Black Spinel 3mm Natural Round - 15-16 Inch Strawberry Quartz This variety of opal is

This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns

Von Prehn discovered the stone in South Africa in 1774

This makes sapphires very durable and scratch-resistant

while retaining the structure of the wood

however they are not currently sourced from this region

Black Spinel 3mm Natural Round - 15-16 Inch Strawberry Quartz This variety of opal isSpinel is a hard vitreous magnesium aluminum oxide, and comes in a range of other colors, but those varieties are transparent. Black Spinel not only has the dark color, but it is opaque as well, rendering its black especially deep and mysterious. Sometimes called the "Black Prince's Ruby" for its role in the English crown. It has been mistaken for ruby and sapphire at times, but can be distinguished by its structure and its lower relative hardness.