It’s no secret that a unique and well-crafted opal ring can take an outfit from great to outstanding and is always a real show stopping and timeless piece of jewellery. With many opals being created synthetically or being sourced from wet climates to reduce costs, it’s important to know what to look for when you’re purchasing your newest opal so you end up with a genuine opal ring investment piece and not costume jewellery. The signs that set synthetic and low quality opals apart from the beautiful natural opal stones can be tricky to spot, so we’ve put together a list of the most common things to check to make sure your ring has the opal that you want.
How Is the Opal Made – The Synthetic Opal
Synthetic, or Gilson, opals are created in a laboratory and are often too perfect to be true. With their cheaper price and perfect colours and patterns, it can be tough to differ them from their natural beauties.
What to look for: Find an imposter with its perfect pattern and colour, often with large uniform colour blocks that extend throughout the entire opal. Check this by comparing the front of the opal to the back, if they’re the same, it’s most likely a synthetic stone. Natural opals will almost always have some colour and pattern imperfections, making them uniquely beautiful.
The Opal’s Environment – Wet Climates
Opals need a dry climate to ensure they form as hard and long-lasting stones that make lifelong investment jewellery piece. If the opal in your ring has come from a wet environment, it will be a much lower quality of stone due to its porous nature. Like a sponge, your opal will begin to absorb moisture and, over time, this will turn your beautiful blue opal into a dull, brown stone.
What to look for: Apart from the brown discolouration, look for tiny cracks which will appear in the stone as a tell-tale sign that your opal has come from a wet climate. This is often disguised in diamond and sapphire facets, rather than your more classic dome cut.
Where are you Purchasing – Genuine Opal Dealer
The best way to ensure that you’re getting an opal that is natural, beautiful and long lasting is to ensure that you’re purchasing your fabulous opal ring from a dealer who know exactly where their opals are sourced.
Australian opal is known as being the most stable and best quality opal in the world, that’s why 95% of jewellery quality opal is Australian opal.
For 20 years John and Leanne, of Boulder Opal Mines Australia, have been supplying opal direct from their mine to clients from all over the world. When dealing with John and Leanne you will come to value their vast experience. Their experience and knowledge, combined with an unwavering commitment to absolute integrity is why they are so highly regarded by clients who have been dealing with them for many of those 20 years. It is why you can rely on them to give you sound and honest advice when buying opal.
By buying your standout opal ring from an expert, like Boulder Opal Mines Australia, you will have a genuine, beautiful piece that will last you a life-time.
