opal

Opal

Opal is the most colorful of gems. Its splendid play of color is unsurpassed, and fine examples can even be more valuable than diamond. The play of color consists of iridescent color flashes that change with the angle at which the stone is viewed. This phenomenon is often called opalescence. The play of color may consist of large, individual flashes of color (known as schillers), or may be of tiny, dense flashes. The intensity and distribution of the color flashes is a determining factor in the value. Deposits are mostly in Australia (Lightning Ridge for black opals) and in Mexico for fire opals. Recently, white opals have been mined in Ethiopia.