This all natural piece of Deer Creek fire agate rough weighs 6.58 grams and measures 1 x 7/8 x 5/8 inches. Its surface features a good sized exposed fire agate gem, making it a good specimen for display or suitable for cutting into a finished fire agate gemstone.
Deer Creek, Arizona, is well known for producing high quality fire agate gemstones that display bright and vivid red, orange, green, purple and blue color variations. The stones from Deer Creek rank high on the list of desired collected gemstones, mineral specimens and fire agate rough lapidary material.
The photographs shown highlight the stone’s natural characteristics under both artificial full spectrum indoor lighting and natural sunlight, shown dry and wet to mimic a polished surface for best visual display. The vibrant colors within fire agates arise from the Schiller effect, like what is seen in mother-of-pearl and opals. This phenomenon results from alternating layers of silica and iron oxide that diffract light, creating the interference patterns known as fire. Optimal lighting enhances this color play, while in dimmer conditions the fire agates may appear less vivid and appear darker with a brownish hue.
This stone is a natural specimen and may exhibit typical imperfections inherent to itsformation or arising from the rigors of the hard rock mining extraction process.
Deer Creek is well known for producing exceptionally vibrant fire agate gemstones, celebrated for their mesmerizing play of color and intricate internal banding. The fire agates from Deer Creek are a treasure trove of beauty for collectors and carvers which prize this locality for its mesmerizing gemstones, high quality rough and exquisite mineral specimens. The fire agate often display brillant vivid flashes of bright red, orange, green, purple, and blue colors. The uncut rough specimens often feature opal formations created during the geologic formation process. Many Deer Creek pieces have a protective chalcedony cap which preserves the vivid fire layers beneath and enhances the carving potential. These natural features make Deer Creek fire agate ideal for lapidary artists who seek material that allows for deep carving and a high contrast polish which reveals the stone’s full spectrum of fiery brilliance.
