Types of opal - deposits and shades of stones. Wood opal How to distinguish from a fake

Precious, black opal, boulder, fire, white, crystal opal. An illustrated guide to a large list of names and titles that are most often used to describe opal.

Varieties and photographs of opals

Jewelry quality opal is a truly spectacular stone. He deserved his proud prefix precious like no other gem. A distinctive feature, a unique feature of noble opal, is an optical effect called “play-of-color”. A small opal can blaze with all the colors of the rainbow spectrum, surpassing in beauty and even in price the king of precious stones - a diamond.

Opal is essentially an amorphous mineraloid of the silica family. It is thanks to the amorphous nature of the aggregates that form opal that we can admire the endless variety of intricate colors and textures of nature’s beautiful creation. Opal is so diverse that there is still no clear classification of this miracle stone. However, there are many types of natural opal, and even more names that characterize this or that stone. There is a logic to this. Depending on the color, deposit, structural structure, texture, opal can be divided into main groups and even subgroups.

In this illustrated article, we will help you understand the huge list of names that characterize the beautiful gem - opal. As they say, it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times.

Enjoy watching...

Basic types of opals: precious opal, regular opal, fire opal

Precious opals

Opal is considered precious when certain conditions are met. There must be a play-of-color when the viewing angle changes, when the light source moves, and when the stone itself moves. This is the first important condition.

A wide variety of color combinations are allowed. The most common opals are those with a combination of two or three colors. Both cold blue-violet tones and warm, red-yellow tones are common.

The most expensive opals play with all the colors of the rainbow from red to purple inclusive. The brighter the colors, the more dynamic the play, the more uniform the texture and color distribution, the more expensive the opal.

Another important factor that determines the cost of precious opal is its ability to shimmer regardless of the nature of the lighting, regardless of the viewing angle. A good opal should play with the colors of the rainbow when rotated in your hands without showing empty colorless areas.

We have just described opal of exceptional quality, the price of which can easily reach the threshold of $5,000.00 per carat weight. High grade precious opal is truly rare and is mined in very limited quantities.

The best examples of precious opals are found, of course, in Australia, in Lightning Ridge and Coober Pedy. Slightly less valuable, but no less attractive opals are also mined in other countries. Mexico, Ethiopia, and Brazil also have deposits producing precious opals.

Fine black opal from Lightning Ridge, Australia. Weighing almost 16 carats, it has a price tag of $16,000.

The deposit, discovered by chance 110 years ago, has officially been exhausted. However, it continues to delight the jewelry world with the best opals of the most noble quality. Gems, in the thickness of which the shimmer of cold fire plays, are rightly recognized as standard. It was Ridge opals that provided examples of the most striking and contrasting colors of the stone.

Fine white opal from Coober Pedy, Australia. Its modest weight of three carats does not interfere with self-expression. And it costs only $300.

Coober Pedy opals account for at least a third of the world's production of this stone. Milky-white stones with iridescent flashes inside are the pride of Australian gemology. There are so many opals on these outskirts of the planet that when building a house with an estimated cost of $20,000, you can dig up $360,000 worth of gems (real case).

Common opals

Ordinary opal does not exhibit iridescent play of color either with the rotation of the stone or with a change in viewing angle. Of all the precious opal mined in Australia, 95% is an ordinary gray or white mass that has no play of color and, accordingly, is of no value to miners. This opal often goes to waste.

Common opal is mined all over the world. The bulk of this plain silica is of no commercial interest, except in cases where the stone has at least some color or optical effect. In this case, the opal is polished and used as an inexpensive jewelry insert.

Common opals include: milky opal, cacholong, transparent - hyalite, light green - chrysopal or prazopal, resin opal, which has a pale honey-yellow, waxy color. Wood opal is also common, produced by replacing organic wood material with silica.

Peruvian blue opal, polished in cabochon shape. Inexpensive, large and at the same time quite beautiful stone.

The color of Peruvian opal is determined by the concentration of copper silicate impurities. Since copper compounds can have a bright green color, areas of turquoise and emerald tones are often found within the thickness of Peruvian opal.

When skillfully cut, the natural features of the stone become a factor of additional expressiveness. However, the presence of differently colored areas has little effect on the price of Peruvian opal. The stone is relatively inexpensive.

Free-form milky opal - tumbled. 7 grams of weight and three dollars price.

Milk opal is inexpensive, and in its raw form it is sometimes difficult to distinguish from ordinary quartz. However, grinding and polishing the stone allows its beauty to be revealed. Cabochons made of milky opal sparkle with iridescence and fascinate with their misty depth.

A considerable part of milky opals goes on sale after minimal processing. The oily gloss of fractures, the deceptive plasticity of forms, the unexpected expressiveness of combinations of wild natural beauty with the sophistication of finely crafted frames make milky opal a popular product on the planet’s jewelry market.

Fire opals

Fire opal is a stone with a uniform yellow, orange, or brownish-red solid color. The degree of transparency, as well as the degree of color intensity, varies. The brighter and more transparent the opal, the more expensive it is. The most coveted color of fire opal is red. Orange and wine-yellow opals are no less beautiful. The slightly lower demand for them is due to the competition of their terracotta counterpart.

Some fire opals exhibit a play of color spectrum, albeit subtle. But even so, it is more correct to name them by the main color of the array. If a Mexican opal with flashes of color is orange or red in color, then it will still receive the name fire, and nothing else.

There is always confusion with the term “fiery”. The fact is that Mexican opal is called by this term for its color. Australian noble opal, in turn, has an optical effect called opalescence. The word "fiery" is used to denote the effect of opalescence.

The main and largest supplier of fire opals is Mexico. The best samples come to us from there.

Fine examples of fire opals of different shades.

In the lower left corner is a Brazilian opal, the rest are Mexican. Fire opals from the American continent have the amazing ability to concentrate rays of light within the stone, thereby creating the image of a burning coal. And if red, orange or bright yellow opals with “fire” inside look quite logical, then brightly lit gray-yellow opals make a truly mysterious impression on the viewer.

Polished cabochons and classically cut jewelry inserts made of fire opals look great even in dim, diffused light. The translucent haze inherent in many opals makes the beauty of the stone unsaid, half-manifested, mysterious. Looking closely into the depths of the semi-precious array, a person sees changing images, feels himself involved in the secrets of the universe...

Names of opals based on the combination of the opal and its host rock

Solid opal - solid precious opal

A solid noble opal is a stone that consists of a pure mass: ordinary opal and (or) precious opal. There should be no foreign host rocks or inclusions in the stone.

In no case should you call a solid opal a doublet or a triplet, as many unscrupulous sellers do, manipulating different terms. We need to keep this in mind.

The photo on the right shows solid opals from Australia. The left photo shows us an opal from Coober Pedy. The opal in the picture on the right is from Lightning Ridge.

A noble white opal with a rich color palette. Weight about 7 carats.

It is the noble white opal that comes to mind when hearing the word “opalescence.” The multi-colored flashes that appear in the translucent mass of stone surprisingly accurately repeat the behavior of light in intergalactic nebulae.

Such direct similarity between objects with disparate differences in size serves as an additional factor in the attractiveness of the gem.

Depending on the expressiveness, the cost of noble white opal can reach quite astronomical values.

A noble black opal with the characteristic Lightning Ride color scheme.

A noble black opal is not necessarily black in its base, but it is definitely dark. The dark background makes it possible to better perceive the play of light reflections in the thickness of the stone. Fine black opals are found infrequently, and most deposits have their own distinctive characteristics of the gemstone.

The recognizable “handwriting” of the natural forces that created the gem makes it possible to assemble a collection covering all deposits of black opals on the planet. However, this kind of hobby is the lot of truly rich people. High-quality specimens of noble black opal can surpass the best diamonds on the planet in price.

