Famous Opals: Stones That Were Given a Name
The named stones themselves (Olympic Australis, Aurora Australis, Virgin Rainbow, Flame Queen, Fire of Australia, Halley’s Comet, Andamooka opal) sit in museums and private collections. There are no freely usable photos of the originals. The pictures here show real black opals of the same class, not the museum pieces.
Opal knowledge · History
Stones that were given a name
Famous opals carry names like people: Aurora Australis, Flame Queen, Olympic Australis. Almost all of them were found by men digging for water or looking for gold in the Australian outback who struck colour instead. The best known pieces are below, what makes them special and who wore opals when it was still considered a risk.
The two most important names: The Olympic Australis counts as the largest known precious opal, the Aurora Australis as the most valuable black opal. Both come from Australia. Among those who wore them, Queen Victoria matters most, because she made the opal socially acceptable again.
Which is the largest opal in the world?
In 1956 a miner in Coober Pedy in South Australia struck an opal a good ten metres below the surface that surpassed anything known: around 17,000 carats, about three and a half kilograms, and of precious opal quality throughout. It was named after the Olympic Games held in Melbourne that same year.
It was never divided. That is exactly what makes it so exceptional, because large rough pieces are almost always split up to sell them more easily.
Which is the most valuable?
Found in 1938 in Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, cut to around 180 carats. It counts as the most valuable black opal in the world. The reason lies not in its size but in the combination: a very dark body tone carrying strong red, green and blue, spread across an unusually even pattern.
Which other famous pieces are there?
Flame Queen
Lightning Ridge, 1918. Around 260 carats with a pattern that exists nowhere else: a glowing core surrounded by a dark rim, which is why it is often described as a fried egg.
Fire of Australia
Coober Pedy, 1946, around five kilograms rough weight. It stayed in family ownership for decades and later went to an Australian museum.
Halley's Comet
Lightning Ridge, 1986, named after the comet visible that year. Counts as the largest uncut black opal.
The Andamooka opal
Found in Andamooka in 1954 and presented to Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Australia. It was made into a necklace.
Who has worn opals?
Queen Victoria
The most important figure for the opal
In the 19th century the opal was considered a stone of misfortune. Victoria thought nothing of it: she wore opals herself and gave her daughters opal jewellery on their weddings. Because the court set the fashion at the time, the mood turned. Without her the Australian opal might never have become a bestseller.
Queen Elizabeth II
Received the Andamooka opal in 1954 as a gift from the State of South Australia and wore it as a necklace.
Empress Joséphine
Napoleon is said to have given her an opal called Burning of Troy. The stone has been considered lost since the 19th century, and its existence is not beyond doubt.
The Roman Senate
The story is handed down of the senator Nonius, who chose exile rather than surrender his opal to Mark Antony. That too is a tale, not a record.
Why the opal fell into disrepute at all and how it recovered is covered at length in lucky stone or stone of misfortune.
What does that mean for a stone you buy today?
The famous pieces are exceptions, but they explain why opals are valued the way they are. All the great names share the same three features.
Dark body tone
Almost all famous opals are black opals from Lightning Ridge. The dark base makes the colours burn.
Red in the play
Red needs the largest spheres and is therefore rare. No top stone manages without it.
A pattern that carries
Fire spread evenly across the whole surface beats a bright flash in one spot.
You can apply exactly these three points to any stone, including one at 200 euros. How to do that is in how much is an opal worth and having an opal valued.
Stones with a dark tone and strong fire are with us under red opal, the calmer ones under white opal and crystal opal.
What this means for your stone
The famous stones help you with one thing very practically: they show what matters. With all of them it comes down to the same three features, namely a dark base, red in the play and a surface that glows from several angles. If you find the same features on a stone at three hundred euros, on a smaller scale, you have bought well.
Common questions about famous opals
What is the largest opal in the world?
The Olympic Australis counts as the largest known precious opal, found in Coober Pedy in 1956, at around 17,000 carats and about three and a half kilograms.
What is the most valuable opal?
The Aurora Australis from Lightning Ridge, found in 1938 and cut to around 180 carats. What decides it is not the size but the very dark body tone with a strong, even play of colour.
Where do the famous opals come from?
Almost all from Australia, above all from Lightning Ridge in New South Wales and Coober Pedy in South Australia.
Did Queen Victoria wear opals?
Yes, and it was decisive. She wore opals herself and gave them to her daughters, although the stone was considered a bringer of misfortune at the time.
Can you see famous opals?
Some are in Australian museums and collections. Others are privately owned and rarely shown in public.
What makes an opal a top stone?
A dark body tone, red in the play of colour and an even pattern across the whole surface. These three features apply regardless of size.
If you are unsure or have questions, you are welcome to contact us at any time, even if you did not buy the opal from us. Contact form, email cs@libertyangels.de or call +49 171 1603048.
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Written by Anton Kehler
Gründer FAERELLI & Liberty Angels
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