FIRE!! What icon can I make to interpret this concept? I love building fires anywhere: at a beach, a campsite, in a fireplace. I thought, “Should I use an opal for the glowing core of the fire? Yes, there was one that had been lingering in my safe for a while.” This decided the concept for the FIRE project, which came together quickly. I started with a sketch, and then came fabrication of the pieces. I formed a back plate to cradle the opal, which all of the elements were soldered and welded to. Small bezel set diamonds added the sparks of the fire. When I had purchased this Andamooka opal in one of the tents at the Tucson Gem Show from an Australian dealer I knew it was definitely my lucky day! The stone was so lustrous, well carved, and large for such an incredibly low price. This is what we go to Tucson for, after all! Soon afterwards I learned that “Andamooka” was not the name of an opal mine but a process – one that increases the intensity of luster and color in an opal. The stone gets soaked in sugar water and then heated until the sugar burns and turns into coal thus intensifying the fire in the opal. If properly disclosed it is a legitimate process that delivers a permanent result. So, I had not won the lottery; I had just paid a fair price for this stone. Rescued from the depths of my safe this opal, treated by fire, inspired a beautiful FIRE piece! Barbara Heinrich FIRE 72