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...

Cutting, polishing, repairing opal: what a workshop can do

A goldsmith can still cut or polish an opal years after purchase. Whether it is worth it depends on the damage: a dull stone is a different case from a cracked one. The article shows the grinding s...

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...

Opalite is glass, not opal: how to tell

Opalite is art glass with a milky blue shimmer and is often sold as opal at flea markets and marketplaces. The article shows the traits that give it away, clears up the mix-up with natural milky op...

Is opal fragile? Hardness, cracks and water

An opal does not shatter at the first knock, but it reacts to two things: quartz dust that scratches it, and sudden dryness that draws cracks. What that means for ring, necklace and daily life is h...

How Opal Jewellery Is Made: Four Stations, One Stone

From six metres underground to the finger: the four stations an opal passes through, and why they explain the price.

Measuring Ring Size: In Two Minutes to the Right Size

Two minutes decide whether a ring is worn or sent back. Three ways to measure, the size table and the right setting for an opal.

Does an Opal Bring Bad Luck? How a Novel Ruined Its Name

Two thousand years a lucky stone, then one novel from 1829 changed everything. How the opal fell into disrepute and who brought it back.

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.

What Is an Opal? The Gemstone That Is Not a Crystal

Diamond, ruby and sapphire are crystals. The opal has no lattice, contains water and creates its colours from light. What that means in practice.

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.

Giving an Opal: Which Stone Suits Which Occasion

No other gemstone is as clearly one of a kind. Which opal suits which occasion, and how to match a taste you do not know.