On The Origin Of Digit Patterns In Gem Opal

A must read.

Useful link:
http://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/FA13-opal-digit-patterns-rondeau

Opal Update

Smoke treatment in Wollo opal. http://www.stonegrouplabs.com

Fascination Opale

Euro-Gem 2011 report. http://www.euromineral.fr

Opal Update

Opal Horizon Ltd, an Australian-based opal mining company has introduced a new comprehensive grading system for natural gem quality precious opals based on three quantifiable grading criteria: category, color and cut. All the best.

Useful links:
http://www.opalhorizon.com
http://www.gia.edu/symposium2011

Deep Blue Sea

Deep Blue Sea, by Australian Master Milliner Ann Maree Willett, is a lavish fantasy of hand-blocked Australian wool felt, awash with swaying feathers and bejeweled with 26 gem-quality Australian opals weighing 1447 carats. Take a look.

Useful links:
http://www.annmareewillett.com
http://www.bonhams.com

Random Thoughts

Opal is a luxury item and times are tough. You can't eat it, you don't need it, so people aren't buying it.

- Stuart Jackson

Opal Market Update

I found Boro Rapaic's comment on laboratory-made opals intriguing. He has labelled synthetic opals as artificial stones/fake. Check out the link http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2008/s2590411.htm

Here is the definition of synthetic vs imitation vs natural:
Synthetic gem: Same as natural gem (in terms of composition, structure, properties and appearance), except made by humans. Must have a natural counterpart.
Imitation: A gem material (natural or otherwise) which has the same appearance as the gem it imitates.
Natural: A gem material which entirely the product of nature. It is unaltered by humans in any way, except for ordinary cutting and polishing (no impregnations).

Opal News

Opal News from Brazil and China
http://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/agta/opal.htm

Useful links:
www.parlegems.com
www.agta.org

Interesting market update. Thanks Frank.

Katherine Jetter

Meet Katherine Jetter + explore her fine jewelry collection, especially her opal designs.
http://blogs.modernjeweler.com/blog//2009/05/01/show-preview-katherine-jetter

Useful link:
http://katherinejetter.com

Ethiopian Opal

Ethiopian Opal
http://www.modernjeweler.com/print/Modern-Jeweler/Ethiopian-Opal/1$931

Useful link:
www.jendayicollection.com

Great review. Thank you Dave.

Thomas Harth Ames

One of the finest opals of any time on public display is a slice of Oregon contra luz engraved by master carver Thomas Harth Ames of Arvada, Colorado. The opal bears the likeness of Mount Hood illuminated by the aurora borealis. It is on display in the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals in Oregon. Check out the link www.ricenwmuseum.org

Spectacular Opals

American Museum of Natural History displays spectacular Opals
http://www.amnh.org/science/papers/opals.php

The photo gallery of opals were stunningly beautiful.

Gemstones Overiew: Australia

Gemstones overview - Australia
http://www.austrade.gov.au/Gemstones-overview/default.aspx

Useful links:
www.austrade.gov.au
www.australianjewelleryfair.com.au
www.gem.org.au
www.jaa.com.au

Australian Opal Center

Australian Opal Center is a national facility developed to house a public collection of Australian precious opal/rare opalized fossils. Go to www.australianopalcentre.com for further info.

Opal Horizon

Check out Opal Horizon (Australian opal exploration/mining company) @ www.opalhorizon.com

Flame Queen Opal

One of the most famous opal in the world, dubbed the Flame Queen, weighing 263.18-cts will be auctioned by Bonhams & Butterfields on June 22, 2008, at the auction house’s San Francisco and Los Angeles locations.

Useful link:
www.bonhams.com

The unusual color pattern in this opal is one of the best, really.

A Famous Opal

The extraordinary opal dubbed, 'Flame Queen' (263.18 carats), was discovered in 1914 at the Bald Hill Workings in Lightning Ridge, Australia by three partners: Jack Phillips, Walter Bradley and Joe Hegarty + and now International fine arts auctioneers Bonhams & Butterfields will offer in its June 22, 2008 sale the most famous and recognizable opal in the world.

Useful link:
www.bonhams.com

Opal Update

Opals are becoming a popular gemstone in China because its one-of-a-kind gemstone status with the so-called play-of-color, its character + life + a good story + one theory behind the demand for opals could be the diminishing margins in the diamond jewelry business + innovative jewelers are now looking elsewhere to make money + they think with effective consumer education on opal they could work out a sustainable business model in China provided the rough supplies are consistent.

Useful links:
www.opals-australia.com.au
www.opals-australia.com.au

Composite vs Assembled Opal

Composite opal
These stones are partly made up of opal and partly of the rock which the opal was found in. The rock may be ironstone, quartzite, sandstone or another matrix. This type also includes pseudomorphs in which the opal has replaced another substance. Composite opal consists of a single mass and should not be confused with assembled stones.

Assembled stones normally consist of two parts (doublets) or three parts (triplets) cemented or fused together for providing a better wearing surface; to obtain a large stone from two smaller pieces of natural material; to produce a stone of apparently better color and appearance; for the purpose of supplying a rigid backing or support for fragile materials.

Doublet
Opal doublets consist of a thin slice of precious opal cemented onto a plastic, black onyx, glass or potch (common opal) back. To lower the cost, the top surface is normally flat. Better (and more expensive) doublets are made with thicker pieces of opal, and the surface is domed. Black cement is used to give a dark background for the translucent opal. This gives the appearance of an expensive black opal. Crystal opal makes the best doublets and gray opal the worst. The identification of doublets is not normally difficult, but one must be careful of opal doublets with a potch backing because some solid opals also have a potch backing.

Triplet
As the name implies, opal triplets consist of three parts. The middle section is a thin slice of precious opal, the back is the same as on a doublet, and the top is usually made of rock crystal quartz or another transparent colorless material. This top piece gives the stone greater durability and also magnifies the play of color, thus increasing the beauty. In general, triplets are worth more than doublets. Clear resin is used to cement the quartz top to the opal, and dark resin to cement the opal to the back. Synthetic opal (Gilson) has also been used in place of natural opal for making opal doublets and triplets.

Opal doublets and triplets are easily identified. Unlike other assembled stones, they are not intended to deceive the buyer. They are produced in order to make use or otherwise useless material, and provide the beauty of a fine solid opal at a fraction of the price.

Opal Origin

Some experts believe trace element analysis + their ratios by Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) could pinpoint opal source (s).