Guides on opal and pearl jewelry, gem care, and custom commissions
from Richard Lewis.
OpalsMost Expensive Opal: The Record-Setting Stones ExplainedThe most expensive opal ever found, from Olympic Australis to Aurora Australis, and what actually sets the price of the opal you can buy.Read moreOpalsBlack Opal Price: What Actually Sets the ValueWhat actually sets black opal price: body tone, brightness, pattern, and color, explained by a goldsmith who cuts the stones himself.Read moreOpalsCat Eye Opal: What Makes It Show That Line of LightWhat causes cat eye opal's chatoyant line, why it shows up in common opal, and how Peruvian and chocolate opal trade names fit in.…Read moreOpalsAurora Opal, Galaxy Opal, Rainbow Opal: What the Names MeanAurora opal, galaxy opal and rainbow opal are not official grades. A goldsmith explains what sellers really mean and how to tell if it…Read moreOpalsHydrophane Opal: Why Ethiopian Opal Absorbs WaterHydrophane opal absorbs water and can cloud or discolor. A goldsmith explains why Ethiopian opal behaves this way, and how to care for it.Read moreOpalsCoober Pedy Opal: Australia’s Underground Opal CapitalA jeweler's guide to Coober Pedy opal: the underground South Australian town that mines the world's white opal, and how it differs from Andamooka.Read moreOpalsPink Opal and Purple Opal: What They Really ArePink opal and purple opal explained: the real Peruvian stone, how red opal differs, and what Mexican purple opal actually means.Read moreOpalsBlue Opal: Peruvian Stone vs Blue Play-of-ColorBlue opal explained: how Peruvian blue opal differs from precious opal with blue play-of-color, plus meaning and how each wears in a ring or…Read moreOpalsMining for Opals: Inside the Australian Opal FieldsOpal mining explained: underground shafts, noodling, and the miners I buy rough from directly, from a working goldsmith.Read moreOpalsDark Opal and the Opal Body Tone ScaleDark opal explained: how it differs from black opal on the N1 to N9 body tone scale, and what that means for value, setting,…Read moreOpalsLightning Ridge: Australia’s Black Opal CountryA jeweler's guide to Lightning Ridge opal: where the town is, why its claystone ground makes black opal, and how the mining fields work.Read moreBirthstonesAlexandrite: June’s Color-Changing BirthstoneAlexandrite is June's rarest birthstone, green by day and red by night. A jeweler explains the color change, its history, value, and natural versus…Read moreBirthstonesJune 21 Birthstone: What Stone Is It?Born on June 21? Your birthstones are June's three: pearl, moonstone and alexandrite. A jeweler explains the solstice cusp and which stone to choose.Read moreBirthstonesWhy Does June Have 3 Birthstones?June has three birthstones: pearl, moonstone and alexandrite. A jeweler explains why, where the list came from, and that all three are equally official.Read moreBirthstonesJune Birthstone: Pearl, Moonstone and AlexandriteJune has three birthstones: pearl, moonstone and alexandrite. How to tell them apart, what each suits, and which to choose.Read moreBirthstonesOctober Birthstone: Opal and Tourmaline ExplainedOctober has two birthstones, opal and tourmaline. What each one is, the tourmaline colors, how to tell them apart, and which to choose.Read moreBirthstonesOpal Birthstone: October’s Stone of ColorOpal is October's traditional birthstone. Why it makes a wonderful, one-of-a-kind birthday gift, how to choose one, and how to care for it.Read moreOpalsWhat Does Opal Look Like? A Visual Guide to Opal PatternsA visual guide to what opal looks like: body tone, the main play-of-color patterns, which colors are rare, and how the main types appear.Read moreOpalsRare Opal Varieties: Harlequin, Contra Luz and Other PrizesThe rare opals collectors chase: harlequin, contra luz, red-on-black, Yowah nuts and Virgin Valley, and what makes each so sought after.Read moreOpalsOpalized Fossils: When Ancient Life Turns to OpalOpalized fossils are shells and bones that slowly turned to opal. What they are, how they form, where they are found, and whether you…Read moreOpalsTypes of Opal: A Complete List of Opal VarietiesA complete, plain-English list of the types of opal, grouped by body tone, host rock and origin, with a word on doublets and which…Read moreOpalsHow Are Opals Made? Opal Formation and MiningHow opals form over millions of years from silica and water, where they are found, and how they are mined at Coober Pedy and…Read moreOpalsWhat Is Opal? A Jeweler’s Plain GuideWhat is opal, in plain terms: what it's made of, where the word comes from, the six forms a rough parcel turns up, and…Read moreOpalsWhite and Crystal Opal: A Jeweler’s Guide to the Lighter OpalsWhite and crystal opal explained: how the transparent crystal and milky white opals differ, where they come from, what they are worth, and who…Read moreOpalsAustralian Opal: The Benchmark of the Opal WorldAustralian opal, the benchmark of the opal world: the great fields (Lightning Ridge, Coober Pedy, Queensland), why it is so prized, and how it…Read moreOpalsBoulder Opal: A Jeweler’s Guide to Opal in IronstoneBoulder opal explained by a jeweler of 50 years: opal in ironstone, why the rock backing makes it tough and vivid, where it comes…Read moreOpalsFire Opal: A Jeweler’s Guide to the Glowing OpalFire opal explained by a jeweler of 50 years: what makes it glow, why it is named for body color not play-of-color, where it…Read moreOpalsOpal Colors and Play-of-Color: Which Are Rare and WhyOpal colors ranked by rarity, with the silica-sphere physics behind play-of-color: why red is the rarest flash, which colors are common, and how pattern…Read moreOpalsOpal Meaning and Symbolism: Folklore, Birthstone and What Opal RepresentsOpal meaning and symbolism: the folklore, the bad-luck myth debunked, opal as the October birthstone and 14th anniversary gift, and what opal represents.Read moreOpalsBlack Opal: Why Lightning Ridge’s Finest Is the Most PrizedWhy black opal is the most prized opal: what 'black' really means, where it comes from, and how to judge body tone, brightness, pattern…Read moreOpalsHow Much Is Opal Worth? A Jeweler’s Guide to Opal ValueHow much is opal worth? A jeweler explains the factors that set opal value, rough price ranges by type, and how to avoid overpaying.Read moreOpalsUnderstanding Opal: A Jeweler’s Guide to Types, Color and ValueA jeweler of 50 years explains what opal is, the main types (black, boulder, crystal, fire, Ethiopian, Australian), what sets the value, and how…Read moreOpalsEthiopian vs Australian Opal: What’s the Difference?Ethiopian vs Australian opal explained by a jeweler of 50 years: origin, fire, hardness, water sensitivity, price, and which one is right for you.Read morePearlsWhat Is an Abalone Pearl? A Guide to a Rare Natural GemWhat is an abalone pearl, why is it so rare, and how do you care for one? A jeweler of 50 years explains these…Read moreJewelry CareHow to Care for Opal JewelryHow to clean, store, and protect opal jewelry so it keeps its fire for life, from a jeweler with 50 years at the bench.…Read more