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Opal
Fireworks. Jellyfish. Galaxies. Lightning. Opal's shifting play of kaleidoscopic colors is unlike any other gem.
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Research
Cat’s-Eye Boulder Opal
A precious cat’s-eye boulder opal from Australia is examined in the Carlsbad laboratory.
Natural Opal with Unusual Play-of-Color Pattern
Play-of-color pattern in Ethiopian opal is reminiscent of a turtle’s shell.
“Worms” in Opal
Near-colorless heulandite crystals in an Ethiopian opal resemble the segmented bodies of worms.
Abstracts; Winter 1991
This article, from the Winter 1991 issue of Gems & Gemology, is a compilation of abstracts of important gemology-related articles published outside of Gems & Gemology.
Opal History and Lore
Writers have compared opals to volcanoes, galaxies, and fireworks. Admirers gave extraordinary opals poetic names like Pandora, Light of the World, and Empress.
Opal Description
Opal is known for its unique display of flashing rainbow colors called play-of-color. There are two broad classes of opal: precious and common. Precious opal displays play-of-color, common opal does not.
Opal Care and Cleaning Guide
Learn about opal's durability and how to care for your opal jewelry.
Opal Quality Factors
Individual 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!
