Opal can be tremendously daunting to fully understand. With so many different types and variations, purchasing Opal can sometimes be overwhelming. At Australian Opal Direct we have a wide range of different types of opals so you can explore and better understand the difference between them. Below is a high level overview of some key aspects about the Precious Opal Gemstone.
BOULDER OPAL
Boulder Opal is from the Opal fields in Queensland where Iron Stone is plentiful. Boulder Opal is the strongest form of Australian Opal as it is married to the ironstone, a process taking millions of years. Boulder Opal features brilliant rich colors and the dark ironstone backing creates a contrast that showcases the colored brilliance.
BLACK OPAL
Black Opal is from the region of Lightning Ridge and is characterized by the dark body color. This dark body color also creates a brilliant contrast enabling the bright colored opal to really kick! Black Opal is often considered the most valuable type of Opal. Over the years, production of the material has lessened.
WHITE OPAL
White Opal refers to Opal with a white milky body tone. Most of this type of Opal comes from Coober Pedy in South Australia. White Opal is one of the most common and recognizable forms of Australian Opal. Due to it’s white “milky” body tone, the opal colored flashes do not contrast as much as they do with Boulder and Black Opal.
To learn more about which Opal Fields the Opals featured on our website are from, please click the “more section” underneath the item description.
Along with locations, there are different ways that Australian Opal is cut and set in jewelry. Opal can be set as a Solid a Doublet or a Triplet Opal. To learn more about these various cuts, please click here.
Australian Opal Direct offers custom designed Opal jewelry reflecting the unique characteristics of each individual rare gemstone. From mining to wholesaling to exporting and retailing, we have over 30 years of experience in the Opal industry. Our location, close to the source and direct from the Australian Opal Mines allows us to provide the best possible Opal Gem at the most competitive price. Additionally, our hand selected designers feature cutting edge design work and craftsmanship setting the most innovative trends for the Opal industry around the world!
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