Boulder opal - Boulder opal

When cracks, caverns, and depressions in the parent rock are filled with amorphous silica, picturesque patterns of various textures are obtained. Opal playing with all the colors of the rainbow in a contrasting matrix of host rock (brown ironstone or sandstone) creates a massif called Boulder opal.

Since the veins of noble opal in the rock are too thin, there is no point in extracting them from there, and in principle there is no possibility. It is much wiser to use such contrast to your advantage. Such opals make relatively large jewelry inserts with expressive designs.

The main supplier of Boulder opal is Australia, Queensland.

Jundah boulder fell. Australia. A wonderful example of jewelry quality.

The artistic expression of boulder opals surpasses the intricacy of the most significant works of abstract artists. It is impossible to win a competition with nature! Human imagination is not able to offer a greater variety of shapes and colors.

The patterned structure of boulder opals is so aesthetically pleasing that advanced gemologists recognize these gems as worthy of the closest attention. The most sophisticated connoisseurs of the natural beauty of stone collect boulder opals! The collection can grow indefinitely - with the complete uniqueness of each exhibit.

Koroit boulder opal. The beauty of the drawing is simply mesmerizing.

The layered structure of boulder opal makes it fragile. However, careful turning, coupled with subsequent polishing, creates the possibility of making a frame that holds the gem.

A thin belt of ductile metal that protects the stone from an active alkaline environment will help the boulder opal delight the owner for decades.

The unique beauty of the stone becomes the basis for the production of rare jewelry. An ensemble of jewelry made from boulder opals can be replenished throughout your life! The affordability of the stone is an undoubted benefit for the buyer.

Matrix opal - matrix opal

The word matrix can be used in conjunction with the word boulder. In what cases do we characterize opal with the word matrix?! When the parent host rock - the matrix - has a finely dispersed, porous structure, the empty space of which is filled with many sawed small grains ranging in size from 0.1 to 1.0 mm. The main rock is basalt and ferruginous sandstone.

Matrix opal is very beautiful. Its colored ripples often resemble a starry sky. This stone, like other opals, is quite in demand. Its popularity is only growing.

A magnificent matrix opal from Honduras.

Matrix opals have a common external feature - a resemblance to a sky strewn with stars. This is exactly how the constellations viewed and photographed by space telescopes are shown to us.

Astronomers admit: the color scheme of the photographs is copied from earthly jewels. What does it mean: by creating matrix opals, nature made them even more beautiful than the Universe itself...

Matrix opals from Honduras are particularly expressive. The dark, almost black background makes the colored flashes of sparks extremely contrasting. Honduran matrix opals are characterized by visual depth and moderate saturation of the light pattern.

Andamooka matrix opal. Australia.

Australian matrix opals - like any other opals mined in the depths of the southernmost continent of the planet - are capable of surpassing the beauty of gems found on other continents.

The reason for this wealth lies in the geological features of Australia. All-powerful nature wanted to preserve the surface of this piece of land in its original form. It’s not for nothing that only in Australia there are rock outcrops equal in age to our planet!

Over billions and billions of years, Australian soil has slowly accumulated, reshaped and stored vast quantities of opals.

Only Australian matrix opals can present the viewer with continuous, almost without gaps in the bedrock, scatterings of colored splashes. The best Australian matrix opals are pinkish in color, like dawn clouds.

There are many varieties of opals. In fact, no strict classification has been created to determine them. Terms that define opal by color are often used.

Names of opals based on their color

White opal or light opal

When jewelers say “white opal,” they often mean precious opal from Australia. It is distinguished by a light body tone ranging from N7 - light gray to N9 - white.

Unlike black and boulder opal, white opal is mined in proportionately larger quantities, which makes it more accessible and therefore less expensive. The fact that the iridescent play of color on the white background of ordinary opal is less expressive makes it even lower in price in relation to noble black opal.

Again: the comparison is relative. This does not mean that white opal with a play of color is cheap! Except that specimens with barely noticeable faded flashes of color can cost a penny.

In addition to Australian opal, milky opal and cacholong are also called white. But without clarification, it’s a little wrong to say that. Still, there is a generally accepted practice in naming stones. It's worth sticking to.

White opal from the famous Australian mine at Coober Pedy. Taking a close-up photograph of a well-lit cabochon of white Australian opal gives the viewer the illusion of seeing a cloudy sky illuminated by a low sun.

Such pictures appear in the sky only during summer thunderstorms, and even then not every year... This is probably why white opals are so popular in Europe and America. True, not every white opal can become famous for the artistic perfection of its “heavenly” paintings. Often white opals resemble a cloudy sky with occasional glimpses of rainbow light. But every cloud has a silver lining: natural gems, modest in expressiveness, turn out to be a godsend for buyers on a limited budget.

Black opal or dark opal

A noble black opal is a stone whose body-base color has a dark gray (N5 - N6) or black (N1 - N4) tone. This allows the colored jelly-like mass of opal to play with clear colors, contrasting with the dark substrate of ordinary opal. It is contrast that makes the play-of-color so expressive and noticeable. Black opals are the most desirable variety of precious opal and the most valuable of all.

The main places to get these beautiful gems are Lightning Ridge, Mintabie.

A fine example of black opal from Lightning Ridge. Weight: 3.00ct. Base tone – N2. The price of a stone from the famous deposit always exceeds $1,000 per carat. However, the buyer of this truly expensive stone can be confident in the absolute uniqueness of their purchase. There is no other gem like this on the entire planet!

Connoisseurs of natural beauty always pay attention to opals, the color scheme of which is dominated by bright warm (rather hot, even scorching) tones. The orange-red glow reminds God-fearing mortals of the eternal flame of divine wrath. Possession of such an opal seems equal to communion with the power of God...

However, the most expensive among black opals are stones with cool tones of color and geometrically regular light patterns.

Crystal opal. Crystal Opal

Crystal opal is a term used to describe a clear or translucent opal with a play of color present. This term is used mainly for stones quarried in Australia. The transparent crystalline mass of these opals is usually colorless.

Ethiopian Welo opals are another matter. They, like the Australian ones, have a transparent base. But more often they appear yellow or orange. Although they differ from Australian opals in their hygroscopicity, they can also be called crystal opals. However, such opals can only be named by indicating their place of extraction. Because there is a difference in price, and a significant one.

What is the difference between clear and translucent crystal opal?

If you place a crystal opal on a white page with black text, you will be able to make out the letters. The less transparent the stone, the more difficult it is to distinguish the text. Through translucent opal, instead of letters, you will see only dark silhouettes.

Crystal opal with expressive play of color.

Origin - Lightning Ridge. Weight: 0.60ct. A transparent array of crystal opal is all the more attractive to a connoisseur, the greater the distortion the beam undergoes as it passes through the stone. Crystal opals are relatively inexpensive, through which you can clearly discern the details of the observed picture. It is much more interesting to consider a crystal opal, which causes the light to change direction, color and intensity. The stronger the refraction of rays at the boundaries of the internal media of the stone, the wider the palette of luminous colors, the brighter the patterns - the more expensive the crystal opal!

The picture shows a blue opal in cabochon shape. Country of origin: Peru, South America. That's why they call it Peruvian. This type belongs to ordinary opals. This beautiful stone is found in the Andes mountains. This is the only place where it can be found.

The stone is considered quite rare. It does not have a play of color like Australian opal, but it itself is endowed with a beautiful blue color of the array. Often Peruvian opal has inclusions that resemble moss or trees. Such stones are called landscape stones. High-quality samples of blue opal without inclusions are in great demand and have quite a decent price, but in comparison with noble opals their price is low.

Peruvian opal with a beautiful Paraiba blue color.

