From: MINERS AND CUTTERS OF PERU BLUE OPAL-LIMA, PERU
Email: lshorowitz@yahoo.com
PERUVIAN BLUE OPAL IS NOW BEING DYED IN BEADS AS WELL AS IMITATED BY UNSCROUPOULOUS CUTTERS AND DEALERS FROM OVERSEAS IE INDIA AND CHINA AND BEING SOLD IN THE USA, ETC. THE IMITATIONS INCLUDE BRAZILIAN DYED AGATE BEING SOLD AS IN BEADS, ETC AS 'PERUVIAN BLUE OPAL' OR PERUVIAN BLUE OPAL-chalcedony' or "peruvain chalcedony" WE AS MINERS AND CUTTERS FROM PERU BLUE OPAL IN LIMA ARE WARNING PEOPLE ONLY DEAL WITH LEGITMANT SOURCES OR YOU WILL END UP WITH DYED BEADS, IMITATION SYNTHETICS OR DYED CHALCEDONY FROM BRAZIL, ETC BEING DOLS AS PERU BLUE OPAL
REASONS FOR THIS FRAUD BY OVERSEAS CUTTERS AND UNSCROUPLOUS DEALERS IN THE USA, ETC-
there are shortages of blue opal in peru due to the Influx of India and Chinese comapnies deamdning rough of high quality that is unavaible. MIne runs in which no color or little if any color is in the materials is being dyed in India and China and being sold as natural or synthetics are being sold ie victoris stone, et el or brazilain dyed chalcedony(agate) is being used and sold as Peruvian Blue Opal. Currently porices of decent color commercial goods of first quality blue opal for cabs and beads is running $100 to $175 per kilo from the mines. It is impossible to make an aqua-blue topaz color bead as seen on ebay and being sold in tuscon and at gem shows at $13.00 to $20.00 per strand based on prices of rough materials. This material in beads, et el is mine run whittish materials that are dyed and often people are lied to that it is natural blue opal or that it can be representated as " acid washed" material which is dyed !! Be very carefull and deal with miners cutters such as ourselves only r the real Peruvian Carribean Blue Green Opal. We expect that these same poeple overseas will also be doing soon the same to pink opal just as what is going on in the markets with real amethyest and citrine versus syntheics, hydrothermals, iridation of quartz and heated amethyest.
THIS MESSAGE SHOUDL GO OUT TO EVERYONE DEALING IN PERUVIAN BLUE OPAL- contact us at lshorowitz@yahoo.com and contact the Federal Trade Commision, the American Opal Society and the American Gem Traders Society and the Police regarding these massive frauds and misrepresentation of Peruvian Blue Opal
Lee Horowitz,M.Ed,CAGS