Australian Opals

Description:Dark opals are known for their deep body tone and vibrant play-of-color, creating a striking contrast. They are highly coveted for their captivating appearance.

Body Tone:Dark to very dark body tones that provide a bold and dramatic background for the play-of-color. This rich body tone is a defining feature of dark opals.

Play of Color:Vivid and intense, often with deep blues, greens, and reds, creating a captivating contrast against the dark body tone. The play-of-color in dark opals is striking and mesmerizing.

Transparency:Translucent to semi-transparent, allowing light to pass through the opal. This feature enhances the opal's brilliance and color display.

Primary Source:Commonly sourced from Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia, dark opals are often found in this region's opal mines, which are renowned for producing high-quality opals.

Description:White opals are a type of opal characterized by their light body tone and subtle play-of-color. They belong to the broader category of precious opals, known for their vibrant play-of-color.

Body Tone:White opals exhibit a body tone that ranges from light to white. This light background enhances the play-of-color, making it more visually striking.

Play of Color:The play-of-color in white opals is characterized by soft and pastel hues, often with flashes of red, green, and blue. These colors can exhibit a mesmerizing dance of light within the stone.

Transparency:White opals typically have a transparency that falls between translucent to semi-transparent. This property allows light to penetrate the stone and interact with the opal's internal structure, creating the play-of-color effect.

Primary Source:Commonly found in Coober Pedy, South Australia, and other Australian opal fields, white opals are a hallmark of Australian opal mining. These opals are known for their unique and captivating characteristics.

Description:Crystal opals are a variety of opal known for their transparent to translucent appearance, allowing you to see the play-of-color within. They are characterized by their glassy appearance, making them unique among opals.

Body Tone:Crystal opals can exhibit a body tone ranging from light to dark, providing a versatile range of options for jewelry and collectors.

Play of Color:These opals display a bright and dynamic play-of-color, with vivid hues and patterns visible through the stone. The play-of-color is a mesmerizing feature that sets crystal opals apart.

Transparency:Crystal opals are highly transparent to translucent, with a glassy appearance that enhances the visibility of their play-of-color. This transparency is a key factor in their appeal.

Primary Source:The primary source of crystal opals is various opal fields across Australia, including Lightning Ridge and Mintabie. Lightning Ridge, in particular, is renowned for producing top-quality crystal opals.

Description:Boulder opals are unique opals that form within ironstone boulders. They often display a captivating play-of-color against their host rock.

Body Tone:Boulder opals come in a range of body tones, from light to dark, depending on the opal and host rock colors. The body tone influences the overall appearance of the opal.

Play of Color:Boulder opals exhibit a varied and striking play-of-color. This play-of-color includes a mesmerizing array of patterns and colors that contrast the ironstone matrix, creating a visually stunning effect.

Transparency:Boulder opals are typically opaque, with patches of opalescent color. The opalescent colors are the result of the unique interplay between the opal and the ironstone host rock.

Primary Source:Boulder opals are mainly sourced from Queensland, Australia, particularly in regions like Quilpie and Winton. These areas are known for their rich opal deposits.

Description:Matrix opals are unique opals that have a matrix, or host rock, as a prominent feature, with opalescent color patches scattered throughout. They are known for their captivating play-of-color, which consists of vibrant flashes and patches of iridescence against the matrix background.

Body Tone:The body tone of matrix opals varies based on the color of the matrix. It can range from light to dark, with some specimens having a pale matrix while others showcase a dark and contrasting background that enhances the play-of-color. This variation adds to the opal's uniqueness.

Play of Color:Matrix opals exhibit a spectacular play-of-color, characterized by vivid color patches and flashes that dance across the matrix. These colors often form intricate patterns, making each matrix opal a one-of-a-kind gemstone. The play-of-color is the hallmark feature of matrix opals and is highly prized by collectors and jewelry enthusiasts.

Transparency:The transparency of matrix opals can vary from translucent to opaque. This variation depends on the specific opal and the matrix it is embedded in. Some matrix opals have a slightly translucent appearance, allowing light to pass through and accentuate their play-of-color, while others may be more opaque, which can create a unique and mysterious effect.

Primary Source:Matrix opal is primarily found in Australia, with notable mining areas including Andamooka. These opals form within the matrix rock, creating a captivating contrast between the opalescent colors and the host material. Australia is renowned for its opal production, and matrix opals contribute to the country's opal diversity.