Its weight is about 5 carats. Price $300, - The beauty of blue opal reminds of the primordial nature of the world. The unturbidity of the purest water and the blue of the transparent sky are characteristic of the best specimens of this gem. Most blue opals have many tiny internal defects that are visible to us as clots of color, sparkles, and fairy-tale landscapes. These stones look most advantageous in massive jewelry ensembles.

Pink opal is found in its only deposit - Peru (Andes Mountains). It is also called Andean opal. This pink gemstone is mostly opaque in structure and does not exhibit the play of light like Australian opal.

All that Peruvian stone can boast of is its soft pink color and relative rarity. This is quite enough to become a favorite among sophisticated connoisseurs of natural beauty. The price of the best pink opal cabochons reaches two to three dollars per carat. It's not expensive, but very beautiful.

The photo shows a beautiful milky pink Peruvian opal, weighing a hefty 50 carats. A worthy stone for worthy decoration. Pink opal is rarely flawless in color and uniform in internal texture - but it is often large! Cut as a cabochon, it is inserted into a silver ring. Sawed into plates - decorates earrings. Bracelets and beads are made from tumbling inexpensive pink opal.

The best specimens of pink opal are heterogeneous in color density and often have pinpoint inclusions of various minerals. The artistic expressiveness of such mixes is undeniable!

Morado has fallen. Morado Opal

Morado opal is a common opal. It is mined in small quantities in a small area in Mexico. This type of opal is not expensive, but rare. A beautiful purple pattern in the stone is a trace of volcanic activity.

This stone is slightly superior to traditional Australian opal in terms of hardness and durability. It contains fluorite in its structure, and the amount of water in the stone is minimal. This opal is also called opalized fluorite.

The photo shows a Morado opal with a beautiful landscape design. The average price for such stones is 1-2 dollars per carat weight. Morado opals with a predominant gray tone can be purchased even cheaper. The warm purple color of the gem is more common than the cold contrasts of blue and white. Due to the rarity of the stone, jewelry with it is rarely made, but they look very impressive.

Among Morado's figured cabochons, it is not difficult to select specimens that can create an expressive picture. Advanced jewelers boldly combine Morado opals with colorless transparent stones. The blue tones of the opal combined with the shine of the precious metal of the frame are convincing and alluring.

Names of opals that determine their color structure and effect

The color effects of opals that are clearly different from each other will be listed here. Color effect and color structure are different phenomena. There are a great variety of so-called precious opal patterns. However, they can be grouped. But more on that in another article.

Opal - Harlequin. Harlequin Opal

Harlequin opal is characterized by a pronounced mosaic of contrasting colors. As if replicating the patched costume of an Italian comedy of masks, the stone demonstrates rare beauty and incredible diversity.

Depending on where it is found, Harlequin opal can be black or translucent, rich or blurry, bright or pale. Colored spots in the thickness of the stone can form abstract paintings that amaze with the artistic “taste” of nature.

Sometimes single-color highlights of Harlequin opal are formed into relief formations - so that with a minimal change in the angle of incidence of light, they disintegrate into multi-colored, unconnected planes. Sometimes the design is stable, as if it really consists of patches sewn with a needle and thread...

Contra Luz color play. Contra-Luz color lay

The main feature of the Contra Luz opal is its ability to reveal the play of light only when backlit. When illuminated by rays aligned with the human gaze, such an opal looks modest. But as soon as the light passes through the stone towards the eye, the flashes of color become bright, clear, and numerous.

Jewelers have to show remarkable creativity and high professionalism to make these stones decorate their owner. Earrings with drop-shaped inserts made of Contra Luz opal make a completely indelible impression - but only if their owner parades in front of a light source.

Pinfire Opal (pinpoint opal)

Pin means “needle” in English. The colored sparks of pinfire opal are like needle punctures in a foggy curtain between a person and the flame of a universal fire. Dense scatterings of flaming dots make this opal expensive and in demand. But if suddenly the smallest sparks are built into at least somewhat ordered rows, or connected into bizarre figures, collectors call the stone not a pinfire (“needle fire”), but a pinpoint (“pricked platform”).

However, any linguistic tricks are conditional. Opals, in the smoky thickness of which myriads of microscopic lights burn, are captivatingly beautiful even for those who are completely unaware of the intricacies of names.

Opal with cat's eye effect.

Asterism, that is, the ability of a stone to create a highlight of light from one or more intersecting rays, is rare in opals. All the more valuable are stones that, in addition to the inherent beauty of fire opals, also demonstrate a bright, uneven stripe of reflection. This opal is similar to a spiral galaxy seen from the side.

Obviously, nature has a lot of coincidences! – the resemblance to the Milky Way makes such stones an object of increased demand among esotericists. According to unverified data, opals, similar to the astronomical picture of our cosmic surroundings, best help the connection between man and the Universal Mind.

Names of opals assigned to them according to the geographical location of their extraction

The main mining sites by country are listed here. And this is just a small list. In fact, in Australia alone, in addition to the largest deposits, there are places where beautiful opals of the most bizarre colors and textures are mined. In order to somehow identify these opals, they are named after the place of extraction, usually by the name of the locality.

Coober Pedy has fallen. Coober Pedy, Australia.

Opals from Coober Pedy are recognized by the global jewelry community as the most aesthetically valuable. Over the past hundred years, gems mined literally from under the houses of this Australian town have delighted connoisseurs with their consistently high quality.

“This is because a piece of the hot sun is dissolved in the local opals,” say the romantics. “Absolutely unique geological conditions have developed in this area,” mineralologists object to the dreamers. “Apparently, there is no more favorable set of conditions for the formation of opals on Earth.”

That is, even more beautiful opals than in Coober Pedy can be born. But you need to fly to other planets to get them...

Lightning Ridge has fallen. Lightning Ridge, Australia.

The officially depleted deposit and seemingly closed developments in the town of Lightning Ridge (province of New Wales, Australia) are still a no-no, and will delight collectors with black opal of unrivaled quality. True, there have been no sensational finds for twenty years, and in the city gemstone shops the range of colorful handicraft junk is ever wider...

But still! Opals, bearing the proud name of Lightning Ridge, remain the elite of the world of precious stones. The Lightning Ridge brand is a guarantee of quality! The depletion of the deposit causes an increase in the cost of gems previously mined here. Buying Lightning Ridge opals is a great investment!

Andamuka fell. Andamooka, Australia.

Andamooka. With this name in Australia, a mountain range, a town and a vast desert area are found, filled to the brim with opals. It was in Andamooka that opal was found in the form of a slab weighing almost seven tons. It was the Andamooka opal of a noble gray tone with vibrant yellow-rainbow tints that was presented to the British Queen as a sign of respect and submission to the royal will.

Fine matrix opals are also mined in Andamooka - but not often. And due to the declared depletion of the deposit - less and less...

Honduran opal. Honduran Opal.

The main distinguishing feature of Honduran opal is the black color of the matrix. The deposition of silicate compounds in cracks of relatively recently erupted volcanic basalt has led to the appearance of recognizable jewelry.

Often, jewelry-processed Honduran opals are cabochons of a low-decorative mineral with the inclusion of beautiful opals. The local gems are famous for the purity of the milky color of the quartz mass and the most unexpected mixes of iridescent translucent medium with brown-brown or blue-black basalts.

Louisiana opal. Louisiana Opal.

In the town of Cedar Grove (Louisiana, USA), opals are mined, the color of which is strong blue or purple (red-blue) tones. A feature of Louisiana stone is the presence of inclusions of opalescent sandstone in an array of noble opal.

Louisiana opals are few and far between, but they are recognizable and prized. A polished Louisiana opal cabochon resembles granite, sparkling with sparks of colored flame in a grainy fog of darkness. But the beauty of Louisiana opals cannot be called gloomy! In bright light, precious stones sparkle and shimmer so much that the Indians who found strange gems revered them as one of the receptacles of the spirits of the earth.

