The Beauty of Opal Jewelry
Opal jewelry is one of the top 5 most popular gems in the world. They fall in at number 5 behind diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and the elegant rubies. While opal is loved and definitely beautiful there are many individuals who have no clue on how to find or purchase quality jewelry.
When purchasing a diamond you know to look for color, clarity, carat, and cut. When purchasing emeralds or rubies you know they have natural inclusions so you seek those that have great color saturation. If purchasing gold you seek 18k, 14k, or 10k. But how do you know what to look for when it comes to jewelry?
The quality of this jewelry is often known as opalescence or iridescence which is applied to this Topas gem. The extent of it and the colors that are seen helps to determine whether or not the jewelry is considered high quality or not. The opal is not like other gemstones and with the fiery opalescence occurring by natural flaws it may be difficult to figure out what is top quality.
There are 4 types of opal jewelry including black, white, crystal, and boulder. Black opals are often harder to find and may be considered the most desirable due to its rarity. They normally can be compared to a dark stormy sky and may be harder to find in normal jewelry stores than the other types. The white opals are often the cheapest of the 4 and contain a white milky material with a fiery burst that can often be located in the center. The crystal opals are more translucent and often have a sharp clarity that may contain some of the most intense shades of colors found in any gem stone. The boulder opal often can be formed amongst the ironstone and are much cheap than other gemstones.
The many different types as well as the natural differences in diffracted colors and fire of the individual gemstones help give a wide selection of colors. Blues and greens are the most commonly seen when it comes to jewelry. Orange and red is the least common which makes them more desirable. You should look for colors that flow naturally such as water from a stream without any type of geometric pattern.
Always buy from a reputable company or jewelry store to ensure that the jewelry consists only of high quality and is worth the money you paid for it. You may want to browse different stores before deciding on a particular piece.