What does a real opal stone look like?

Since ancient times, stones have been attractive for their beauty and energy, which people used for medicinal purposes, as well as to attract good luck, wealth and inspiration. Opal was popular among rulers along with precious diamonds, rubies and sapphires. The mysterious appearance of the gem prompted the creation of legends and myths about it. In nature, no two minerals have the same color. There are specimens that resemble a piece of the universe thanks to the rainbow glow against a dark background. Lots of light options. Let’s look at the varieties and properties of this unusual stone.

Famous historical facts

According to ancient Greek legend, when the great Zeus defeated the Titans, he burst into tears of happiness, and his tears fell from heaven to earth, turning into opals. The gem supposedly got its name from the Sanskrit word “upala,” which means “stone.” There are other versions. Pliny the Elder associated the origin of the name with the goddess of fertility Opis. The ancient Roman historian gave an accurate description of the mineral. He described the events associated with him. Emperor Anthony saw a stone of rare beauty from Senator Nonnius and wanted to buy it. When he did not agree, the ruler of the Eternal City issued an ultimatum. He offered to give up the opal or go into exile and lose everything. The senator chose to keep only the talisman, which gives hope and helps to get rich. For a long time, only magicians wore the gem, because it had a bad reputation. It is believed that it arose because cruel rulers loved the stone. For example, the emperor and tyrant Caligula, who is known for terrible torture and executions. During the Middle Ages, rings with opal were symbols of witchcraft, indispensable attributes for magical actions. Thieves and robbers loved jewelry with this mineral due to the belief that it made people invisible. Due to its bad reputation, the stone was unpopular among the aristocracy. Despite superstitions and thanks to its unusual radiance and variety of colors, many famous historical figures loved it:

• the Roman Emperor Constantine considered him in his crown to be the protector of life and power from assassination attempts;
• Napoleon’s wife Josephine owned the Burning Troy gem;
• Queen Victoria owned a tiara, necklace and earrings with an opal stone, which were made under the direction of Prince Albert;
• Hortense de Beauharnais, mother of Napoleon III, owned a set that is now kept in a museum in Switzerland;
• The wife of the last Russian Tsar, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, collected a unique collection of jewelry with this mineral.

The controversial history of the gem is explained by its unusual beauty, which fascinates and evokes fear. And in the East he was always considered happy.

Rings with an opal stone in a gold frame were recommended to be worn on the index finger of the right hand for healing from chronic diseases.

Modern fashionistas are also happy to buy jewelry with a mysterious gem. Interest in it flared up with renewed vigor when its particles were discovered on Mars in 2008, according to NASA.

Structure and formation of natural opals

This gem is a mineraloid. It is an amorphous quartz structure. It is distinguished from a mineral by the absence of a crystal lattice. An important feature is the presence of a large amount of water in the composition, the content of which varies in different types from 5 to 30%. Chemical formula – SiO2 nH2O. This is silicon dioxide hydrate.

Some mineraloids are formed from thermal springs and geysers, but more often – by sedimentary methods. In this case, water passes through the ground and accumulates dissolved silicates. In rock cavities, salts are deposited from the liquid fraction in the form of spheres. If they are the same size and structure, then the resulting jewelry varieties are capable of scattering light. If the spherical particles are heterogeneous in composition and are randomly located, then simple mineraloids are formed. They are rarely used in jewelry due to the lack of optical effects: iridescent tints and luminescent glow.

physical properties

The composition and structure of a gem determine its features, which must be taken into account when wearing jewelry with it:

1. Hardness. On the Mohs scale it is 5 – 5,5. This means that it is fragile and can crack upon impact or other mechanical stress. The surface is easily scratched.
2. Low density. It defines light weight. Thanks to this quality, the jewelry is comfortable to wear. Earrings with opal do not pull on your earlobes.
3. Transparency. There are different types: mother-of-pearl, wax, frosted and glass.
4. Opalescence effect. When exposed to light, a monochromatic or iridescent shimmer is formed. This glow is more pronounced when cut as a cabochon. It is used in most inserts. The appearance of colored spots is caused by the structure of the mineraloid. Between the spherical formations there is a turbid liquid – water. Light is scattered as it passes through it. Several beams are formed from one beam, which leads to the appearance of beautiful colored spots. Jewelry, especially bracelets with opal, which have a play of colors, look noble and mysterious.
5. Pleochroism. Some natural specimens change color at different viewing angles or when moving. This gives the effect of a living organism.