Peruvian opal. Peruvian Opal.

Peruvian opals are found high in the Andes, and these stones have a characteristic color. The softness of the color of Andean opals brings to mind pastels. The most interesting colors are pink and blue.

Peruvian opals are not always homogeneous; transparent and translucent stones are rare among them. Typically, these gems resemble cracked fragments of quartz, but differ from ornamental material in the delicacy of their blurred color.

Both blue and pink Peruvian opals are often layered, full of contrasting inclusions, and heterogeneous in color. The best examples of Peruvian opal amaze with their laconic expressive simplicity. The stones presented in the photo are worthy of mineralogical collections or the best jewelry workshops. They are, of course, expensive.

Mexican opal. Mexican Opal.

Mexican opals are distinguished by a variety of interesting colors and tight integration of the gemstone into the matrix rock. Attempts to completely free opals from the rhyolite layer usually end in the destruction of the gem. Therefore, Mexican opals are often sold as cabochon-cut intergrowths of volcanic rock and sparkling stone.

Some Mexican opals acquire an attractive clarity when wet. Dehydration leads to the manifestation of the internal structures of the smallest defects in the stone. Microscopic cavities and cracks, being filled with air, scatter light. However, re-moisturizing restores the beauty of the opal.

Ethiopian opal. Ethiopian Opal.

Ethiopian opals give the impression of being basked in smoke. It was as if tiny droplets of resin were absorbed into the pores of the stone and gave it a chocolate tint of color. However, research shows that this color of Ethiopian opal is its natural feature. The coloring of a quartz massif is carried out due to the dissociation of metal oxides in silicate solutions.

If a spectroscopic study of the opal indicates an increased carbon content in the stone, there is fraud. There are no natural ways for opals to become contaminated with carbon! Brown carbon opal is a product of banal smoking.

Velo opal. Welo Opal.

A special variety of Ethiopian opals is mined in the Welo Amhara hills. The plateau, located more than three kilometers above sea level, hides rocks whose beauty is akin to the beauty of tropical shallow waters. It’s hard to believe that nature, like a talented artist, was able to create a picture of sun-lit reef vegetation, strange animals, and bizarre corals.

The cost of the best opals from the Velo plateau exceeds the cost of diamonds of similar weight.

Ordinary transparent opals with no play of color.

Butte has fallen. Butte Opal, Eastern Oregon, US.

From the outside it may seem that blue butte opal is overrated, and that any stone painted blue with milk can compare with this stone in terms of expressiveness. In fact, it is difficult to confuse an opalescent gem with a crude fake. The light refractive properties of opal cannot be imitated by introducing a dye into the glass mass. That is why butte opals present on the jewelry market are, as a rule, natural.

The extreme rarity of the stone is the key to its high value. So it is not surprising that the much more striking beauty of black or fire opals is valued at the same amount as butte opal.

Girasol has fallen. Girasol opal.

Under artificial light, girazol opal looks like polished frosted glass. Which, by the way, is used quite successfully by scammers... However, under the bright sun it is impossible to confuse a fake and a natural stone: girazol flares up with clouded internal sparks, and with the slightest change in the angle of incidence of the light, the picture changes, and these changes are endless.

Artificial stone is not capable of such feats of expressiveness. Although in the evening, by candlelight, the mysterious flickering of translucent glass can make you mistaken in your assessment.

Hyalite opal. Hyalite opal.

Opal, called hyalite, stands somewhat apart from its sparkling cousins. Another name for the stone is “Müller glass”, named after its discoverer. Its resemblance to pearl glass makes this opal the most frequently copied opal. However, experts can easily distinguish a fake from a stone.

The secret of the uniqueness of a natural gem is the variation in light conductivity. Glass imitating opal transmits light equally in any direction. Hyalite, when changing the direction of illumination, demonstrates the play of light, and modulations, highlights, shadows and clots of light. The optical properties of natural opal are unpredictable and unique.

Other opals worth mentioning.

Cacholong is a milky white opal. Like all opals, cacholong is heterogeneous, often riddled with veins, foreign inclusions, and inclusions of foreign minerals. Often, cracks that form during the formation of cacholong opals are filled with a variety of solutions. Crystallizing, they create bizarre pictures in the thickness of gems.

The nature of the white color of cacholong is simple. This opal is permeated with myriads of the finest pores. The sum of the pearly reflections of each of them gives the snow-white color of the stone. By the way, the same principles explain the whiteness of snowdrifts.

Leopard opal. Leopard matrix Opal.

Leopard opal is essentially basalt with opal inclusions of various sizes. Colored opals can predominate, and then the stone-leopard “skin” looks rich, and is valued accordingly. More often, basalt blackness prevails in leopard opals, and then extremely expressive figures of jaguars, scarabs, and gods are cut from this stone.

The origin of leopard opals known throughout the world is Central American. However, single specimens of the stone are found in many areas where basaltic lavas occur.

Fairy Opal Sandstone Matrix.

Matrix “sand” opal is truly beautiful only when black rock serves as a background for colored sparks. However, in most cases, sandstone is composed of silicate minerals of light warm tones. This is why natural black sandstone opal is so rare.

Craftsmen found a way out of the situation. They soak a piece of sandstone rich in opal inclusions in sugar syrup or mineral oil, and then heat it to the temperature of carbon charring. The appearance of the “improved” stone is impeccable - but only for the first time. Subsequently, organic acids, an inevitable companion of thermochemical processes in organic matter, will begin to destroy the fragile beauty of opal.

Composite, synthetic opals.

The doublet has fallen. Double Opal.

The most popular item in Australian opal shops is doublets. The doublet device is not difficult. A thick black backing made of natural stone, painted glass, oxidized metal or just plastic - and a fairly thick layer of light opal on top.

With the proper professionalism of the craftsmen, there will be no visual differences between opals and doublets - during a frontal examination, of course. When viewed from the side, all the secrets of the doublet structure become clear. If, however, the opal doublet is tightly set in metal, it becomes difficult to recognize its nature...

The triplet has fallen. Triple Opal.

Opal triplets are more complex than doublets and cost less. Paradox? Nothing happened! In triplets there is actually less opal than in doublets. The triplet has an opal layer on top of a black base that is almost paper thin! And the top layer of glass or plastic works both as protection and as a lens.

Of course, the aesthetic merits of opal triplets are limited. That does not prevent them from remaining quite popular. A good price and, although modest, still natural opal beauty seduces the buyer.

Gilson synthetic opal. Gilsone shyntetic Opal.

The beauty of Gilson opals, first obtained in 1972 in Switzerland, is recognized as almost equal to the natural advantages of natural opals. There is nothing surprising in this: scientists simply simulated the processes of opal formation and obtained a very plausible result.

The physical structure of synthetic opals is characterized by the absence of water associated with the mineral. Anhydrous Gilson opals are denser, stronger, and more resistant to external influences than natural gems. The range of products produced by the Swiss company is very wide and covers all popular forms of opals.

Slocum synthetic opal. Slokum Stone Opal.

American John Slocum, conducting research in the mid-60s of the last century, had no intention of inventing artificial opal. However, it just so happened that the rejected creations of his laboratory caught the eye of amateur gemologists. High-quality glass with micro-inclusions of aluminum flakes turned out to be a very successful purchase for jewelry manufacturers!

The most cunning scammers use the best grades of Slocum stone to produce pseudo-opal doublets and triplets.

Mosaic composite opal. Mosaic Opal.

Arranging opal mosaic paintings is an art of its own, and few artisans excel at it. It is not easy to assemble a more or less complete picture from small scraps of natural (usually black) opal.

But if successful, the mosaic is covered with a protective layer of glass or polymer, and the product receives the name mosaic opal. In fact, mosaic opal is a triplex, the natural layer of which is not even continuous. This is why mosaic opals should cost less than doublets and regular triplexes. But it all depends on the seller...

