Why Australian Opals Are the Best in the World

 Opals and opal jewelry have been adored since antiquity. The Roman Pliny talks often about the magnificence of opals, and later even the great William Shakespeare had his characters discuss them. They were talking about opals and in those days the Australian black opal hadn't even been found. But today the black opal is a symbol of beauty in nature. When people around the world talk about the magnificence of opal they are almost always talking about Australian black opal. What are we talking about when we mean black opal? Without discussing crystalline structures and all that gemology jargon let's just think about how it compares with other types. When you look at a black opal you will see that it has a black or very dark base. It is just as if you had a glass of black paint. That's the black base that I am talking about. Then you put in some bright colored pieces of plastic. Let's say you put in some blues and some reds and some yellows. Now we are talking about the c...

 All opals are made of silicon dioxide and water. The amount of water varies and determines the fragility of the individual stone. This gemstone is formed when silicon dioxide becomes wet and turns to a gel. This gel substance then works its way into the open spaces between rocks and caves. As it sets, an opal is formed. Typically, the gemstone retains about 10% water content which makes it quite soft and delicate. They also come in a variety of colors-shades of blue, green, pink, black, white, red, yellow and orange. This stone is coveted for its play of color which is the dazzling display of color as light bounces off the spheres of silica. The blue fire opal is one gemstone that is less desired for its play of color as it is for its actual color. As the name implies, this stone is afire with reds, yellows and oranges. Finding a fire opal pendant with hot shades as well as play of color offers the best of both worlds. Where do they come from? This fiery stone typically comes fro...