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Opal - The Queen of Gems

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Opal Gemstones

Opal has been called "The Queen of Gems". This page will explore the beauty, history, science and mystique of Opals. Opals have been one of the world's favorite gemstones for centuries. But it is unlike any other gemstone in its structure and complexity. Its beauty comes not from its clarity or sparkle but from the way that light bounces off of its unique microscopic structure creating a "play of light" that is called opalescence. This opalescence, often referred to as fire makes every opal unique. Not only is every opal unique, but it changes moment to moment. As a precious opal is moved in the light the colors change and shift, blink off and on, sparkle and dance within the stone.

Opal is found in many places throughout the world. But gem quality opal is only found in significant quantities in a few countries. The most important opal mining regions are in Australia, Mexico, Peru, Brazil and most recently Ethiopia.

Precious opals are described by their base color and their fire patterns and color. Opals with very dark base color are called black opal and, other things being equal, are generally more valuable. Fire patterns are described by such terms as, ""broad flash, pinfire or harlequin.

The range and variety of opals is endless and an opal enthusiast can spend a lifetime learning, collecting and just appreciating them. This page is as good a place as any to start.

What is an Opal Doublet?

An opal doublet is a gemstone made up of a layer of gem opal bonded to a layer of dark colored stone, usually Australian ironstone. The stone is then cut into a cabochon and polished. The benefits of the doublet are that a thinner piece of opal can be used and the backing stone gives it added depth and strength. Also, the black background makes the colors of the opal stand out more and look brighter, like a much more expensive opal. So you can own an opal that looks like a very expensive opal for much less money. Opal Doublets

What is an Opal Triplet?

An Opal triplet, as the name would suggest, has three layers. It has the backing layer of dark colored stone, usually ironstone, then the opal layer and then a clear layer, which is usually quartz but sometimes acrylic. The dark colored backing stone gives the gem added depth and strength and also makes the colors of the opal stand out more and look brighter. Opal is a relatively soft stone. The quartz top is very hard and gives the stone added resistance to scratches and chips. The final result is a very vivid, very durable opal at an affordable price. Opal Triplets

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A New Opal From Africa

Amazing Opal from Welo, Ethiopia

Recently, there has been a lot of excitement about a new opal find in the Welo (sometimes spelled Wello or Wollo) region of Ethiopia in East Africa. And with good reason! This amazing opal was just discovered in 2008 and is considered to be the most stable opal found in that country. Opal had been found previously in the Shewa region of Ethiopia. It is often very beautiful but has a reputation for being unstable (prone to cracking or crazing). This Welo opal takes a little patience and practice to cut properly, but once cut has proven to be every bit as stable as Australian opal. The fire is generally extremely bright, usually 4 to 5 on the 5 point brightness scale! They display the full spectrum of colors with red being very prevalent. They also display a wide range of fire patterns and base colors. If you look closely at the opal pictured, it shows an unique feature sometimes seen in Welo opals. It shows an internal cellular pattern sometimes called honeycomb. This structure is apart from the base color or the fire pattern. You'll also notice that it has a bi-colored base, being amber colored on the right side and translucent milky white on the other side.
The opal material from Welo is usually hydrophane. This is an interesting characteristic, which basically means that it can absorb a lot of water. When dry hydrophane opal is soaked in water, it causes the base color to clear up...sometimes highlighting the play-of-color, sometimes making it vanish! So the opal mat have an opaque white base when dry, but after getting wet, it may be crystal clear. If soaked in water, it can take from a few hours to two weeks to completely dry out and return to it original state. But don't worry, in time it will. Do not try to accelerate the drying by any artificial means like a lamp, for it could cause cracking. The price of this opal has risen dramatically and well may continue to do so. The Ethiopian government has taken control of the mines and is controlling most all of the material coming onto the market now. On the right is a picture of a piece of Welo opal rough.
Anyone who loves and appreciates opals is sure to fall in love with Welo opals. They can be mesmerizing! The colors can be almost unbelievably bright. They show an endless variety of base colors, patterns and colors.

What is Boulder Opal

Boulder opal is the term used to describe a non-opal stone that has veins or patches of opal in it. Usually it is a hard sandstone material referred to as Ironstone. It comes from many areas of Australia, most notably, Queensland, Koroit or Yowah. Some pieces display spectacular patterns of earth tone colored ironstone swirled with fiery gem opal. If properly cut and polished they make beautiful pendants. They are sometimes cut into cabochons or often baroque freeforms. You can see some more Boulder Opals Here

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Books About Opals

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Opal Identification & Value (Rocks, Minerals and Gemstones) by Paul B. Downing

Opal Identification & Value (Rocks, Minerals and Gemstones) by Paul B. Downing

The world standard is back by popular demand! This more...1 point

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Opal Cutting Made Easy (Jewelry Crafts) by Paul B. Downing

Opal Cutting Made Easy (Jewelry Crafts) by Paul B. Downing

Within these pages you will successfully learn to more...1 point

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Opal & Gemstone Jewelry: Cutting*Designing*Setting by Paul B. Downing Ph.D.

Opal & Gemstone Jewelry: Cutting*Designing*Setting by Paul B. Downing Ph.D.

The ultimate book for everyone who wants to cut a more...1 point

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In Search of Opal

In Search of Opal

Well illustrated throughout with color photographs more...1 point

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Opal Adventures (Rocks, Minerals and Gemstones) by Paul B. Downing

Opal Adventures (Rocks, Minerals and Gemstones) by Paul B. Downing

How and where opal is mined, its history and its l more...1 point

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The World of Opals by Allan W. Eckert

The World of Opals by Allan W. Eckert

Centuries after it was first discovered, the opal remains more...0 points

Go to Australia and find your own opals!

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Visit PalmBeachGems.com

If you are considering purchasing an opal or opal jewelry, please visit my website: PalmBeachGems.com We have a nice selection of very reasonably priced opals from Australia, Ethiopia, and Peru in the Opal Gemstone Category. Some of them for under $1.00! And in the Jewelry category you'll find some beautiful and affordable opal jewelry. We also have some fabulous Koroit Boulder Opal Pendants that are suitable for a man or a woman.

Opal Link List

Here's some other websites with relevant information about opals or just some beautiful pictures!
Opal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A great source of information!
PalmBeachGems
Gemstones, Jewelry and Beads at discount prices.
Opal: Opal mineral information and data.
A terrific source if you are looking for the really technical stuff.
US Geological Survey - Opal
Where to find Opal in the United States!
Nevada Black Opals - Dig Your Own Gems In the Desert
Nevada produces some beautiful opals and several of the old opal mines are open to the public for folks to go and dig their own opal gems. Sometimes opals worth thousands of dollars are found. It's a fun and interesting adventure into the wilds of Nevada that you might enjoy.
Beautiful Australian Opals
This site has a wealth of information about opals

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palmbeachgems

I have had a lifelong interest in rocks, minerals and gemstones. I make wire wrap, beaded and other types of jewelry. I also have been selling gemston... more »

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