Scorch. Opalite.

The artificial stone opalite often becomes the subject of slight terminological confusion. For the average person, everything is the same: both natural moonstone and man-made scorch. In fact, the differences are visible to anyone who can distinguish glass from stone.

Opalite is made by glass makers and therefore only resembles moonstone. Opalite's color is thicker, more uniform and... duller. It is less transparent and visually denser than natural moonstone.

A synthetic gem has minimal ability to irradiate light. While a real moonstone shimmers mysteriously and shimmers mysteriously in the rays of the evening - especially moonlight...

Opal– a mineral belonging to semi-precious stones, which is widely used in the manufacture of jewelry. Opals come in a variety of colors:

Transparent and colorless
- red and pink
- milky and beige
- amber yellow and, of course, black

The rich color palette depends on the presence of certain impurities in the mineral - nickel, iron, manganese and others.

Most Common Opal Colors

Black opal

This is the most valuable and rare variety of this mineral, which is especially valued in the jewelry industry. In reality, black opals are not a “pure” black color, but are so called for their incredible depth filled with iridescent colors.

Red opal

It is found in almost all varieties of the mineral. Reds opals are typically of Mexican, Australian or Ethiopian descent.

Green opal

This is the most common and relatively inexpensive variety of opal. There are several varieties of green opals.

The most common color of opal among Australian minerals. Blue looks very advantageous in combination with silver and combines well with classic yellow gold.

White, milky and pink opal

Only base opal is completely white. Stones with a light backing or no backing at all are considered white. Pink opals are mined in Peru, milk opals are mined in Cacholong, and transparent ones, like glass, are mined in Hyalite.

Among the many types of opals, jewelers especially value:

Fiery. These are translucent stones ranging from rich hyacinth red to wine yellow.

Peruvian (blue opal). The mineral is mined in Peru and has a bluish-green tint.

Hisopal. It is distinguished by a juicy apple green color and is opaque.

Arqueline. A stone with an intricate mosaic pattern that shimmers in different colors: yellow, blue, red, green.

Tsarsky. This opal is a dark red, and sometimes purple, color with a bright green border.

All noble opals, regardless of color, are characterized by a peculiar iridescent shimmer - opalization.

Opal stone (its name is translated from ancient Greek as “changing color”, and from Latin as “bewitching sight”) is one of the natural gems that amazes with the variety of their colors. There are over 140 types of these stones in the world.

One of the many legends associated with this stone says that, having defeated the Titans, the thunderer Zeus wept with happiness. The tears that fell to the ground turned into minerals of extraordinary beauty.

Opals truly are the most beautiful stones on our planet. Attitudes towards them, formed under the influence of legends and superstitions, have always been ambiguous and have changed over the centuries.

The ancestral aristocracy of the ancient ancient states (Greece and Rome) attributed the properties of powerful amulets to jewelry with opals and valued them not only for their beauty, but also for their ability to protect their owner from any misfortunes.

During the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, who wore a crown decorated with a delightful opal and claimed that this stone could make its owner invisible in a dangerous moment, thieves, robbers and horse thieves made the mineral their amulet. They believed that by wearing a ring with an opal and becoming invisible, they could evade pursuit.

During the Middle Ages - under the influence of Scandinavian myths, which claimed that opal was created by the blacksmith god Volund from the eyes of small children - the stone began to be called the “eye of evil”, attracting all kinds of misfortunes. During this period, only witches and sorcerers used opals to perform magical rituals.

Nowadays, gems are widely used for making jewelry and inexpensive costume jewelry.

Description and meaning of the stone

Opal is an amorphous silica consisting of silicon oxide and a large (13 to 30%) amount of water. In this sense, the mineral is not so much a stone as a kind of gel, subject to drying out, cracking and tarnishing.

Factors that worsen the structure of this mineral include:

• sudden temperature changes;
• strong blows;
• exposure to fats and alkalis;
• significant compression;
• increased air dryness.

Opals that have a specific life cycle (aged opals are called ) are subject to aging, which can be slowed down by wearing jewelry with it as often as possible or storing it in an airtight plastic bag on a piece of moistened cotton wool.

Opal is considered a stone of inspiration, releasing internal energy, capable of enhancing imagination and creative inclinations, and also strengthening memory.

Thanks to the high content of water, which connects with the emotional world of its owner, this mineral purifies his feelings and emotions, strengthens his most cherished desires.

Colors and types

Noble opals

Opals can be:

1. Precious (noble). These are incredibly beautiful stones, endowed with transparency and opalescence, expressed by rainbow tints of color.
2. Semi-precious (ordinary). Minerals of this group, which are opaque or translucent, have a dull color and lack rainbow tints.

Translucent opals

Depending on the properties (represented by the presence of impurities, transparency, color, hardness and luster), a huge number of varieties of this mineral are distinguished.

“Impure” opals (formed from the silica of easily weathered silicate rocks, by penetrating into their mass or as a result of filling cracks and voids that have arisen in them), are represented by:

1. Semi-opals are cloudy stones that have a greasy sheen and are colored brown, white, red, gray and yellow.
2. Opal jasper is a brown or red mineral.

The group of noble minerals includes:

Fire opals

Transparent or translucent stones of fiery red or deep red color. In Mexico, stones with opalescence are found.

Black opals

The most expensive gemstones are dark blue, black, dark purple with bright red opalescence.

Harlequins

Precious stones bearing the name of one of the characters in the Italian comedy of masks, whose costume was made of colored scraps. The surface of these transparent stones amazes with the beauty of a spectacular polychrome pattern consisting of red, blue, yellow and green circles and triangles shimmering against a fiery background.

Royal opals

Precious stones, the core of which is bronze or dark red in color, and the border around their edge is bright green. The outer zone of this border is unpainted.

Heavenly opals (jirasoli)

Almost colorless transparent minerals with a bluish wavy opalescence.

Lechos opals

Stones of amazing beauty, painted in sea green color, mesmerizing with the depth of carmine and green tints.

Cat's eye opals

Extremely rare and expensive stones of honey or yellow color, having a stripe located in the very center and giving them a certain resemblance to the eyes of these animals.

The group of common minerals includes:

Hyalites

Watery-transparent colorless minerals, resembling glass, forming grape-shaped crusts on various rocks, lichens and mosses.

Chrysopals (or prosopals)

Opaque stones colored apple green.

Moss opals

Resembling thickets of grass.

Peruvian opals

Opaque stones of blue, pink and bluish tints, mined in Peru.

Resin opals

Having a matte black color.

Opaque minerals of a milky white color with tints of bluish or greenish tones.

Irisopals

Slightly brownish or colorless minerals with a single-color tint, found only in Mexico.

Wax opals

Stones that have a light yellowish-brown tint.

Hydrophanes (water opals)

Porous stones that, when saturated with water, acquire transparency and magnificent opalescence. It is hydrophane that all aged precious opals turn into.

Wood opals

Arising as a result of the replacement of rotted wood with a mineral and preserving its texture.

Boulders (from the English word “boulder” - “cobblestone”)

Minerals that are natural doublets. This is the name given to cobblestones made of ferruginous rock, the surface of which is covered with an opalescent thin crust. Insertion of precious opals is not removed from the mother base, but is processed together with it.

The best examples of boulders - coroites and jowa nuts - are found only in Australia. Koroites (“landscape stones”) have a surface covered with rainbow patterns, in the outlines of which a person with a developed imagination can see unusual scenes and images. uh

Yova-nuts are oval-shaped minerals, in the center of which, as if in a shell, there are opals, whose surface resembles jelly. Boulder opals occupy an intermediate position in this classification, being valued higher than common opals, but not as highly as fine opals.

