Opal Colours: What Each Colour Means and Costs
Opal knowledge · Colours
A stone that will not settle on one colour
Which colours an opal has, cannot be answered in a single word, and that is precisely the point. An opal does not carry colour inside it the way an emerald or a ruby does. It creates it from light. That is why you see blue where there was green a moment ago, and red only from a certain angle. Which colours there are is below, which are rare, what they cost and what meaning tradition attaches to them.
The order that explains everything: Blue is the most common opal colour, red the rarest and most expensive. What decides it, though, is not the colour alone but the base: the same colour looks far stronger on a dark body tone than on a pale one. That is why the black opal is the most valuable.
What is the difference between body tone and play of colour?
The most common mistake with opal is to confuse the two. Once you have grasped the distinction, you read every product description differently.
The base colour of the stone itself, if you think the play of colour away. It ranges from transparent through milky white to deep black. The body tone does not change when you turn the stone.
The moving colours that travel as you tilt it. They arise through refraction of light, not through pigment. The play of colour changes with every angle of view.
So a black opal is not called that because it glows black, but because its base is dark. On this dark stage red and green look particularly strong. A white opal has the same play colours, just on a pale base and therefore softer.
Why does an opal show colours at all?
Inside the opal, tiny silica gel spheres lie in a regular lattice. When light strikes them it is diffracted by these spheres and split into its components, much as it is on the surface of a CD. Which colour you see depends on the size of the spheres.
Small spheres refract short wave light: blue and violet. Common, and therefore more affordable.
Large spheres refract long wave light: orange and red. Rare, and therefore expensive.
Which opal colours are there?
Blue: the most common and calmest colour
Blue arises with the smallest silica gel spheres in the stone. Because small spheres are more common than large ones, blue is the most widespread colour in opal and therefore usually the most affordable.
By tradition: By tradition blue stands for calm and a clear head. In gemstone lore it is assigned to expression and communication.
Green: the balance between the extremes
Green sits in the middle of the spectrum and almost always appears together with blue. Pure green without any blue is considerably rarer.
By tradition: Green counts as the balancing colour and is traditionally linked to the heart and to connection.
Red: the rarest and most expensive colour
Red needs the largest spheres in the stone, and those are rare. An opal showing rich red costs many times a blue stone of the same size. If it shows red on a dark base, it is top material.
By tradition: Red stands by tradition for energy and joy in life, and in the fire opal additionally for drive and warmth.
Orange and gold: the colour of the fire opal
With the Mexican fire opal, orange is not the play of colour but the body tone, in other words the base colour of the stone itself. That is an important difference from all the other colours here.
By tradition: The warm tone is traditionally linked to confidence and self assurance.
Violet: rare and mostly only as a shimmer
Violet almost never appears across a surface but as a transition between blue and red. It is more a flash than an area.
By tradition: In tradition violet counts as the colour of intuition and inner images.
White: pale base tone with a delicate play
With the white opal the body tone is pale to milky. The play of colour lies on it like a shimmer, softer and less contrasting than on a dark stone.
By tradition: White is linked to clarity and to a fresh start.
Black: not a shade but the stage
With opal, black is not a play colour but the body tone. It swallows scattered light and makes the colours in front of it appear considerably stronger. That is why black opals are the most valuable.
By tradition: The dark stone stands by tradition for depth and protection.
Which colour costs the most?
The order of prices follows rarity, and rarity follows physics. The larger the spheres have to be, the rarer the stone.
| Colour | Frequency | Price level |
|---|---|---|
| Red on a dark base | very rare | highest |
| Red and orange | rare | high |
| Violet | rare, mostly only as a shimmer | upper |
| Green | common | middle |
| Blue | most common | entry level |
Important: this is a rule of thumb, not a price tag. A lively blue opal with a clear pattern can be more expensive than a washed out red one. How a price actually comes about is in how much is an opal worth.
What is said about the individual colours?
Opals have been linked with meanings for centuries, and with the play of colour that is an obvious step: a stone that changes colour invites interpretation. These attributions come from tradition and gemstone lore.
For context
The meanings that follow are traditional attributions from stone and colour lore. They are not scientifically proven and expressly no promise of healing. An opal is no substitute for medical treatment. We pass them on because they belong to the cultural history of the stone and many people find them beautiful.
Blue and turquoise
Calm, a clear head, expression. The colour credited with composure.
Green
Balance and connection. Stands by tradition between the extremes.
Red and orange
Energy, warmth, joy in life. The fire opal is said to give drive.
Violet
Intuition and inner images. The colour of imagination.
White
Clarity and a fresh start. The quiet one among the opals.
Black
Depth and protection. The stone credited with the most gravity.
In more detail, with the history behind the attributions, this is in the article opal: meaning and properties.
Which colour suits you?
In the end taste decides. Two things still help with the choice.
The metal
Yellow and rose gold pick up red and orange shares and make the stone look warmer. Silver and white gold emphasise blue and green and look cooler.
How to decide in two minutes
Put the question differently: not which colour is the most beautiful, but which one will you wear every day. Hold a stone next to your wrist and see whether your skin tone looks warm or cool. Red, orange and gold suit warm tones, blue, turquoise and green the cool ones. If you are unsure, take a pale stone with a multicoloured play: it goes with almost everything and is the least likely to bore you.
Common questions about opal colours
Which colours can an opal have?
An opal can show every colour of the spectrum: blue, turquoise, green, yellow, orange, red and violet. Blue is the most common, red the rarest.
Which opal colour is the most valuable?
Red on a dark body tone. Red needs the largest spheres in the stone and is therefore rare, and a dark base makes it look strongest.
Why does the opal change colour?
Because the colours are not inside the stone but arise through refraction of light on tiny silica gel spheres. Change the angle of view and you change the path of the light, and with it the visible colour.
What is the difference between body tone and play of colour?
The body tone is the fixed base colour of the stone, the play of colour the travelling colours on top of it. A black opal has a dark body tone; its play of colour can still be a glowing red.
Does the colour of an opal have a meaning?
In tradition yes: blue is credited with calm, red with energy, green with balance. These attributions come from gemstone lore, are not scientifically proven and are no promise of healing.
Which opal colour suits gold, which suits silver?
Red and orange shares come into their own better in yellow and rose gold, blue and green in silver or white gold. If you are unsure, take your lead from the jewellery already being worn.
Every opal type has its own typical colour world. In the opal lexicon you will find an article on each, from the black opal through the Welo opal to the fire opal.
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
