Opal Lexicon

Opal patterns: harlequin, pinfire, rolling flash

An opal’s pattern, from pinfire through rolling flash to harlequin, is the third great price driver after brightness and body tone. The article shows twelve patterns with pictures and a price facto...

Synthetic opal: how to spot it, and its value

Synthetic opal consists of the same silica spheres as a natural opal, but grows in about a year in the laboratory. How you recognise it for sure under the loupe, what it is worth, how it must be la...

Famous Opals: Stones That Were Given a Name

Olympic Australis, Aurora Australis, Flame Queen: the stories behind the most famous opals and what they tell you about buying today.

Having an Opal Valued: What Your Stone Is Really Worth

Unlike gold, opal has no daily rate. Two stones of the same size can differ in value by a factor of fifty. What you can judge yourself.

Opal Colours: What Each Colour Means and Costs

An opal carries no colour inside it, it creates it from light. Which colours exist, which are rare and what each one costs.

Opal Doublet and Triplet: Structure and Value

An opal doublet and an opal triplet bring genuine play of colour to your skin without you paying the price of a solid opal.

How Much Is an Opal Worth?

What an opal is worth comes down to a few traits: play of colour, body tone and authenticity first.