Australian Opal, Nature's Discoball
Have you guys ever seen Australian opal? Apparently there's a lot of types out there. We've come across a whole family of different opal varieties during our tour of Australia. Now, most of the commercial areas, like around Gold Coast and hotspots in Queensland, had troves of jewelry shops dedicated to this particular gemstone. It turns out that one of the most sought after opal types in the world is called black opal, and Australia's Lightning Ridge is an area that could possibly be the zenith source for mining these precious colorful gemstones.
Despite its beauty, black opal can command quite a hefty price. An alternative choice for both jewelers and customers alike, seems to be boulder opal- which can look very similar, but instead of having "play-of-color" all throughout the stone, only certain surfaces will display the phenomena. Most of the nicer specimens of boulder opal will also possess a darkish brown to black matrix of rock to serve as a background to the opal's technicolor display.
Although high-end opal can be quite the dazzling display, more commercial varieties are also available today at most jewelry establishments. White Opal, and some ranges of liquid or crystal opal, often don't require you to burn too much of your budget. Obtaining beautiful opal is something that most gemstone and jewelry collectors aspire for.
Several of the established jewelry houses, such as Van Cleef, Tiffany & Co. and Cartier all make use of opal's visual properties to enhance their magnificent creations seen around the globe.
Despite its beauty, black opal can command quite a hefty price. An alternative choice for both jewelers and customers alike, seems to be boulder opal- which can look very similar, but instead of having "play-of-color" all throughout the stone, only certain surfaces will display the phenomena. Most of the nicer specimens of boulder opal will also possess a darkish brown to black matrix of rock to serve as a background to the opal's technicolor display.
Several of the established jewelry houses, such as Van Cleef, Tiffany & Co. and Cartier all make use of opal's visual properties to enhance their magnificent creations seen around the globe.
