Jewelry > Opal

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Opal Jewelry

Opal Pendants & Lockets

Black Opals

Fire Opals

Boulder Opals

Loose Opal Gemstones

Opal Earrings

Opal Necklaces

Opal Rings

Vintage Opal Jewelry, Antique

Opal Bracelets

Opal Solitaire

Opal Studs

Opal Tennis Bracelet

Loose Opal Beads

Opal Fashion Jewelry

Types of opals:

Black opal

Opal which is found with a natural black or dark background. This background can range from pitch black to grey giving the stone are darkish appearance when seen from the top. It is the dark background which allows the brillant colours. Black opal can be any colour. The specimen pictured has a dominent colour of blue. It is approximately 1-1/2 cm in length.

Semi-Black opal

The semi-black opal is found on most fields. It's background colour ranges from grey to near black. One of its distinguishing characteristics is an almost smoky appearance. Semi-black opals are from the same family as black opals, but they are not as dark.

White opal

A solid opal with an opaque light background.

Crystal opal

An opal with a brilliant crystal appearance allowing you to look down into the stone. The light background of this opal is translucent.

Jelly Crystal opal

A solid crystal opal that is extremely translucent, to the point of being almost transparent.

Boulder opal

Similar to black opal except that the foreground colour is very thin and sits on a brown ironstone base. These stones at times can come with interesting "hills" and "valleys" on the surface.(meaning that the surface is often, but not always, undulating)

Picture Opals

Uniquely patterned boulder opals where an object is clearly visible.

Opalized Wood

Because the creation of opal is a natural process, opals can sometimes be found within substances other than stone.

Specimen

A chunk of opal that is either left in its natural state or given a polish or varnish to show off one aspect or feature of the stone. Opal specimens are sought after by rock collectors, who generally display them on a desk or shelf.

Mexican fire opal

Named for its bright reddish-orange color instead of any play-of-color, fire opal is the only opal that is typically faceted. Usually Mexican opal in other colors are domed and sold as oval or round cabochons for jewelry use. Artifacts show that Mexican opal was used at least as far back as the Aztecs. Less expensive than many other jewels, Mexican fire opal is also one of the few genuine orange gemstones.

Type A Opal:

Type A opal, natural, untreated opal, only undergoes a traditional process, including plum juice washing and polishing with beewax. These procedures are internationally recognized as standard practice and are not defined as "artificial treatments". It is not disguised with any dirt picking, high temperature or high-pressure treatments. The color is natural, so they are called "true color".

Type B Opal:

Type B opal, bleached, polymer impregnated opal. To distinguish Type B opal, you need to know the structure of opal as well as the principle and procedure of the processing of Type B opal.

The quality of this kind of opal is not natural, its structure integrity has been damaged and become loose. The artificially treated Type B opal will become unstable and discolor after a certain period of time since heat or household detergent will break down the polymer.

Type C Opal:

Not only the Type C opal has been chemically bleached to remove impurities, it has been dyed to enhance its color. The color will be very rich but will not retain its brilliant coloration and will discolor after certain period because the chemical used on treatment is not stable. The transparency and equality will be loose under strong light, body heat or household detergent.

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