Five Interesting Facts You Probably Didnt About Opals
1. The value of each individual opal differs greatly depending on the unique qualities of the opal. There are many determining factors, including body tone, play of colour, colours present, brilliance, pattern, and size.
2. Opal is softer than most other gemstones. Because of that opal is best suited for use in earrings, brooches and other pieces of jewelry that rarely encounter scuffs and impacts. When used in a ring, the best designs have a bezel that fully protects the stone.
3.The "Andamooka Opal" or the "Queens Opal" was a gift for Queen Elizabeth II in honor of her royal visit to Australia in 1954. This can be viewed in Buckingham Palace's collection of the crown jewels.
4. All opal in Australia is found around the edges of the Ancient Inland Sea.
5. The beautiful opal is formed from rain. There is some conjecture on how exactly this precious gemstone forms,, but many believe it is formed when water from rain seeps down into crevasses in the rock. Once the water evaporates, the silica that is left behind dries out and hardens into precious opal.
Read the post...