Types of opals are presented:

1. Doublets– stones consisting of two layers: a plate of natural opal and a black backing that improves the color of the mineral.
2. Triplets– stones that differ from doublets in that they contain a third layer consisting of transparent glass or quartz. It is designed to protect the mineral and give it a rounded shape.
3. Solid opals– natural stones that do not have auxiliary layers.

Origin of the stone

Opals, formed by the evaporation of water from a hydrogel into which natural silica solutions are converted, are typical products of post-volcanic processes that occur after the outpouring of volcanic lava at one of the final stages of magma solidification.

Thanks to aqueous solutions of silica emanating from solidifying magma chambers, the mineral either settles on the Earth's surface or is deposited in cracks and voids in lavas.

Accumulations of opals are often found in places where geysers (hot springs) emerge in areas of volcanic activity.

The formation of sedimentary rocks (represented by kieselguhr, opoka, tripoli), mainly consisting of opal and occurring in the coastal zones of the seas, occurs as a result of the coagulation of silica sols transported from land by river flows.

Opals, which can replace other minerals and fill cracks in rocks, are most often products of their weathering.

The mineral is often found in sedimentary rocks: flints, flints. It is found in the cement of sandstones. Ball-shaped opals can be found in chalcedony. By impregnating the remains of plants and animals, opals form fossils.

Opals can occur in the form of very fine powder or earthy masses.

Physical properties

1. Opal hardness(allowing them to leave scratches on the glass) on the Mohs scale ranges from 5.5-6.5.
2. Soft opals a white line is left on the rough surface of the porcelain plate. Fine opals have no color streak.
3. The mineral is easily soluble in alkalis.
4. Water content– 3-13% (for some stones – up to 30%).
5. Noble opals have opalescence - a rainbow play of colors.
6. Glitter of stones can be matte, waxy, pearlescent or glass.
7. Opals have luminescence: greenish, white, reddish, blue - for whites; greenish - in fiery ones; all colors of the rainbow - black.
8. The chemical composition of minerals may contain impurities, represented by oxides of potassium, iron, sodium, calcium, aluminum, magnesium.
9. The color of minerals may vary. Transparent and colorless stones are represented by milky opals or hyalites. The darker color of the stones (amber-yellow, blue, brown, deep red, bright green) is due to the presence of impurities.

To distinguish opal from the similar-looking chalcedony, chemical analysis is necessary.

Place of Birth

Opals are found on all continents, but the world leader in their production is Australia (the main deposit is in the mining town of Coober Pedy). Its share in world stone mining is at least 97%.

Precious opals are also mined in the following deposits:

• Brazil;
• Mexico;
• Honduras;
• Guatemala;
• Japan;
• Czech Republic;
• Ethiopia;
• Kazakhstan.

In Russia, a small amount of ordinary opals is mined from deposits located:

• in Altai;
• in the Chita region (in the Nerchinsky district);
• in the Orenburg region (in these areas there is the Sarinsky plateau and the Kiembaevsky asbestos quarry).
• Opals are occasionally found in Ukraine (in the Kyiv and Zhitomir regions) and in Hungary.

Magic properties

Opal, capable of supporting the talents of its owner (regardless of his profession and lifestyle), is often called the “stone of false hopes.”

Guided by some unknown principles, it pushes some of its owners to achieve forbidden pleasures, while for others, on the contrary, it restrains the desire for whims and animal passions. As a result, the former may go crazy, while the latter reach certain social heights.

It has been established that a mineral endowed with powerful atmospheric energy fully reveals the depth of its true properties only in the hands of truly gifted people. He repels everyone else, leaving them with a fleeting feeling of euphoria from the success achieved.

Protecting its owner from the machinations of enemies, the gem endows him with the gift of prophecy, but only on the condition that this gift will be aimed at the benefit of others. That is why only people with pure thoughts should wear it.

By enhancing the creative abilities of the owner, opal protects him from the influence of extraneous negative energies.

Being a stone of passion, it is capable of sharpening the mind of its owner, enhancing his analytical abilities, while simultaneously awakening his secret vices. This stone is endowed with the most powerful protective properties.

White colored gems endowed with a diametrically opposed character. They are often used by nurses or healers, as these stones strengthen the virtues of their owners, making them more patient and compassionate.

Blue and cyan opal, bringing good luck, help to concentrate your forces to achieve your goal.

Fire Gem makes men brave, courageous, self-sufficient and decisive, and women – sensual, mature and wise.

The stone ensures reciprocity in love, but it is not recommended for unmarried people to wear it, as it can alienate all admirers from them.

The magical properties of opals are so strong that jewelry with them should not be worn every day.

Medicinal properties

The gem can be worn not only as decoration, but also to provide a healing effect on the body.

Lithotherapists claim that opal:

1. Increases stress resistance.
2. Normalizes the functioning of the nervous system.
3. Improves mood, regulates mental activity.
4. Improves the functioning of the central nervous system.
5. Raises muscle tone, relieves nervous tics, softens the manifestations of chronic cramps.
6. Normalizes the activity of the heart muscle, helping to restore the correct heart rhythm.
7. Improves the general condition of the eyeballs and vision by normalizing blood flow in the vessels of the eyes.
8. Promotes the digestion of food by normalizing gastric peristalsis and increasing blood flow in the collateral perigastric vessels.
9. Useful for women because it can facilitate childbirth and limit the growth of body hair.
10. Dissolves toxins, cleansing the body.
11. Eliminates pain (toothache and headache).
12. Helps improve appetite.
13. Has a beneficial effect on the kidneys.
14. Improves sleep.
15. Grants longevity.

Who is suitable according to their zodiac sign?

Representatives of the fire zodiac signs should acquire white or blue opals. These universal stones are suitable for people born under any zodiac constellation, but for Sagittarius, Leo and Aries they will help smooth out the manifestations of natural shortcomings, enhancing their best qualities, represented by courage, purposefulness and determination.

Wherein, Aries According to the horoscope, they should beware of stones that have dark shades, and Sagittarius should prefer blue opals.

For Gemini, Aquarius and Libra Both fire and white gems are suitable. White stones will give them calmness, and the shimmer of fiery specimens will add a bit of violence to their character. Aquarians may like dark blue minerals.

For Pisces and Scorpios Stones of blue-blue and red colors will be useful. Their influence will not only strengthen Pisces’ innate intuition, but will also give them peace of mind. Scorpios, who have received protection from negative influences, will be able to concentrate their energy on achieving their goal.

For Cancer There is nothing better than white opals, although this is the only zodiac sign that is allowed to wear black stones. By enlisting their support, Cancers will be able to overcome their inner experiences and fears, find harmony in personal relationships and improve their financial condition.

Taurus I should pay attention to blue gems: they will give their owners patience and tranquility.

The natural energy of opal reaches peak values ​​by October.

Jewelry, how to wear?

Precious and semi-precious stones are used in jewelry. They are used to make rings, pendants, bracelets, pendants, necklaces, keychains and earrings.

Opals - even those that are perfectly suited to their owner - should not be worn constantly. This is only permitted for practicing magicians. Jewelry with opals can be worn only occasionally, for a very short time.

An opal ring, worn throughout the day, must be put on different fingers from time to time.

There is an opinion (some astrologers insist on this) that the right to wear these stones is given only to those who inherited them.

Jewelry with a stone endowed with such strong magical properties must be worn to an important meeting, during a period of creative stagnation, before performing a magical ritual.

The best setting for opal should be made of silver, since it is this metal that helps to fully reveal its beneficial properties. To activate the esoteric properties of this stone, a gold frame is required.

The most favorable day for wearing white opal is Friday, black opal is Tuesday.

Price

The cost of opals, depending on their type, can fluctuate within very wide limits.

The most expensive are Australian black opals. Some of these stones cost $10,000 per carat.

