Opals
Opals hold incredible iridescent properties which defract brilliant colours from ocean blues and greens, to warm pinks, purples and oranges. Opals are recorded to have been widely adorned and celebrated in the ancient world. Opal artifacts dating back several thousand years have been discovered in East Africa while Romans prized this precious gemstone as early as 250 BC. In Australia, several First Nations dreamtime stories include this dazzling precious gemstone.
Formation Process
The unique structure of this gemstone stone diffracts light creating brilliant iridescent colours. Smaller stones tend to reflect purples greens and blues while larger stones display oranges, pinks & reds.
The base colour most commonly appears as white, however they can also be found in blacks, reds and oranges. The warm colouring comes from trapped iron minerals and creates what is known as the ‘fire opal’.
Above, a white opal in it’s raw organic state. To the right, a raw fire opal.
Australia is the only place in the world where Opalized plant and animal fossils can be found. This is where the precious gemstone has formed around early animal and plant remains. Opalized fossils have been found with remains of Dinosaurs, early mammals and marine shellfish and crustaceans.
Pictured below, opalized fossil plesiosaur vertebra.
Opal Doublets & Triplets
Doublets refer to a composite of two pieces of gemstone or material. For Opal doublets, a thin delicate layer of Opal is secured to a base material. This is often a gemstone deep in colour such as Onyx. This dark under-layer deepens the appearance of the opalescent gemstone.
For triplets, a third transparent layer is then added to the top. This is often clear quartz crystal or glass.
Pictured, an Opal doublet from Andamooka, South Australia.
Australian Opals
In 1915 Opals were uncovered by European settlers in what is today known as Coober Pedy – a town situated in South Australia between Alice Springs and Adelaide. The harsh desert temperatures mean that many residents prefer to live in cave like housing underground – this housing is known as “dug outs”. This area is considered the Opal Capital of the world and today has become one of the largest suppliers of Opals across the globe.
Pictured below, desert near Coober Pedy thought to contain Opals.
Opal Gallery
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