While opal can take many different forms, jewellery stones typically fit into four categories founded on their base colour. These base colours are found in different locations around Australia, with soil types affecting the formation of the opal.

While some base colours are rarer than others, they are not indicative of what flashes of colour may appear. Rarer base colours such as black, can still have no flashes of colour (potch), while more common base colours can end up with impressive rainbow colour spectrums.

CRYSTAL OPAL:

A very desirable stone with a transparent to semi-transparent opal base and typically bright colour flashes. Due to the semi-see-through nature of crystal opal, it can look very different depending what colour the stone is sitting on. South Australia opal fields produce most of the worlds crystal opal.

WHITE OPAL:

Opal with a light grey or white base. This type of opal can often look pearlescent, especially in solid jewellery. All colours in the spectrum show up well on the white base. Commonly found in South Australia, Coober Pedy opal fields.

BLACK OPAL:
Black opal is renowned for being the rarest of all opal stones. Its dark or black base make any colour prominent. But red flashes on black opal is the most sort after combination, due to the rarity and contrast. Most commonly found in NSW, Lightning Ridge opal field.

BOULDER OPAL:

An unusual opal, which stands out from the other types. Bolder opal is the combination of an oxidised ironstone brown host rock with opal seams running throughout.

Jewellery made from bolder opal is most commonly made into 'freeform' pieces rather than carved into a uniform shape, to maintain the opal seams. This opal is primarily found in Queensland opal fields

CLEANING SOLID OPAL:

Clean solid opals gently with mild detergent, warm water and a cloth. Never allow anyone to clean your opal in an ultrasonic cleaner; it can cause the opal to crack.

WHEN NOT TO WEAR YOUR JEWELLERY:

Take special care (especially with rings) not to knock your opal stone, as it may break.

Do not wear your precious opal jewellery when doing tasks that may put pressure on your jewellery or result in accidental damages. eg gardening, going to the gym, playing sport, renovating.

Also sudden changes in extreme temperatures, such as saunas or hot tubs, can cause the stone to crack

EXPOSURE TO WATER:

Solid opal stones can tolerate exposure to water. As long as you are not going between extreme temperatures, such as hot tubs or ice baths.

STORING INVESTMENT OPAL:

To store investment opal for extended periods, it is recommended to seal it in a plastic bag with a few drops of water on cotton wool to prevent dehydration and fractures.

CLEANING DOUBLET OR TRIPLETS:

Due to the construction of doublet and triplet jewellery, you should never soak or immerse in liquid. Avoid bleach, chemicals, cleaners, and ultrasonic cleaners.

Simply polish gently with a cleaning cloth.

WHEN NOT TO WEAR YOUR JEWELLERY:

Doublets and triplets should avoid water and high temperatures. Such as showering, swimming and blow drying hair. This can melt the adhesive between the layers.

Do not wear your precious opal jewellery when doing tasks that may put pressure on your jewellery or result in accidental damages. eg gardening, going to the gym, playing sport, renovating.

Take special care (especially with rings) not to knock your opal stone, as it may break.

EXPOSURE TO WATER:

Doublets and triplets should avoid exposure to water. The adhesive glue can be affected by water. Do not shower, bathe or swim wearing your doublet or triplet jewellery. Do not submerge your jewellery in water to clean.

EXPOSURE TO HIGH TEMPERATURES:

Heat can affect the adhesive glue in doublet or triplet designs. Avoid using hair dryers while wearing doublet or triplet earrings.

Do not store your jewellery in a hot car.

ROUGH OPAL:

Opal in the rough, is classed based on price per Oz.

There are many risks involved when purchasing rough opal including: What percentage of the opal is colour? Is there any compromised material in the parcel?

In addition, when a stone is cut and polished, 30% is lost, therefore the price for rough is much lower than a cut and polished stone.

CUT STONES:

Becoming a master opal valuer requires years of dedicated practice. When determining the price per carat of opal, there are at least twenty factors to take into account. The key variables include the base colour (such as black, white, crystal, or boulder), colour spectrum, colour play or flash features, brilliance or brightness of colour, clarity (absence of impurities), and the shape of the cut stone.

OPAL SET IN JEWELLERY:

Opal stones set in jewellery are priced the same as a polished stone, with the addition of the jewellery materials and jewellers labour. The same stone set in 12Ct gold will be much more expensive than if it was set in sterling silver.

Every gemstone in our store undergoes evaluation by multiple appraisers to determine its retail value.

If a piece of jewellery in our range seems less expensive than another but looks similar, it could be attributed to several factors:

• One stone's weight may exceed another, and its size could be obscured by the jewellery setting.
• The base metal characteristics (solid yellow gold vs. yellow gold or rose gold plating).
• New vs old gold prices from the jeweller.
• New vs old opal prices, as opal tends to appreciate well over time.

The more costly the stone, the rarer features it displays, such as play of colour, brightness of colour pattern, red flashes, pattern of flashes, darker base colour, and more.

South Australia:

Andamooka

Coober Pedy (our mining ground)

Mintabie

New South Wales:

Lightning Ridge

White Cliffs

Queensland:

Opalton

Winton