Low quality boulders can cost between $1 and $300 per copy. This same type of top quality mineral can be valued at $2,500 for a 5 carat stone.

The cost of a doublet starts from one dollar per stone.

Care

Being minerals containing a significant amount of moisture, opals lose their beauty due to its loss, as well as when in contact with various fats and cosmetic oils, so it is necessary to ensure that products with these stones do not come into contact with cosmetics.

From prolonged exposure to the bright rays of the sun, opals lose their opalescence, acquiring a milky color. By lowering such a stone into water, it is sometimes possible to return it to its original appearance.

To clean a solid opal (it should be as gentle as possible), you can use a warm soapy solution, a piece of cloth or a soft toothbrush. The use of chemicals, bleaches and aggressive cleaning agents is unacceptable.

To protect the opal from the harmful effects of natural factors, it is necessary to wipe it from time to time with a soft cloth soaked in olive oil.

Doublets and triplets should never be completely immersed in water. It is enough to wipe them with a slightly damp cloth.

Ultrasonic cleaning of this mineral is completely unacceptable, since under the influence of intense ultrasonic vibrations, a solid stone can crack.

A stone that has scratches after prolonged wear can be restored to its original beauty by sending it for restoration. After professional polishing, the jewelry will receive a new life.

Steam treatment of the mineral is also prohibited.

How to distinguish from a fake?

To distinguish a natural stone from a fake, you need to pay attention to the nature of opalescence.

An interesting find, represented by a completely opalized skeleton of a small (not exceeding 15 cm) reptile, was made in 1909 in one of the Australian mines. Each part of the skeleton, replaced by opals endowed with unique color tints, was extremely well preserved. The curiosity, called the “opal snake,” was immediately acquired for a private collection.

Photo

In this article:

Opal is one of the most beautiful and unusual gems. It turns out that they are mined not only for the jewelry industry, but also for technology and as ornamental materials. The noble subspecies of this stone is considered the most valuable. Precious opal is a type of mineral with a play of colors called opalescence. This play of color can be monochromatic or, more importantly, in various shades.

This variety is most often used by jewelers. The structure of noble opal consists of ordered spheres in many packages. Such spheres have equal diameters and form a unique structure. All this leads to the reflection of color with different wavelengths and causes the effect of iridescence. The fact is that a certain wavelength is reflected by its packaging depending on the viewing angle.

Noble opals

In the West, noble opal is a very popular and expensive stone. In the USSR it was replaced by the most imitation plastic. And even now the popularity of this stone in our country is much lower than in the West. Depending on the color of the material of the main part, without taking into account the iridescence of different colors, the following types of noble opals are distinguished.

1. Milky white.
2. Girazole opal is colorless, transparent, with a bluish tint.
3. Black.
4. Jelly opal, or harlequin, is practically colorless, sometimes with a yellowish tint. Translucent and has a subtle play of colors.
5. Fire Opal: The base color ranges from orange-yellow to red, sometimes with bright red highlights.

The last variety is somewhat out of the list. Most often it is not opalescent, but has orange reflections with iridescence. But still, this type is considered noble, because it is widely used in jewelry.

Another unique variety of precious opal from Mexico, called Mexican, is often found. This opal appears in the form of opal matrices in which the opal is surrounded by black rock.

As a rule, opals occur in nature in the form of thin veins, so they are subject to refinement, which somewhat changes their appearance.

History of the stone

Already in ancient times, noble opal aroused admiration, as can be understood from Pliny’s description. He wrote that this stone causes the greatest difficulties when trying to describe it and that it may contain a play of carbuncle color, a reflection of violet amethyst and emerald tones. Mixing it all together and shining with a brightness that is hard to put into words.

If you analyze the sources, you can understand that already in ancient times, scammers were familiar with the possibility of making stone crafts at a high level. Pliny argued that if you hold a fake stone with your thumb and forefinger and let light fall on it, it will not emit radiance. At the same time, if you take a noble stone, its color play will depend on the angle of incidence of the sun's ray and the viewing angle.

For a long time, the stone was mistrusted due to a common superstition that still occurs today, namely that those who wear opal will face misfortune. Opal had such fame among people for a long time until black opal was discovered in Australia. The world of stones could not offer a replacement for this stone of unique beauty, so its popularity continued to grow.

This type of stones has two varieties - black and white. However, these terms are actually used in a broader sense than is believed. White opals always have a light color, but they may not be white, but, for example, yellowish. Black opal is too rare; some samples have a dark blue or black-gray color. Sometimes rays passing through a blue stone can turn it yellow.

In many examples of this opal, the areas of play of color are too small to be processed individually. Therefore, the entire mottled mass is processed and sold as an opal matrix.

The color of opal depends on the impurities it contains. To classify this stone, its shine, transparency, and color are taken into account. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the hardness of the stone and the presence of impurities.

Noble opal can be classified as a precious stone, since the highest quality specimens can be very expensive. Most often they are given the shape of a circle or oval, as well as other shapes, depending on the configuration of the material that served as the raw material.

The mineral must be stored in a room with high humidity, otherwise it may crack and become cloudy. Therefore, products with opals should be worn, as they are saturated with moisture from the skin. It is recommended to store the opal in wet wipes or immerse it in water from time to time.

How to determine the quality of a mineral by eye?

Most of the opals on the market come, as a rule, from private craftsmen. They have milky colors, the play of which is very weak. In order to determine by eye how realistic the price of an opal is, there is a rule of thumb: if the play of colors is visible from a distance of 60–90 cm in good lighting, then this mineral is considered to be of excellent quality. If even in the best light it is necessary to peer closely to decide whether it is present, then this material is worth nothing at all, and no amount of processing art will make it a real precious stone.

Fine opals are most often cut as cabochons, but uniformly colored ones and from Mexican deposits can be cut. Before caboching, the noble opal is examined in glycerin or in water to determine the direction of the most spectacular color transfusion.

Stones that are classified as noble can crack spontaneously. There is a certain type that is not susceptible to this - white opal from Australia, but there may be exceptions. In order to prevent such an unpleasant outcome, they undergo special treatment - stabilization.

Stone deposits

The main sources of noble specimens are Mexico, Australia and Brazil. Deposits where noble opal is mined industrially are known in countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Honduras, Brazil, and the USA. But Australia’s deposits are considered unique, producing about 95% of the world’s stones.

Now there is a solution for the industrial synthesis of precious opals of any color. Such synthetic opal today will be tens of times cheaper than natural opal.

What are they?

In addition to the noble stone, there are several more varieties:

• Common opal. This type has a certain color, which, although it may differ depending on the lighting, does not change when the stone is tilted or rotated. Most often, such stones include transparent and opaque stones of all colors.
• Stabilized opal. This type of opal includes stones that are themselves suitable for use in jewelry, but are too porous to be used in jewelry. Certain processing methods are applied to them, which help improve the quality of raw materials.
• Imitations. This variety includes materials that are not opals at all. It can be painted glass or plastic. They are just an imitation, and if they try to pass them off as real, it is a fraud.

Most often, you come across either synthetic or stabilized opals on the market. Of course, it is better to have natural ones, but sometimes this may not be entirely acceptable due to the fact that the stone is very susceptible to environmental influences and may not last long.

Properties

Opals can be of any transparency and color. They are characterized by such a concept as opalescence. This is an effect that is similar to the shimmer of color in a drop of oil spreading over the surface of water. This phenomenon gives the opal its color.

Opalescence can be dotted, mosaic or zonal. The appearance of different colors is due precisely to this effect. It occurs due to light dispersion, where light splits into colors depending on its wavelength. Passing through the transparent spheres in a straight line, it enters the grid, where it deflects at different angles, which are superimposed on each other.

In physics, there is a similar device that is used for circuits and devices in optics called a diffraction grating.

