What is opal?
Opal is a gemstone found in sedimentary rock. Opal has been used since prehistory as an ornamentation, with the earliest references to opals occurring in Central America and Mexico between 3600 and 3000 B.C. It was also used for body adornments, amulets and religious purposes.
Opal is a well known gemstone that has been used for thousands of years.The raw material for Opal is a form of microcrystalline quartz called opal. It has white to light blue colour due to its high iron content. It has been used for ornaments and jewellery because it is beautiful to look at any time of the day: day, night or under sunlight.
History
Opals have been used for over 25,000 years. The first people to discover this special stone were the Australian aborigines who discovered them in the Omafiets River in central Northern Territory. They were named "opal" as early as 2000 B.C., which means "fire" in an Aboriginal language, which also explains why they are sometimes called "fire opals."Opals are a beautiful gemstone that has been treasured for thousands of years. They were first used as a gemstone in the ancient world, and have been popular throughout history. Today they can be found in jewellery stores all over the world, but there are still many who believe that opals carry special powers associated with them.
Location
Opal was found in ancient Egypt, Central America and Australia. Nowadays, Opal is found around the world (Brazil, Mexico, Honduras and the western US) however Australia produces 95% of the world's precious opal and it is their official national gemstone.
Opal Properties
Opal is a transparent, silica mineral, which is valued for its display of colours and sometimes tricolour appearance. Opal stones are often known as the "gem of truth" and are said to bestow their wearer with clarity of thought and direction in life. The specific opal stone properties will differ depending on what the opal stone itself is made from.
Opal is a mineraloid. It's a hydrous form of silica, which means that it has water trapped within its structure. The colour may be translucent to opaque, depending on the amount of water present in an opal.
Types Of Opal
There are two types of opal: black and white. The most common type of opal is black; it occurs in dark-coloured rock formations that were once part of a larger body of water or mudstone. It's thought that these rocks were formed by cooling magma underground and then being exposed to air during volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago when these areas were still covered with water (or something similar).
- Black opal is a type of opaque opal that has a black body colour. It can be found in all colours, but the most common are red and orange-red.
- White opal is transparent or translucent to light with white coloration. The most common colours for white opals are greyish whites, pale blue-greens, yellowish whites and even pinkish whites.
- Opal with fire is an opaque form of brown porcelainized quartz (silicified feldspar) with iron impurities that produce a reddish hue on the exterior surface when viewed through microscopes or UV lamps.[2] The term "opal" refers not only to this particular variety but also any other precious stone whose raw material contains some measure of hematite (FeO).
- Doublet of doublets are two gems cemented together in order not only because they were once attached by their gemstone setting but also because they were made from one piece during ancient times when cutting down trees was difficult due to lack of technology required.
Fun Facts About Opals
- The national gemstone of Australia.
- The birthstone for October.
- A stone of love and passion, it also represents friendship and loyalty.
- It's said to bring good fortune to those who wear it as well as giving you the courage needed to face your fears head-on!
- Opal is believed to give its wearer clarity about their true feelings towards others (and themselves).
Uses Of Opal
Opal is a symbol of purity, hope and luck. It is also used as a symbol of love and passion.
Opals have been used in jewellery for thousands of years due to their beauty and rarity. The most common form of opal is found in Australia's Red Centre region where it occurs naturally in sandstone deposits called opaline silica (silica-rich sandstone).
How to Tell If an Opal is Real?
If you're unsure of an opal's authenticity, there are a few steps you can take to make sure that your opal is real.
- Look at the stone in natural light. If it looks like any other rock and doesn't have any holes or cracks, then it's probably not an opal.
- Look at the stone in bright light or under UV lamps (the latter may damage some specimens). This makes it easier to see if there are any imperfections on the surface of your piece—if there are any cracks or scratches, this could indicate that it isn't natural at all!
How to Assess an Opal’s Value?
- The colour of an opal is the most important aspect to look at. You can’t miss this one! It will tell you everything you need to know about a piece.
- The play of colours in an opal is another thing that needs your attention. If all the colours are uniform, then it might not be worth much financially. On the other hand if there are different shades, then it might be more valuable than expected!
- Patches or patterns on an opal may also indicate its value: if they are fine and smooth like those found on quartz crystals then they won’t be very valuable but if they are rough looking with sharp edges (like those found in jasper stones), then chances are high that these patches were caused by hitting against hard surfaces over time and costs a lot.
Conclusion
Opals are beautiful gems that have a lot to offer. They’re known as the king of gemstones, as they are highly prized for their colour and rarity.
In addition to being valuable collectors items, opals also have many other uses! You can wear them in jewellery, use them in your home decor or garden landscaping (if you live near an ephemeral lake), or even sell them at rock shows. If you think that opals would make an interesting addition to your collection then now's the time to buy one!
