Australian Opal Information

Opal plus has been a family business operating for 15 years by Wayne and Estela Sedawie. They wholesale opals all over Australia, New Zealand and exports to USA, Japan, and Germany. Waynes brother Paul has also been Opal mining at lightning Ridge for 15 years with his son Peter. In 2004 the family started Opalauctions. OPALAUCTIONS has sold over 50,000 opals over the internet to some 58 countries. The auction site now has over 20,000 opals to choose from largest range of black opals to boulder opals, triplets and doublets, as well as full range gold and silver jewellery. No Reserve Auctions create every day bargains as black opals are offered at No Reserve starting at $1.00!

Currently, Australia produces approximately 95 per cent of the world’s opal from sedimentary rocks in central Australia. Other countries which produce minor amounts of opal include Honduras, Mexico, former Czechoslovakia and Brazil. With the exception of Brazilian opal, which is sediment-hosted, opal in these countries occurs in volcanic rocks. Sedimentary opal is superior in quality to volcanic opal.

All of Australia’s significant opal deposits are situated within or adjacent to the margins of the Great Australian Basin. The characteristics of opal deposits vary from field to field. The highest value stones are black opals from Lightning Ridge. Gem quality opals vary enormously in price. Unprocessed top quality black opal is currently worth up to $10,000 per carat. Lesser quality opal varies considerably in price depending on the type of opal, its colour, impurities and defects.

The value of the industry to the Australian economy is unknown owing to its fragmented nature and inadequate official records. Production figures of between $100 Million and $200 Million per annum for uncut gems are generally quoted. Estimates from the various State governments support the more conservative figure.

Historically, opal mining has been the preserve of the small-scale miner, although each of the opal States (South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland) has either enacted legislation or begun promotion to encourage the larger-scale explorer and miner. Despite the vast expanse of potential opal-bearing rocks in central Australia, only one new opal centre (Lambina in South Australia) and few new significant discoveries away from existing centres have been made in the last 70 years.

Buying Australian Opal Guide

When it comes to buying opals online, there is nothing like buying direct from the source. While retail online opal stores are charging at retail prices, many opal bargains can be found at Opal Auctions dot com because the sellers are either miners themselves or source their opals directly from the miners. This puts the buyer either the 2nd or 3rd party to handle the opals!

Australia is home to the finest black opals in the world. OpalAuctions.com has over 5,000 black opals for sale at any one time, ranging from No Reserve US$1 auctions right through to the finest investment pieces in the world.

The following opal types can be found:

Black Opals
Boulder Opals
Coober Pedy Opals
Crystal Opals
Doublets
Triplets

They also stock other gemstones and jewelry:

Gold & Silver Opal Jewelry
Pearls
Ruby
Sapphire
Lapidary
Opal Literature
Jade

and more!

Opal Stone

Jewelry comes in many shapes and forms. One of the classic favorites among jewelry makers is the opal stone. This staple of the jewelry-making world has become a must-have for every sophisticated jewelry wardrobe. There are a number of styles and designs that have emerged out of the opal stone. These have transpired out of four types of the gem.

The black opal is known for its rich, dark hue that emanates brighter tones than ones found in lighter versions of the gem. The jewel is not actually black, as one would obviously assume from its name. The general tone of the gem is darker than the other opal stones in comparison. This is the most valuable of the lot and demand for this most popular opal stone has made it the most sought after of the group.

The next jewel is quite different from the first. The white opal stone is commonly referred to as milky in tone. This gem is not quite as valuable as the black version because it is more abundant and its general lack of sheen that its dark cousin boasts. Quality of the white jewel varies greatly. A white opal stone of very good quality will have nearly as many tones and colors as the black.

Like the popular black opal stone, the boulder opal is dark in tone. This gem forms in crevices found in boulders, hence the name. This gem varies greatly in shape and in size. Some boulders are quite small while others can be as large as a sedan. The beauty of this opal stone lies in its shiny finish that occurs naturally within the gem.

The most unusual of the four types of opal stone listed here is the crystal version. This gem resembles glass in that it is transparent. The gem may also have a misty, semi-transparent form as well. What is interesting about this version of the jewel is that it can appear either dark or light in color. Basically, the crystal gem is either a black or white opal that you can see through.

I personally like the white opal stone even though the colors are more difficult to see. I like the fact that someone has to come close to the gem to see the various hues nestled within. It is almost like wearing perfume. You dont necessarily want your perfume to enter the room before you do. It should be worn for those who are closest to you.

top