Types of opals: the most popular varieties

Opals are the most beautiful mineraloids - a natural solid (metamictic, glassy, ​​polymeric, gel, highly dispersed), approximately homogeneous in chemical composition and physical properties, are formed in the same way as minerals. These are very beautiful stones that are widely used in the jewelry industry. Opal has many varieties, which will be discussed later in the article.

Opal varieties

There are many types of opal. They are classified according to many characteristics and properties:

• shade;
• shine;
• transparency;
• hardness.

Some opals are "born" in the process of weathering of silicate rocks from silica. They turn out not quite of high quality - cloudy, have a greasy sheen, uneven color. Shades of such gems: white, gray, yellow, reddish, brown. This includes such a mineral as opal jasper, which is characterized by a brown-red color due to the large accumulation of iron in the composition.

There is also wood opal. It is formed when opal replaces wood residues. Has a pronounced pattern. This is a kind of petrified tree, the structure of which is perfectly preserved - even growth rings are visible.

Noble opal is a high-quality stone, it belongs to the semi-precious. It is distinguished by a spectacular play of light, a beautiful shade of white, yellow, blue and black tones, pure transparency and brilliance.

Ordinary opal does not play in the sun as well as noble. However, it lends itself well to processing and polishing, after which jewelers get a beautiful and pure mineral. It is also classified as a semi-precious group.

Other varieties of opal are also distinguished, which are distinguished by different characteristics and even deposits:

Fiery. It is transparent and translucent. Hue - rich red, almost purple, sometimes - dark pink. The highest quality specimens are mined in Mexico, which are characterized by a sharp increase in the scattering of light by pure substances.

The black. One of the most expensive varieties. The shade of the stone is not necessarily black, it can be blue-black, brown, but necessarily dark. The most significant deposits are in Australia.

Bolder. Another "native" from Australia. This is a special layer in the rock, usually in the ferruginous. There are also specimens in matrix and basalt rocks.

Wax. A mineral of a yellow tint, with a characteristic waxy sheen.

Hyalite. It can often be found in places of accumulation of moss or lichen. It forms peculiar crusts, resembling clusters in appearance.

Hydrofan (aka water opal). It has a porous structure, due to which it absorbs water well. It is this property that makes the stone translucent with a beautiful overflow and play of light. It is noteworthy that the dry stone is inconspicuous, but as soon as it is lowered into the water, it acquires exceptional transparency and iridescent overflows.

Girasol. Colorless stone, completely transparent. At a certain inclination, you can see a beautiful blue overflow.

Irisopal. Mexican nugget, no color or slightly brownish.

Cacholong (aka pearl opal or semi-opal). Painted to an even milky white shade. In fact, it is an opaque stone, which includes quartz and chalcedony.

Blue opal (Peruvian). Solid stones, painted in pink, blue and blue shades.

Prazopal or chrysopal. Gem dyed in a bright green hue. Semi-transparent, luster - glass.

In fact, there are about a hundred varieties of opals. All stones deserve special attention, because each of them is unique and unrepeatable. What is worth the royal opal, in which the center is painted red and surrounded by a bright green edging. And "Harlequin", which shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow, combined with bright fiery blotches - can you find anything more original and spectacular?

In addition, jewelers can distinguish opals by color. They separate light stones and dark ones. The first category includes gems of calm, pale shades. To the second - bright saturated stones, juicy, catchy.

Opals are one of the most beautiful stones. and it is impossible even to describe the uniqueness of each of them. These are bright, shiny, spectacular stones, which simply cannot be found. They are widely used in the jewelry industry due to their unusual color, chic light transmission properties and pure transparency.