Cynthia WalkerOpal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica and has a water content of around 21%. The formation begins as water finds its way down through cracks and voids in the Earth. Along the way the water accumulates voids from sandstone and finds natural flaws as its pathway down into voids, decomposing fossils and plant matter. (This is generally the clay/Opal level beneath the Sandstone) The water eventually evaporates, leaving a silica deposit supporting and ultimately, the formation of Opal. The name comes from an Indian (Sanskrit) word for “rock”. Opal is made up of water and protein. The quantity of water varies in various specimens.
Why buy an Australian Opal? Opal is Australia’s National Gemstone; it is highly prized by many and is extremely valuable in monitory terms. Opal is best described as amorphous silica, a solidified jelly without any crystal structure. It generally contains around 13% water.
The inner arrangement of precious opal makes it diffract light. Based on the conditions in which it formed, it may take on several colors. Precious opal ranges from apparent through gray, white, orange, red, yellow, blue, green, magenta, rose, pink, slate, olive, brown, and black. Of these colors, the black opals are the rarest, whereas greens and white are the most frequent.
Because of its structure, opal may comprise any combination of an infinite number of patterns and might reveal itself all at once – glorious from all directions — or it might be silent and surprising, showing its greatest brilliance only during flashes of motion.
Lightning Ridge produces the vast majority of Australia’s Black Opal and despite recent declines in production, by value, Lightning Ridge remains the biggest manufacturer of opal.
It’s thought that Black Opal is a very lucky stone. Black Opals set in a golden necklace and worn close to the heart will protect one from the evil eye and guard Travellers on extended journeys.
In medieval times it was considered that Opal had curative properties. Fire Opal was said to cure eye disease. Black Opal was thought to cure reproductive organs, spleen and liver disease, it was stated to filter red corpuscles’ and assists white corpuscles’. White Opal was thought to balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain for neuro disorders.
The reason many individuals have a fascination for opal, is its color. Especially the Black and Boulder Opal from Australia, we can say that every stone has a different and exceptional colour (There is not any identical colour stone). Additionally, even one person stone can produce a variety of colours depending on the light or how you look at it.
Edward Clark
