The color of opal is what determines its value. Opals come in various colors, such as white, black, grey, brown, yellow, green, and blue. Red is the most valuable hue, followed by black and dark green.
The most precious opals are bright and colorful, with no cracks or flaws. If you’re looking for an opal to buy as an investment or as a gift for someone special, be sure it has these traits so you know it’s worth the money.
What is an opal?
Water seeps into fissures in rocks and evaporates, leaving small silica spheres behind. These spheres then catch the light and refract it into a rainbow of colors that dance across the stone’s surface. This phenomenon is what they call “play-of-color.”
The primary distinction between natural and synthetic opals is in their interior structure. Natural opals have two layers: an opaque base layer with darker spots and a transparent top layer with lighter areas, whereas synthetic stones are all white with no color variation.
Opals are made up of water, silica, and other trace minerals. The colors of opals are caused by how light interacts with these chemicals when stacked in thin layers. Opals can have various colors: yellow, orange, red, green, blue, brown, black, grey, and white are standard colors seen in opals.
What color of opal should I buy?
Black Opals
Black opals are characterized by their dark color and play of light. They’re known for their fire and sparkle—but they’re also more expensive than other types of opals because there are fewer available for sale. If you’re looking for opal with a lot of character, this is your color!
White Opals
White opals have a soft light that makes them ideal for everyday wear. White opals are more affordable than black or fire opals, so this is an excellent choice if you’re looking for an everyday piece that won’t break your budget!
Fire Opals
Fire opals have bright flashes of reds, oranges, and yellows that make them one of the most vibrant stones on the market today. Fire opals are extremely rare—they only account for about 1% of all Australian gemstones—so if you want something truly unique without spending too much money.
Why is Red Opal the most valuable?
There are many colors of opals, and they can be found in a few different types of opals. But red opals are the rarest and, thus, the most valuable. Red opals are also known as precious opals or black opals. They have a dark body color with a rainbow sheen caused by diffraction.
Considering red opal is so uncommon, it is regarded as the most valuable of all the colors. It can take up to 100 years for a red opal to form from an ironstone crystal, and the chances of finding one that has survived this long are minimal. Not only do these stones take hundreds of years to form, but they’re also very fragile—so much so that when a red opal is found, it usually breaks into pieces during extraction because it’s so hard for humans to remove them from their host rock without damaging them further.
The value of red opals depends on the intensity of their color and their clarity. The best-quality opals have a bright red color with no impurities or cracks.
Because they’re so valuable and rare, red opals are often cut into smaller pieces than other kinds of colored opals to make them more affordable for consumers who want to own one but couldn’t afford an entire piece of natural red stone at once if it was left whole (which would be bigger than any other kind).
Why are opals worth investing in?
Opals are worth investing in because they are a rare and valuable type of gemstone. Opals are the rarest gemstones in the world. They are also one of the most beautiful gems in existence. Opals are worth investing in because they are a rare and valuable type of gemstone.
Opals are valuable gemstones that have been used for thousands of years. Opal is the birthstone of October, and it’s also known as the “gem of artists.”
Opals are composed of silica gel, which gives them their unique fire and play of color. It’s because of this that they’re so highly valued among collectors.
If you’re interested in investing in opals, here are some things to consider:
- Opals are rarer than diamonds and sapphires.
- Opals are more durable than other gems (they can withstand the heat).
- The value of opal increases with age.
Opals are pricey because they are so uncommon, but there are methods to invest in them without breaking the bank. When purchasing an opal, the first thing you should do is understand what you’re looking at. Make sure it’s not a fake by learning how to identify genuine opals. Then, find out how to buy them from sellers and dealers you can trust. This will help you make sure that your investment is real.
How can you know whether an opal is genuine?
Opal is a beautiful gemstone found in various colors, but it’s known for its intense play of color. If you’re looking to buy an opal, you’ll want to know how to spot fake opals and if your opal is genuine.
Here are some tips:
- Make sure the opal is an opal. You can tell because most fake opals are made with glass or plastic.
- Examine the cut of your opal—does it resemble a genuine stone? If so, then it might be real!
- Check the clarity of your stone—is it cloudy or clear? If it’s clear and clean-cut, then it might be real!
- Feel the weight of your opal—is it heavier than you’d expect? If so, then there’s probably some excellent stuff inside.
Final Thoughts
The easiest method to determine the value of an opal is by its hue. While this may sound counter-intuitive, most opal collectors will tell you the same thing. Nevertheless, there are still some exceptions to this rule. Gems with a play of color patterns (in which the fire shines through numerous layers of colored material) may be more expensive than other opals of similar colors and clarity.