How did Opal get its name?
The name opal derives from the Greek Opallos, meaning “to see a change (of colour).” Opal is a formation of non-crystalline silica gel that seeped into crevices in the sedimentary strata.
What is the colour of Opal?
Opals range in colour from milky white to black with flashes of yellow, orange, green, red, and blue. The pattern and arrangement of the colour which displayed in an opal can take on many beautiful forms. The movement of colour across the face of a stone is known as the ‘play of colour’.
The colour in an opal is caused by diffraction of light. Much like a prism, which can refract white light and produce a rainbow effect. Opals diffract the white light which is coming from above, displaying the beautiful array of colours.
Where is Opal Sourced?
Around 95 percent of the world’s supply of white precious opals are mined “down under”. Famous deposits in New South Wales are at Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs. In South Australia at Coober Pedy and Andamooka. Various deposits are also found in Queensland.
Other deposits are found in Brazil, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia and the United States.