Australia is the most famous source of opals in the world. The black opals from Lightning Ridge are the most valuable opals ever produced. Journey with us on this expedition to the Australian outback to see how these rugged individuals mine opals and why they chase the rainbow of colour.
Read More
Learn how the structure, inclusions and properties of some gemstones interact with light to create unusual visual effects.
Read More
GIA’s services and instruments have grown in importance and impact as new gem treatments and laboratory-grown gems have entered the market.
Read MoreIndividual opals are as diverse as snowflakes or fingerprints and can vary widely in appearance and quality. Learn about the factors that make opals so desirable!
Read More
Writers have compared opals to volcanoes, galaxies and fireworks. Admirers gave extraordinary opals poetic names like Pandora, Light of the World and Empress.
Read MoreOpal is known for its unique display of flashing rainbow colours called play-of-colour. There are two broad classes of opal: precious and common. Precious opal displays play-of-colour, common opal does not.
Read More
This article takes a look at the rough opal that plays a major role in the Adam Sandler film “Uncut Gems”. What is the real gemmology of opals?
Read More
Opal’s play-of-colour is a lyrical dance: sometimes a grand jeté of bold, broad flashes of colour or smaller, quicksteps of pinpoint flashes.
Read More
Delightful garden creatures and flowers are favourite subjects that transform beautifully into Victorian, Art Nouveau and modern jewellery designs.
Read MoreThe fashion trend of colourblocking can be found in the artistic combinations of colour in multicoloured gemstones known for their colour zoning or banding.
Read More
