Coober Pedy Opal: Australia’s Underground Opal Capital
A 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.
Opals
Pink Opal and Purple Opal: What They Really Are
Pink opal and purple opal explained: the real Peruvian stone, how red opal differs, and what Mexican purple opal actually means.
Blue Opal: Peruvian Stone vs Blue Play-of-Color
Blue 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 necklace.
Mining for Opals: Inside the Australian Opal Fields
Opal mining explained: underground shafts, noodling, and the miners I buy rough from directly, from a working goldsmith.
Dark Opal and the Opal Body Tone Scale
Dark opal explained: how it differs from black opal on the N1 to N9 body tone scale, and what that means for value, setting, and wear.
Lightning Ridge: Australia’s Black Opal Country
A jeweler’s guide to Lightning Ridge opal: where the town is, why its claystone ground makes black opal, and how the mining fields work.
What Does Opal Look Like? A Visual Guide to Opal Patterns
A 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.
Rare Opal Varieties: Harlequin, Contra Luz and Other Prizes
The rare opals collectors chase: harlequin, contra luz, red-on-black, Yowah nuts and Virgin Valley, and what makes each so sought after.
Opalized Fossils: When Ancient Life Turns to Opal
Opalized fossils are shells and bones that slowly turned to opal. What they are, how they form, where they are found, and whether you can wear one.
Types of Opal: A Complete List of Opal Varieties
A complete, plain-English list of the types of opal, grouped by body tone, host rock and origin, with a word on doublets and which to choose.