Chatoyancy, rarely seen in play-of-color opal, is observed in Ethiopian material.

Rebecca Buys, GG, with a fulfilling career as a designer and appraiser, guides GIA alumni opportunities in San Diego, California.

Boulder opal in sandstone matrix is seen as beads in Tucson.

Unusual types of opal are seen at the Pueblo Show in Tucson.

Documents a trip to the renowned opal fields of Lightning Ridge, Koroit, Yowah, and Quilpie.

The properties of petrified woods originating from various localities in Thailand and Myanmar are examined.

A guide to capturing gem inclusion scenes using practical equipment and techniques and the appropriate image-refining software.

At AGTA, exquisite jewelry pieces inspired by natural scenes were on view.

Just as a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, master jewelers take raw elements and transform them into wearable works of art. Put aside whatever preconceptions you may have about insects, and prepare to step into another world – one that you have passed by countless times but may not have ever noticed.

An examination of the finger-like feature mostly found in Ethiopian opal, and proposal for its formation.

An opal featuring a rare six-rayed star is examined in GIA's Bangkok lab.

Opals with an unusual purple bodycolor and strong play-of-color have recently appeared in the market.