Black Opals of Lightning Ridge
Stop Press! Stop Press! Stop Press!
The famous Virgin Rainbow Black Opal is for sale here!
Lightning Ridge History ...
Black opal, a form of opal with a black to dark gray contrasting body color, has the most brilliant colors and is the most valuable.
Enhancements
Mexican black opal is rarely impregnated with colorless oil, wax and resins.
More information on gemstone enhancements.
Mexican Black Opal ...
Black Opal
Black opal is principally found at Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, Australia. Known as the “King of Opals,' Lightning Ridge black opal has been coveted since it was discovered in 1902.
Black Opal - It is most-sought-after variety of opal. It is treasure all over the world because in this particular colour, the colour play is displayed at its best. It comes in all deep and dark colour variations.
BLACK OPAL
Black opals are a valuable type of precious opals with a dark ground color. They are luminous, iridescent, and frequently have inclusions of many colors ("fire").
BLACK OPAL
Black opals are a valuable type of precious opals with a dark ground color. They are luminous, iridescent, and frequently have inclusions of many colors ("fire").
Black Opal: A variety of precious opal with a black or semi-black body colour and spectral colours caused by the break-up of white light. The most famous source, although it is now somewhat depleted, is Lightning Ridge, Australia.
Black Opal: A variety of precious opal that is almost opaque with a deep blue or dark grey or black background. It contains tiny irridescent opal spheres that cause a play of colors as a result of diffraction of light.
Black Opal
A dark colored opal with internal reflections of green or red.
...
Black Opal
Black Opal is a variety of the Opal, an iridescent mineral composed of silica and water. It has a darker background but still contains the fire, reflections of several colors, that characterizes opals.
Black Opals are a variety of precious opals found in Australia with a dark ground color. They are luminous, iridescent, and frequently have inclusions of many colors, i.e. "fire".
[Black opal doublet, the same piece viewed from the side at 10X, opal triplets (note black bottom layer and colorless top layer): Image courtesy of Gary Lowe, rutilated quartz doublet with a green Gaspeite bottom layer] ...
Winter 1965, The Black Opals of Lightning Ridge, p. 355, 4pp.
Spring 1966, p. 14, 7pp.
Black Opal- black, dark green, dark brown or other dark body color with vivid play-of-color. Most valuable. Often synonymous with " Australian Opal" or "Coal Black".
Crystal Black Opal - Black opal that is transparent to translucent.
Black Opal
Natural black opal will command the highest prices. Some stones will have dark gray body color but will still be called black opal. The darker the body color, the more valuable the stone will be. The play of color is important, of course.
Black Opal, another member of the Opal family, is much rarer and far more expensive than White Opal. The darker background color of Black Opal is responsible for much richer blues with accents of red and or green.
Black Opal or Opal with a dark grey body shows the most brilliant play of colours imaginable. Crystal opal, which comes immediately after Black Opal in the hit list, should be more transparent with a deep play of colours.
Black opal, or white hydrophane opal is occasionally treated with chemicals, smoke (carbon), or dye. Opal crazing can also be stabilized using a bonding agent such as Opticon epoxy resin which has a high refractive index.
Black Opal: An opal with a dark gray body that is highly coveted. They are very brilliant and show many colors.
Opal-In-Matrix
Black opal egg-shell colored matrix. Saturated rainbow color.
Weight: 11.90 carats
Size: 16.38 x 11.08 x 9.52 mm
Cut: Oval
Enhancements: None
Inventory #16238 ...
Giving your loved one a black opal birthstone is as much an investment as a gift of love. Some of the finest specimens cost more per carat than diamonds.
The most sought after is black opal, particularly with red as the predominant color. The most common, on the other hand, is white opal which is opaque with a white to off-white base.
Opals come in a vast array of colors: the entire spectrum.
Most prominent among the opals to-day are the so-called "Black opals" from New South Wales. These give vivid flashes of color out of seeming darkness. In some positions the stones, as the name implies, appear blue-black or blackish-gray.
The White opal, Black Opal, Opal Matrix, Boulder Opal, Harlequin Opal, Jelly Opal, and Crystal Opal fall into this category.
The Fire Opal usually does not show any play-of-color.
