multiple stacked layers of limonite fire banding, creating dynamic flashes of red, orange, green, purple, and even electric blue. Some pieces from this area have a very dark colored chalcedony, which provides a striking difference from the colorful fire layers and enhances the carving potential. These natural features make Aguascalientes fire agate ideal for lapidary artists, who seek material that allows for high contrast gemstones, which help reveal the stone’s full spectrum of fiery brilliance.