Another property of opals is the play of color. It represents a change in its appearance depending on the viewing angle. In order to understand how colors arise, an electron microscope is used (it has a very high resolution, allowing one to show the structure of substances). The opal structure contains spheres of silicon, which organizes a three-dimensional lattice floating in a silicon solution. This distinguishes the noble stone and gives it its characteristics.

Depending on the size of these spheres, the colors of the spectrum appear during diffraction. It is this combination of decomposition and refraction of rays that gives the opal its colorful appearance when the angle at which light passes through the stone changes. The very concept of opal, if translated, means “to watch the change of light.”

So, the determining factor in the formation of a play of color in a mineral is the diameter of the spheres. Small spheres produce bluish hues and violet, located at one end of the range of light that a person is able to see. The larger ones produce red and its shades, which are at the other end of it. The larger the size of the spheres in the opal, the more interesting the play of color.

Opal consists of silicon oxide in a gel state. It is similar to quartz, but unlike it is not a crystal. Opal is not afraid of the action of basic household chemicals and acids. It dissolves in alkali.

The stone is deposited at low temperatures in cracks and on planes that occur in almost any mineral, but most often it is limonite, sandstone, and basalt.

Opal contains about 3–15% water. On the Mohs scale, it has a hardness of 5.5–6.5 and a density of 2.15 g/cm3. The fact that opal does not have too high hardness does not prevent it from being cut and polished; it has quite sufficient hardness for decoration. Of course, such an indicator requires caution in wearing this stone.

Opals have a mirror-like shine, to which it can be easily polished, including re-polishing. If the stone becomes cloudy, just give it to a master who will polish it.

How much does the stone cost?

The cost depends on the brightness and saturation of color, shade and the play of colors. Under equal conditions, black stone is considered the most expensive. Its cost per carat can reach $300, but some specimens can be valued at much more. The white stone costs about $80.

But the stone did not always have such a value. Everything depended on fashion, which was often governed by superstition. The reason for the resulting notoriety is considered to be the palette of the gem. Many people were not only fascinated by this coloring, but also frightened. In addition, the mineral still has properties such as loss of shine, contamination over time, and color change when heated. Therefore, there was a bad reputation about him.

Refined opal

There are a number of methods for refining opal, and in any case it will cost more than a synthetic stone. If the stone has been refined, it is necessary to tell buyers about this, since, in fact, it is not completely natural.

The difference in price between noble and untreated noble opal can amount to tens of rubles. But now sellers almost always warn that the stone has undergone certain processing.

Mostly those that reach the market are doublets or triplets. However, there may be stones that have been saturated with smoke, and most often even sellers will not report this.

Doublets are stones, the upper part of which consists of noble opal, it is glued to the base. The latter is most often made from stone, which contains iron. This gives the stone the appearance of black opal. In the photo they look the same as ordinary opals. You can tell them apart by holding them in your hands. Opals are thin, so if you look from the side, you can see that the jewelry consists of two halves.

It is easy to identify a doublet, so sellers inform you that this is exactly it. Its price is ten times lower.

Triplets are also popular. Triplets are similar to doublets, the upper part of which consists of transparent hemispheres or domes made of plastic, glass or crystal. The lower part is the same as the doublet. The structure of three layers can be seen “in profile”, provided that the stone is not in a closed type jewelry.

The most common type of improvement is smoke impregnation. It is one of those types that do not need to be disclosed to customers. Ethiopian opals are processed in this way. At the fair or on the Internet you can find sellers who sell refined opals, while claiming that they are completely natural. During the process, the dark shade is acquired due to smoke particles that are trapped inside the cavities of the stone.

It is quite simple to distinguish such a stone because almost any black Ethiopian opal is processed, since they are extremely rare in nature.

Opal does not have the crystalline structure characteristic of minerals. It has a low hardness rating. But it is impossible to ignore the beauty of the color effect called opalescence. The rainbow iridescence, which changes with the slightest rotation of the stone, is caused by the refraction of light on ordered submicroscopic silica particles. Those opals that exhibit this effect are called noble and belong to the category of precious stones.

Properties of opal - description

Opals are composed of particles of silicon dioxide and water. The water content in their structure ranges from 0.4 to 32%. The properties of opals and their jewelry quality mainly depend on its quantity. For those stones that are classified as noble, the weight ratio of water to other elements is in the range of 6-10%. The more water, the more transparent the opal. When completely dry, it becomes completely opaque and may even crack and crumble.

Types of opals and colors

The inclusion of oxides of various chemical elements leads to the appearance of color in the opal. When classifying opals in terms of structure, more than forty varieties have been identified. These include, among others, the following types:

• The matrix is ​​a noble black opal with small areas of shimmering other colors.
• Harlequin, in which colored areas create a mosaic in the form of polygons.
• Fire opal, in which the opalescent areas have a fiery orange hue.
• Ordinary opal is an opaque stone of varied colors.

The most commonly used opals for jewelry are white (milky) opal, orange-red and dark blue, called black because of its very dark shade. The factor by which a stone is assessed is the level of opalescence, that is, the play of color within the sample.

Photos of opal

Products with opal

Opal has long been classified as precious, as evidenced by the name, which literally means precisely this quality in translation from Sanskrit. Products with opal take pride of place in many jewelry collections. Since opalescence cannot be enhanced by cutting, opal is not cut, but processed using the cabochon method.

Catalog of products with opal:

How to clean opal

A very beautiful noble opal is also very capricious. It must be worn to prevent it from drying out. At the same time, it must be removed if there is a risk of ingress of any chemical elements - acids or cleaning agents. The opal can be washed in soapy water at room temperature and then kept wrapped in a damp cloth for several hours. Then you can dry it and keep it in the sun for a while.

Opal deposits

More than 90% of all opal used in the world comes from Australia. The remaining deposits are distributed over other continents. The oldest mines are located in the Czech Republic, in the Cherventsy region. It was there that the main mining of the magnificent stone was concentrated before its discovery in Australia. Now very beautiful opals of various types are mined in North America. There are small deposits in several places in Ukraine and in Kamchatka in Russia.

Opal stone meaning

For the ancient Romans, the symbolic meaning of the opal stone was to attract love and fulfill hopes. And now it is often used as a talisman, especially for creative and talented people. As a rule, the meaning of opal is identified with its origin and color, and therefore different opinions may seem contradictory if applied generally to all varieties.

Whose stone is opal - horoscope, zodiac sign

Fiery or bluish-blue European opals are suitable only for strong Pisces and Scorpios, those who can distinguish danger by color changes. They are believed to fill the mind with empty dreams. The same stones that are mined in Australia and Ukraine bring good luck, and to the greatest extent, to Sagittarius. Only this luck is not about obtaining material wealth, but about striving for a high goal.

Aries and Taurus can wear jewelry with any opal except black. Astrologers advise Gemini, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Sagittarius, Capricorn to prefer only fiery. Cancers and Aquarius are suitable for opal of any color, if they really like it. Scorpios should pay attention to fire and black opals, but not get carried away with white ones.

Healing properties of opal

Lithotherapy ascribes to opals a preventive effect against the threat of heart disease, stomach disease, and infectious diseases. This stone is believed to improve vision and heal the eyes. Fire opals are used for diseases of the blood and circulatory system. They are also believed to be calming during periods of depression.

Magical properties of opal

Those who study the magical properties of stones endow opal with enormous energy, considering it fatal. It worries people who want to live a calm life and do not experience creative impulses. This applies most of all to black opal. In contrast, white opal symbolizes patience and tolerance. Buddhists compare it to a lotus and endow it with the same purity.

Opal also helps with foresight. This stone cannot get along with fickle and unnecessary people. They say that if a prophecy is used to harm someone, the opal ceases to endow its owner with such a gift.