Dazzling Opal Gem Stone

I’m Sorry if you don’t agree but I believe the opal is the most dazzling of all gemstones – the best gemstone in the whole wide world. I have seen opal with unimaginable colours and patterns! An opal changes colour depending on which angle it is viewed. Its fascinating appearance can easily bedazzle the holder and bewitch someone one to look at it for hours. Ask Julius Cesar he demanded an opal from someone as he wanted to give it to Cleopatra but the owner of the opal chose to leave his home town of Rome rather than give up his precious jewel.

Unlike some gemstones when you see a quality opal instantly you will know that it has value.

Mostly it is found in Australia. This country exports more than 90% of the stones (this figure has dropped dramatically). Some other countries that are in the list of exporting Opal gem stones are Mexico, Brazil, a few places in America and most recently Ethiopia (Also know as Walo opal – which is the place in Ethiopia when it is mined). However it is without question that Australian opal is considered the best, Best colours and Most stable (less likely to crack). The reason for this is that opal in Australia is formed sedimentary while nearly all other opal is formed volcanically. 

Opals are available in a wide color range. Put simply, if you have seen the colour in a rainbow then it is possible to be seen in an opal. Blue is the most common and Red is the rarest.

Opal gem stones are normally categorized into 4 types. But before we get to that you need to know that there is also what is called common opal which is opal with no colour & There is a type of opal called party stones which is only which has nice patterns and a little bit of colour but not what we would call gem quality.

Opal is a massivly varying stone but group them into 4 types…

Black opal, white opal, boulder opal and matrix opal. 

With the price of gold many opals are being put into silver but if you are looking for an opal with a massive Wow! Factor then most likely you won’t get it in silver but it will be put in gold and then priced accordingly. If you want opal in gold then the best jewellery to make is Opal stud earring is it uses the leaset amount of metal. You will be able to find some wonderful gold and silver opal stud earrings at www.jgjewellers.com.au

Our jewellery making philosophy is to let the stone do all the talking. Get the best stones we can find and set them well. But to not go overboard with the metalwork – let the stone be the star not the jeweler. This is also means that the design will never go out of fashion!