Up, Up, and Away

Imagine relying on gusts of wind to navigate your car from home to the grocery store and back. It would seem an impossible task, but high above the streets of Albuquerque, New Mexico, this is exactly how hot air balloons get around.

Without a direct steering mechanism, hot air balloons are largely at the mercy of the winds, destined to drift where the current carries them. Pilots make the winds work forthem by changing altitude to catch different layers that blow in various directions, and by using propane burners to rise and air vents to descend.

In New Mexico, there is a rare atmospheric glitch that creates a meteorological phenomenon known as the ‘Albuquerque Box’. Colder air from the mountain ranges that surround Albuquerque flows down into the Rio Grande Valley, where the city is nestled, creating an invisible meridian of cooler, denser air that flows south at low altitudes, and warmer air that flows north at higher altitudes. Think of it as two tunnels of air moving in opposite directions, allowing balloons to fly in a loop and then land in the same 78-acre launch field they departed from. This is a rarity in the ballooning world, where typical landings are miles away from departure points. As the only place on earth to feature this natural wind circuit, Albuquerque has earned its title of ‘ballooning capital of the world.’

But this predictable stadium in the sky doesn’t happen year-round, or even all day, for that matter. In fact, it primarily manifests in the early morning hours toward the beginning of October, so it makes sense that the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is scheduled during this time of the year.

Getting an early start is also a requirement for pilots who want to take advantage of the stratified skies to fly up and back in a graceful skyward loop (the true art of drifting up, up, and away…and back). That’s because, as the day goes on, the sun and ground temperatures rise, and all of those perfectly positioned ‘box’ layers begin to blend, dissipating the formerly predictable conditions.

On cool, fall mornings during the fiesta, voyagers and spectators alike can witness the mass ascension of colorful balloons as they rise upwards through the pink and blue layers of the sky, traveling in a looping pattern before making a gentle landing at the same spots where they began.

And for those who stick around after sunset, a magical glowing scene unfolds as pilots keep their balloons tethered to the ground, igniting their propane burners in harmony for the ‘Balloon Glow’ where each aerial vessel transforms into a magnificent luminous orb.

This dawn-to-dusk (yes, in that order) spectacle is captured within our latest creation, the Up Australian Opal Necklace. The opal’s striated bands of teal and green resemble a snapshot of the atmosphere trapped in stone, while its play-of-color flashes like the fiery lanterns after dark. Its carefully curated ombré halo of sapphires reminds us of the mass ascension of colorful balloons, their beautiful journey ripe with both chance and intention, and the promise of a safe return home.