Black Opal Cabochon “Gem Quality” Unique #11 - MARK #4 The images shown were taken under a high-powered flashlight in a dark space

Black opal is the most valuable type of opal. Sourced from Australia, these stones are raw and need polishing to show their true beauty. Yet, on some pieces, you may be able to see shimmering tones opal contains.

It’s called black opal due to the dark body tone of the gem. This dark body tone appears because of the natural grayish-black backing or tint. The stone contains shimmering colours of green, blue and red.

The play of colour comes from opal’s formation process, which is different than many gems. The colour comes from the reflection of the scattering of light. Minute-sized and packed silica spheres make up precious opal. The more brilliant the colour, or fire, the more valuable the gem.

All opals vary in the colour of fire. Some have only red and orange lights, some also have green, and some also have yellow and blue lights. Black opals may have all these colours as well as purple. Opals show about every shade of every colour in a variety of combinations. Opals with plenty of red are usually the most expensive. Those strong in blue and green areas beautiful, but less rare, so their price is somewhat less.

The rarest opal is the Harlequin opal, The Eternal Flame, and Fire and Ice. These are the rarest and most beautiful in the world it’s valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars.

These polished gemstones are cut and polished in a round or oval shape. Cabochons are most commonly seen in an oval shape, but you can also find them round and shaped pillows. The word cabochon comes directly from the French word “caboche” meaning a button or a small dome.

Refer to our blog for more information on this stone! @ https://stonebridgeimports.ca/a/641-what-on-earth-is-black-opal

The most valuable opals originate from Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. They have been the main producers of opals since their discovery in the 1870s.