Known deposits

Nowadays, most precious opals come from Australia. The deposits in this country have become famous for their unique products of inimitable beauty. Only 5% of mined gems are black. Most of them are from Australia. Since 1993, opal has been declared the national stone of this country. Known specimens were given names:

• Halley’s Comet is the largest of the black varieties and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records;
• Queen of Fire – kept in the collection of the Rockefeller family;
• Jupiter-5 – bears the title of the largest in the world;
• Andamuka – unique, inserted into the necklace of Elizabeth II;
• Australia’s flame is the most expensive of the untreated ones.

Mining is also active in other countries. In each deposit, stones of special shades are found:

• Ethiopia – bright colors combined with intense opalescence;
• Mexico – rare orange shades;
• Peru – exclusive blue and pink solid colors with pronounced pleochroism.

There are deposits in the Czech Republic, Russia, Brazil, the USA and Ukraine.

Opal varieties

Despite their common features, stones differ depending on the area where they are mined and the conditions of formation. The following types are distinguished:

1. Black is expensive and rare. Characterized by a dark tone and intense play of colors. It is used for exclusive jewelry. Rings with an opal insert of this type framed in gold look mysterious and attractive.
2. Boulder is unusual and in demand in jewelry production. Represents veins in the rock, which is rich in iron.
3. Fiery – bright and attention-grabbing. Red, yellow and orange fiery colors predominate. Rainbow tints are rare. Characterized by matte and waxy surfaces.
4. Hydrophane is translucent and fragile. Contains a lot of water and has a bright play of colors.
5. White is sophisticated and suits a variety of styles. Jewelry such as earrings with opal inserts of this type are worn by many celebrities.
6. Cacholong is pearly, looks gentle and romantic. Opaque, milky white, with a spectacular shimmer.
7. Girazol – suitable for decorations in classic and romantic styles. Transparent, with bluish highlights on a pale milky, almost colorless background.
8. Chrysopal is bright and in demand among collectors and stone admirers. Green, with iridescence.

The color depends on the size of the silicon spheres of which it is composed. Small ones give blue shades, large ones – red ones.

Opal drawings

Natural stones amaze with their unique combination of colors. The patterns are obtained due to the unequal size of spherical particles in the opal structure and their uneven arrangement. The drawing is called a pattern. This word describes the type of pattern. If it is large, this increases the value of the stone many times over.

Some drawings can only be distinguished when moving; they are invisible in the photo. When buying jewelry with opal online, pay attention to the pattern, which comes in the following types:

• floral – unidentifiable pattern, often found;
• azure – a haze of pastel colors, often pink;
• lightning – resembles the sky in a thunderstorm;
• chaff – small, closely woven lines;
• oriental letters – hieroglyphs, a pattern that resembles Chinese writing;
• contra luz – a play of colors appears if you look away from the light;
• fire – tongues of flame;
• mosaic – a similar pattern;
• tree or fern pinfire – resembles the crown of trees and distant lights;
• Harlequin – looks like a jester’s costume.

Improved, synthetic opals and their imitations

The price of a stone is determined by its color, pattern, presence of rainbow highlights and size. The cost varies greatly for different types of mineral. This encourages the creation of synthetic analogues and the use of processing methods to improve the quality of insertion into jewelry. There are these types of artificial opals:

1. Compositional natural. It consists of a natural plate that is attached to a base of another material. There are doublets that include two parts. In triplets, natural elements are cemented onto a base substrate and covered with clear quartz or glass on top.
2. Synthetic. The material, which is created artificially, is similar in structure and appearance to the real thing. The products of the Gilson company have become famous.
3. Imitations. Created using modern technologies. Outwardly they resemble natural material, but differ from it in structure and properties.

How to determine authenticity

It is sometimes difficult to distinguish a real stone from an artificial one without a specialist. If you buy bracelets with an opal insert, there are simple ways to check whether it is genuine:

1. Place it on your hand and expose it to the sun. Natural will paint your palm in all the colors of the rainbow.
2. The fake sticks to the tongue if you lick the insert.
3. There are no identical, repeating patterns in a natural specimen.
4. In artificial versions, you can look at the junction of the layers from the side.
5. Natural opal has soft transitions of colors, while fakes have sharp boundaries of color spots.
6. Insertion and air bubbles can only be found in natural stone.

How to care for opal jewelry

Jewelry with such an insert requires careful care so that the stone does not lose the moisture of which it is composed, does not tarnish or crack. To prevent it from drying out, it is recommended to wear it often. Then the mineraloid absorbs moisture from the air and from the owner’s body. It is better to wrap the product in damp canvas.

It is not recommended to store opal in a room with dry air. The stone is easy to damage and scratch. It is better to remove jewelry when working or playing sports. Doublets and triplets should not be immersed in water, so as not to disrupt the density of the layers. It is recommended to clean products only with gentle products without aggressive components.