Black opal, opal containing a predominantly dark background (dark-gray to blue-black) is the rarest, and most desired of all opals. When it contains reds and oranges it brings even a higher value.
The most sought after opals are black opals, which have either dark blue, dark green, or black backgrounds and exhibit a strong play of colours. Opals known as white opals have a light tinted basic colour and also exhibit a play of colours.
It is subdivided in three groups: black opal, white opal, milk opal and Boulder opal; fire opal; and common opal. The first group contains the most expensive gemstones and displays a luster of rainbow colors which constantly changes.
Color: pale (white opal); clear (water opal); black, grey, or brown (black opal); yellow, orange, red (fire opal)
Chemical Composition: silica with up to 10 percent water (in precious opal) ...
One technique is to immerse white, gray, or black opal in a sugar solution and then in strong sulfuric acid, which carbonizes with the sugar and leaves microscopic carbon specks that blacken the body color, making its flashes of color more visible.
Opals should be milky white (except, of course, black opals) with distinct color flashes visible when the gem is moved under light. Light opal is the least expensive because of its availability.
When opal has a dark background that accentuates its fire, it is called black opal and commands a premium. Color is also more visible when the opal is clear, or "crystal," rather than cloudy.
Black opal has a black or dark blue, green or grey body color with strong vivid flashes of color. Water opal has a clear colorless body which has brilliant flashes of different colors.
The Fire Opal are used in RBC & blood disorders, depression, apathy and lethargy; the Black Opal is used in ailments of reproductive organs, spleen & pancreas, it filters RBC & aids in the formation of WBC, bone marrow, depression, ...
Color: Dyeing or smoke impregnation: this treatment causes lighter opals to look like darker, black opals, which are considered more valuable.
Color: Reflective foil-backing: this treatment darkens the gem and improves play-of-colour.
Black Opal promotes cosmic awareness and oceanic consciousness. Boulder Opal foster creativity and originality. Fire Opal inspires dynamic energy and intensity. Sonoma Opal induces emotional stability. White Opal enhances competency and efficiency.
Gemstones like black opal, jadeite, demantoid garnet, pariba tourmaline, alexandrite, pink topaz, chrysoberyl cat's-eye and fancy colored sapphires.
The gem is found in a range of hues, including white opal (the most common); black opal; "boulder" opal (black opal with iron oxide); crystal or water opal, which is transparent; and fire opal, which has a yellow to orange to red body color.
Australian opals and Opal Jewelry including black opal direct to the public. Shop for a wide range of opal jewelry including opal rings, opal pendants, loose opals and more. Delivering quality natural Australian opal worldwide.
Fine opals in large sizes are rare and costly, especially black opal. Usually cut as cabochons, sometimes beads. Occasionally found as fossilized (opalized) clamshells, snail shells, or wood.
The colour play shows in different patterns which establish various varieties, including principally the black opal, fire opal, white opal, and water opal, and also flame opal, flash opal, harlequin opal, pinpoint opal, and hyalite.
Opal with a body color of any light color as distinguished from a black opal
Yellow gold
Karat gold alloyed with copper and silver in approximately equal qualities ...
The brilliance of the play of color is the most important factor.
The colors seen and the pattern of the colors will also influence value.
Black opal, with a black to dark gray body color, has the most brilliant colors and is the most valuable.
The most expensive and sought after opals are called black opals. The body color of the gem is black. Opals should also be thick. You do not want a thin stone.
Having high or relatively high value, usually applied to gemstones, particularly the "big four", diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires, but also includes black opal.
Price, Prices, Pricing ...
These gemstones are differentiated on the basis of the variety, place of occurrence, and color of the main body, into Dark or Black Opal, White or Light Opal, Milk or Crystal Opal, Boulder Opal, Opal Matrix, Mexican and Fire Opal.
The group of fine Opals include quite a number of wonderful gemstones which are differentiated on the basis of the variety, place of occurrence, and color of the main body, into Dark or Black Opal, White or Light Opal, Milk or Crystal Opal, ...
Black opal has a black, dark blue, dark green or gray body color with vivid flashes of color such as red, pink and bright green.
Opal has symbolized hope, innocence and purity through the ages.
 See also: Opal, Color, Stone, Jewel, Gemstone
  
|
RSS
