Common Opal

Common opal refers to opal which shows no play of color. There are many different varieties, but few are ever seen in jewelry and are cut mostly for the sake of collectors.

- Cachalong opal
This variety is very porous, bluish white in color and similar in appearance to porcelain.

- Chrysocolla in opal
A blue material with finely scattered chrysocolla which gives it its color.

- Geyserite opal
A porous glassy opal which forms near hot springs and geysers.

- Girasol opal
A type of opal which is almost transparent and which shows a moving billowy light effect. The body color is milky white or very light tones of other colors.

- Hyalite opal
A transparent colorless, white or gray variety with a glassy appearance.

- Hydropane opal
This variety is light colored and usually opaque. It is extremely porous and will stick to the tongue. When immersed in water it shows play of color and becomes transparent.

- Jasper opal
An opaque reddish brown opal which resembles jasper.

- Liver opal
A variety which is opaque and gray to brown in color.

- Menilite opal
An opaque gray to brown opal with a concretionary structure.

- Moss opal
A white to brownish variety which contains dendritic inclusions.

- Potch opal
Common opal of any color.

- Prase opal
A translucent to opaque yellowish green or green variety which is similar in appearance to chrysoprase or jade.

- Resin opals
A transparent to opaque yellowish or brownish variety which is similar in appearance to resins.

- Rose opal
A translucent to opaque pink opal.

- Tabasheer opal
A variety of common opal which has formed in the joints of bamboo.

- Tripoli opal
Fine-grained, powdery masses of opal. It is often used a polishing compound.

- Vermilion
An opaque, red variety of common opal.