There is so much to learn about opal and in a world of overload we though you would apprecieate some dot points and quick facts.
- Potch refers to opal that has no colour and is usually a shade of black or grey. It can also be amber coloured and this is commonly known as “honey” potch.
- Top gem Crystal opal is a very undervalued type of opal and is becoming as rare as top black opal.
- A 5 carat black opal is a great size for mens ring
- Freeform opal has the ability to give a jeweller the poetic licence to design some of the most amazing organic jewellery pieces every known in the gemstone world.
- The most rare and valuable of all the opal color combinations is red and blue together
- Harlequin pattern is the most valuable and rare type of pattern there is and it refers to a type of pattern repeating itself across the face of an opal consistently.
- Did you know that most black opal is found between 1 foot and 150 foot underground in Lightning Ridge
- The Orion Queen was one of the largest black opals ever cut by Jurgen Thomas. It was eventually broken in a safe door when it was closed on it.
- All opal in Australia is found around the edges of the Ancient Inland Sea.
- Most people who have heard of opal only know white opal or triplets
- Opal from Lightning Ridge comes in two main forms. Seam opal and Nobby opal. Both can produce very fine black opal.
- 95% of the world black opal supply comes from Lightning Ridge
- Ethiopian opal is a great advertisement for the the better quality Australian opal.
- Cerium oxide is one if the best polishing compounds when polishing opal
- The new Nova diamond wheels are a cleaner faster way to cut opals.
- opals have more colors than any other gemstone in the world.
- Did you know that opal is in the hardness range between 5.5 – 6.5
- Opal is best cut as a cabochon to show the best colorplay
- Opal silica spheres need to be of the same size and stacked neatly to make precious colorplay in opal.
- Opals can sometimes be double sided with different color on each side. This makes a very unique gemstone