Australian opals are one of the most precious stones in the world. They are considered one of nature’s greatest artwork. The colours in the stone can vary and includes only the rainbow shades. This unique stone has become so popular and is being used in place of other precious gems like diamonds, rubies etc in making of jewellery.
Opals in Australia are generally mined in the central part of the country. They are formed because of a unique set of geological events that occurred on 100 million years. Though there are other countries that mine this precious gemstone, Australia produces almost 95% of opals.
The value of opal depends on many factors like type, body tone, brilliance, pattern, colour bar thickness, and play of colour. The other important factors that decide the price of the stone is the quality of cut and polish and size of the stone.
Opals are found in different types and varieties. The most common varieties of opal are:
- Black opal: This type of opal is the rarest and valuable of all varieties. The stones that are available in bar form have all the rainbow colours in it on a black background.
- Boulder opal: The surface of this type of opal is smooth and uneven. It is generally found on top of ironstone or showing as flashing flecks of colour.
- Common opal: These less expensive stone do not show any play of colours and are classified as non-gem quality.
Man-made versions of these stones are also available in the market. The choice can be made according to the budget.
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