An Andes Opal Heart for Valentine’s Day

by Barbara Jacquin.
(Uzes in the south of France)

On a recent trip to Peru I had made up my mind to bring back some Andes opals. I knew they were abundant in the area and set out to find some for my jewelry projects.

Pink Andes Opal Pendant with Silver Neck Collar

Asking around didn’t yield much information, so I began to poke around on side streets and in local markets. I soon realized that these beauties were exported to other countries where they would be transformed into cabochons of different shapes.

Finally I stumbled (literally) upon a seller with several cabs in lovely pale blues, pale greens and this beautiful pale pink one.

Back home in France, the cab sat on my work bench for days, pining away to be set in silver.

The result was this pendant which looks for the world like a heart because of the unusual bail, curving gracefully over the gem.

Pink Andes Opal Pendant

I see the pendant as the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, don’t you?

Barbara Jacquin
Barbara Jacquin’s Shop