ABout Our Opals

We use only the highest quality synthetic opals – exquisitely iridescent, durable, and affordable

The word “opal” is from opalus which means: gather the essence of every gem into one.

To the ancient Romans, opals symbolized hope and purity. Throughout history, opals have been regarded as the luckiest and most magical of all gems with their incredible, fiery luminescence and colour.

What is a Synthetic Opal?

Synthetic opal is a kind of precious synthetic gem, almost identical in composition to natural opal. They are also known as “lab-created opals” as they are synthesized in a laboratory under precise conditions including high heat and pressure – a process which takes about one year.

Our synthetic opals are almost identical in composition to natural opal. The only important difference is that natural opals contain more water (which makes them more fragile and prone to cracking).

The Geological Institute of America (GIA) has specific requirements for an opal to be called “synthetic”.

It must be made of silica (silica is quartz and the major component of sand)
It must have sub-microscopic spheres (too small to be seen by an ordinary light microscope)
It must rate at a specific range on the refractive index (which indicates a substance’s ability to bend light)

This composition creates the brilliant, sparkling flashes of colour that we love and expect in an opal gemstone.

Synthetic opal is not to be confused with imitation opal, which are created with a plastic resin and simply designed to emulate the colours and patterning of opals.

Exquisite QUALITY

Craftsmanship and technology combine to create a unique columnar structure which represents the growth pattern of the opal. The structure is vital in producing the vertical fire or luminescence sought after to resemble natural opal’s play of colour.

The level of professionalism producing this vertical pattern of fire indicates the highest quality synthetic opal with the highest value. The value it holds is second only to natural opal.

The quality and value of the opal is determined by the percentage of silica in its makeup. Our opals are the very high value of 80% silica (compared to others on the market that are only 20% silica and 80% polymer).

Natural Opal vs. Synthetic Opal

What’s the difference between natural opal and synthetic opal, if they are almost identical otherwise?

Natural, gem-grade opal is extremely rare, making it extremely expensive. The creation of synthetic opals has produced an opal that is far less expensive yet retaining the beauty and fire of natural opals.

Secondly, natural opals have a high water content which can cause problems. If the stone becomes dehydrated, it can crack and become unstable, sometimes ruining the entire stone. Synthetic opals will not become dehydrated, crack or yellow.

Natural Opals	Synthetic Opals
Extremely rare and take thousands of years to form	Can be created in laboratory conditions in about a year
Composed of silica (mineral)	Composed of silica (mineral)
Very expensive	More affordable
Play of colour (fire/luminescence) is random	Play of colour (luminescence) is more patterned
Less stable – prone to cracking	More stable and durable

Add these beautiful gemstones – nearly identical to natural opal – to your jewelry collection without breaking the bank and wear them without fear of damaging them.