Opal

About Opal

Opal is hydrated silica arranged in a lattice of microscopic spheres. When those spheres are uniform in size and neatly stacked, they split incoming light the way a prism does and throw it back as the flashes of color called play-of-color. Sphere size determines which colors appear: small spheres give blues and violets, larger ones the reds and oranges that are far scarcer and far more valuable.

Body tone changes everything. Black opal from Lightning Ridge shows play-of-color against a dark base, which makes the flashes read with enormous intensity and puts it at the top of the market. Boulder opal from Queensland is a thin seam of precious opal still attached to its ironstone host, which gives both a dark backing and a natural, geological character that Sharon uses often. Ethiopian opal, a more recent find, tends toward a bright amber or white body with broad rolling flashes.

Opal contains water — typically three to ten percent — and that is the source of both its beauty and its fragility. At 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale it is among the softer stones in regular use, and it dislikes sudden temperature changes and prolonged dryness. It is a stone that rewards a thoughtful setting.

Why Sharon works with opal

Sharon favors boulder opal and solid Australian material over doublets and triplets wherever possible, and she discloses the construction of any assembled stone plainly. She sets opal in protective bezels rather than exposed prongs, and pairs it with blue zircon and teal tourmaline to pull specific flashes out of the stone.

Caring for opal

Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaning entirely, and avoid sudden heat or cold. Clean with a soft damp cloth. Take opal rings off for washing up, gardening and anything abrasive.

Common questions about opal