Opal Jewelry Ideas For Jewelry Retailers

Did you know that there are only a total of 6 gemstones found in the entire planet? A penny for your thoughts, these would be diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, pearls, and opal, which altogether comprise the most beautiful gems you can find. Opal may be one that you may deem as less popular than the aforementioned stones, however, it is quite distinctive as this treasure holds unique predominant characteristics you can’t find anywhere else, just like no two snowflakes, cat noses, or thumbprints are alike. This makes the opal rare and even more priceless!

What is an Opal?

An opal consists of hydrated silica, which is semitransparent and displays varying colors against a pale or dark backdrop. Scientifically speaking, it is a mineraloid rather than a mineral for lacking the crystal structure required to meet its definition, but an opal is still recognized among the true minerals for being downright worthy to be one. Opal is sourced from and widely produced in Australia, making up around 97% of all opals in the world. In fact, the world’s largest and undoubtedly the most valuable gem coined as “Olympic Australis” was discovered in August of the year 1956, situated at the “Eight Mile” opal field in the town of Coober Pedy, South Australia. It weighed 17,000 carats and measured 11 inches long, 4.75 inches in height, and had a width of 4.5 inches.

Buy 925 silver collection with opals!

An opal can literally be your sunshine after the rain, which transforms into a beautiful rainbow because of the majestic spectrum of colors it produces! Remember back in school days when it was taught that sunlight is a made up of the huge range of colors the eye can see, which apparently looks white to the eye, as demonstrated by Sir Isaac Newton. When it passes through different mediums, the refraction of light occurs at different angles, which are manifested into the exquisite prism contained within an opal called the play-of-colour. This gemstone’s phenomenon and brilliance cannot be highlighted more, that if a picture paints a thousand words, an opal is truly the perfect epitome.

Natural Precious Opals

Precious opal or the opaline silica exhibits various variables of its internal colors, which elicits the base color, flash colors and patterns, translucent or opaque effect, and other forms of the color play it is known for. Patterns command its value and the popular Harlequin, Flagstone, Chinese Writing, Picture Stones, Rolling Flash, Ribbon, and Straw are just a few of them. This makes the opal perfect for the collector, gem enthusiast, and while curiosity can kill the cat, you can never go wrong with studying an opal. Each gem is wrapped in alluring mystique, spectral hues, and enveloped in the splendor of nature, and there’s just so much to discover which makes the opal quite a delightful piece!
The most popular types include:

• White Opals – This white based type is opaque and though common, it is quite captivating with the color flash and the intensity of the play of color embedded in it.
• Crystal Opals – Possessing a translucent or semi-translucent base, this type of opal is usually very bright and appears like a rainbow. These are of high quality make, and are nonetheless special stones which come at a hefty price it deserves.
• Semi-Black Opals – Arrives in light to medium shades of grey, and can be opaque, translucent or semi-translucent. The base is darker than others, yet Semi-Black Opals present a vivid display of the play of colors.
• Black Opals – The rarest and most luxurious gems fall under this, priced per carat, that can even compare to a red diamond. This opal is not limited to its name, but is usually blush-green in color, and can surprisingly give off a gold, yellow, orange, red, and violet colors!

Synthetic or Lab Created Opals

From the discovery of the precious opal’s ordered sphere structure, vast varieties of opal have been synthesized during research and experimentation. These have yielded the lab created opals which are man made or gems that have undergone some form of treatment, which can be categorized as:

1. Doublets – An extremely thin slice of opal that is attached to an onyx backing, or basically two layers glued together.
2. Triplets – A doublet that has a clear cap glued over the top, and is even thinner than the opal found in a doublet.
3. Gilson or Lab Created Opal – This type traces back in 1974, and was originally created by Pierre Gilson Sr. in a laboratory located in France.

These stones typically possess similar elements as natural opal except water, rendering an unmistakably beautiful piece that is less prone to breakage, and which are only obvious to the trained eye.

 

Opal Silver Jewelry

Opal is endowed with magnificence and astounding beauty, and opal jewelry allows you to grasp it right at your fingertips. Wearing an opal entails you not only the privilege of owning one of the world’s grandest riches, but you can gain the best of both worlds by acquiring opals created by the skillful hands of man. Opal infused in silver jewelry kills two birds in one stone, the play of color of the prized gem, and the glamour of the silver metal. Here are some of the beautiful faces of opal in stunning jewelry:

Sterling silver ear studs with Peacock lab-created Opal

Opal earrings meant to sit right on your earlobe, which exceeds being just a stud type since this shiny silver jewelry extends to a form that symbolizes a hand with palm facing up. The perfectly rounded gem is incorporated right in the middle, letting you have the precious, adorable opal in the palm of your hands!

Sterling silver earrings with Moon Yellow lab created Opal

Dangling opal earrings designed to dangle right below the earlobe, this style brings elegance to the wearer when worn during any occasion or special event. It comes in an oval shape with the opal placed in a beautiful, silver frame with little droplets surrounding it, enhancing its beauty even more.

Sterling silver pendant with Multi Lavender lab-created Opal

A glamorous necklace bestowed with an exquisite opal at the center, amidst an intricately detailed silver frame. The little dots, curves, lines, and pointy shapes in silver metal altogether blend perfectly well, and highlight the richness of the jewel.

Yellow gold plated sterling silver midi ring with Bubble Gem lab created Opal

Pretty in pink, and all other shades reflected through this gemstone in the brightness of light, this golden ring jewelry features a huge round opal as a ravishing sight! The precious opal gem is encircled in gold studs which will highlight and utterly adorn the fingers that wear it.

Additional information
See more information about opal stones at Wikipedia