Opal Classification Archives - Black Opal Direct

Posted on 18/05/202018/05/2020 by Melinda Bond — Leave a comment

What is an opal rub? Let’s cut two and see!

4.39 ct gem black opal and 2.86 ct black opal

Today, I’ll explain to you what an opal rub is while cutting two of them! By the time you’ve finished watching this video, you’ll have an answer to these questions: What is an opal rub? Why would miners sell their opal as a rub? Why do opal rubs cost more than rough opal? I’ve got two opal rubs that I recently bought and will be cutting, polishing, and valuing with you today. What is an opal rub? Besides being the sound some frogs make, a rub is a term used for a preformed opal. An opal rub is the stage between a rough and polished and has been rubbed slightly…

Posted on 04/06/201923/03/2020 by — Leave a comment

What is play of color in a gemstone?

What is ‘play of color’? Is it unique to opal? How can we tell? This week, Justin dives into what play of color is in different gemstones and why the play of color found in opal is so special. Most gem stones have a trace element in them that gives the gemstone its color and when faceted, light refracts around the facets to show off that gorgeous color. This is an awesome display but it’s not considered play of color – very few gemstones have this! The technical explanation of play of color is the phenomenon of spectral colors created due to the orderly array…

Posted on 14/05/201915/08/2019 by — Leave a comment

Does opal have NO color?!

Watch out… opal color rant! Justin’s back this week and boy, he’s got something on his mind… In the early days of opals discovery, when someone stumbled across a gorgeous gem that resembled a rainbow and a galaxy of stars all rolled into one, why did they decide to name it… by it’s greyscale body tone? C’mon, can we not give the stunning myriad of opal colors at least a mention?! The diamond industry has done a great job at naming their gems which is something the opal industry should take into consideration when describing the breathtaking colors of opal. Diamonds that are off-yellow or brown have been cleverly re-marketed…