The magical properties of the stone

Ancient alchemists endowed it with mystical powers. It is believed to be endowed with healing powers and has energy that helps the owner:

• build a career;
• attract wealth;
• find your soulmate and build a strong family;
• protect against infections and heart disease;
• get rid of insomnia.

Bracelets with opal stones are powerful talismans and amulets. They are recommended to be worn by those born under the sign of Libra, as well as gifted and creative people. The product helps develop creativity. Scorpios and Capricorns can choose black models. Leos, Aries and Sagittarius will get along with fiery species, Pisces and Cancer – with blue ones, and Gemini and Aquarius – with green ones. Taurus and Virgo are better off buying yellow-brown specimens.

Jewelry manufacturers and stores with a good reputation are responsible for the quality and authenticity of opal. Appreciate the amazingly beautiful colors and shimmers by purchasing jewelry from AURUM.

Opals are one of the most beautiful jewelry stones. Their structure consists of tiny ordered silica balls (globules) and water between them. These gems are distinguished from others by a remarkable optical effect that is unique to them – opalescence. The passing light is decomposed into colored rays, as a result of which we observe an interesting color play. Optical properties make it possible to observe all the colors of the rainbow in the same sample in the form of bright colored spots, which can change their color depending on the viewing angle and lighting. The color of opalescence depends on the size of the silica globules. At a size of about 0,1 microns, purple colors are obtained, at a size of 0,2 microns, red colors are obtained. Intermediate sizes of globules give all the remaining colors of the rainbow.

Depending on the ordering of the structure, two types (species) of this mineraloid are distinguished: noble (with opalescence) and ordinary (without opalescence). In turn, noble opals, depending on the general perception of the tone of the stone, are divided into black (with a dark base) and white (with a light base). An opalescence pattern consisting of color spots of different sizes and shapes is called a pattern. For example, the following types of patterns are distinguished: “honeycomb” – opalescence is represented by cells resembling a honeycomb; “pinfire” – many small individual multi-colored dots; “harlequin” is the rarest pattern, opalescence in the form of colored spots, similar to a bright harlequin costume.

In total, there are more than a hundred varieties of opal. The most expensive stone should contain bright red and orange colors in its play. The more multi-colored spots a stone contains, the higher the value of the specimen. Australian copies are the most expensive. There are more samples of Ethiopian origin on the world market today, and their prices are more affordable.

Natural opals in Russia in jewelry are rarely worthy specimens. You can often see imitations made of glass or plastic, or cheap synthetic (artificial) stones in Russia. Composite stones are also common: doublets and triplets. The lower part of such a cabochon is usually made from a plate of black chalcedony, and a thin layer of opal is glued onto it. This will be a doublet. If the top of the opal is additionally covered with a layer of colorless quartz, which has protective properties due to its high hardness, then this is an opal triplet. Such stones, as well as synthetic (artificial) stones, are usually not expensive. Large natural specimens (without refining), which are characterized by bright multi-colored flashes, will have a high value.

To preserve the beauty of opal, its natural pattern, and rich palette, care must be taken to maintain the required level of humidity. Opal is a fragile gem that requires careful handling and care in compliance with the following rules:

• Cleaning is done with a soft brush.
• The mineral is protected from contact with aggressive chemical components.
• Drying the opal in the sun is not allowed to prevent the gem from cracking or fading.
• Use a solution containing minimal soap to clean.

In some cases, products with opals are placed in a humid environment – they are wrapped in a wet napkin or towel for a couple of hours. In case of excessive loss of liquid, the gem is left in water for a certain time, taking into account the size of the stone and the degree of its drying. This allows the decoration to return its attractive appearance.

Place of Birth

Most precious opals today come to the world market from deposits in Australia and Ethiopia. Until 2008, about 95% of production came from Australia. Nowadays, most of the opal production comes from the deposits of Ethiopia. The first finds in Australia date back to 1849. Australian “white” and “black” opals come mainly from the following deposits: Lighting Ridge, Coober Pedy and Andamooka. Another mining region is Mexico, where orange-colored fire opals are mined. Opals are also mined in Brazil, the USA, Honduras and other countries. There are also finds in Peru, where blue and pink specimens without opalescence are found. There are also deposits in Russia: in Transbaikalia, Kamchatka and Chukotka. The most famous deposit of precious opal in Russia is “Rainbow” in the Primorsky Territory. The most expensive are “black” precious opals from Australia with large multi-colored spots of opalescence.

CHARACTERISTICS

Mineral Type: Opal

Chemical formula: SiO 2 *nH 2 O

Optical character: conventional isotropic, with an. biprel.