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Opal
Fireworks. Jellyfish. Galaxies. Lightning. Opal's shifting play of kaleidoscopic colors is unlike any other gem.
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Research
Queensland Boulder Opal
After almost 75 years of inactivity, the deposits of boulder opal in Queensland, Australia, began to attract new interest in the 1960s and 1970s.
Treated Andamooka Matrix Opal
Matrix opal from Andamooka, in South Australia, is a precious opal-included porous rock that is commonly color enhanced (carbon impregnated) to imitate the highly prized black opal from Lightning Ridge in northern New South Wales, Australia.
"Opalite": Plastic Imitation Opal with True Play-Of-Color
A plastic imitation opal that shows true play-of-color was advertised as
Opals from Opal Butte, Oregon
Recent mining at Opal Butte in northeastern Oregon has produced a wide variety of large flawless opals.
Gemstone Durability: Design to Display
A treatise on the design, display, care and repair of fine gemstones.
Summer 1986 G&G Lab Notes
This section, from the Summer 1986 issue of Gems & Gemology, is a compilation of interesting finds from GIA’s laboratories.
Opal Care and Cleaning Guide
Learn about opal's durability and how to care for your opal jewelry.
Opal History and Lore
Writers have compared opals to volcanoes, galaxies, and fireworks. Admirers gave extraordinary opals poetic names like Pandora, Light of the World, and Empress.
Opal Quality Factors
Individual opals are as diverse as snowflakes or fingerprints and can vary widely in appearance and quality. Learn about the factors that make opals so desirable!
Abstracts; Winter 1991
This article, from the Winter 1991 issue of Gems & Gemology, is a compilation of abstracts of important gemology-related articles published outside of Gems & Gemology.
Unusual Bodycolors ofPrecious Opal
Two stones with unusual bodycolor are identified as precious opal.
