Opal Galaxy Blog
How to Choose the Right Opal: Complete Australian Opal Buying Guide
Choosing the right Australian opal comes down to four factors: opal type (black, boulder, crystal or white), body tone, brightness,
Which Star Signs Should Wear Opal? Complete Zodiac, Vedic and Chinese Astrology Guide
The opal zodiac sign connection traces back to opal being the official October birthstone, making it the traditional gemstone for
Why Australian Opal Is the Best in the World
Opals are found on every continent and sold by thousands of dealers worldwide, yet when gem experts, collectors, and luxury
Opal Fossicking Australia: Can Tourists Actually Mine Opal?
If you have ever watched Outback Opal Hunters on TV or scrolled past a glowing piece of Lightning Ridge black
Opal Price: How Much Do Australian Opals Cost
Opal price ranges from around $10 per carat for common white opal to over $10,000 per carat for top gem
Opals in Different Lighting Conditions: Why We Use Professional LED Lighting
Opals in different lighting reveal different colors, patterns, and brightness levels because their play of color depends on how light
Your Australian Opal Questions Answered
The most common opal questions cover where opals come from, how they are formed, what makes one opal more valuable
Black Opals: Australia’s Rare Gemstone Treasure
Black opal is the most valuable type of opal in the world and is mined almost exclusively in Lightning Ridge,
The Opal Fields of Australia: A Comprehensive Guide to Mining Areas and Their Opals
Australia’s opal fields are located across New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia, and they produce around 95% of the
Types of Lightning Ridge Opals: Your Complete Guide
Lightning ridge opal refers to the opals mined from the Lightning Ridge field in New South Wales, Australia, which is
Buying Black Opals for Investment
Black opal is widely considered one of the strongest gemstone investments on the market, with top grade Lightning Ridge stones
Allawah Opals from Lightning Ridge
Allawah opal is a type of black opal mined from the Allawah field in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, known
Risks of Buying Opals Online
Buying opals online carries real risks including misrepresented stones, edited photos that exaggerate color, undisclosed treatments, doublets and triplets sold
Why Australian Black Opals from Lightning Ridge Are Superior to Smoked Ethiopian Opals
Australian black opal from Lightning Ridge is the highest quality black opal in the world and is far superior to
The Beauty of Yowah Boulder Opals
Yowah boulder opals are a type of Australian boulder opal mined from the Yowah field in southwest Queensland, best known
How to set Crystal Opals
Crystal opals are best set in protective bezel settings made from gold or platinum, with a closed back to shield
Rainbow Opals – Nature’s Ultimate Play of Color
Rainbow opals are precious opals that display the full spectrum of color across their surface, including red, orange, yellow, green,
The Beauty of Chinese Writing Pattern Black Opals
Chinese writing pattern black opal is a type of black opal from Lightning Ridge where the play of color forms
Opal Galaxy Fine Jewelry Collection
Opal jewelry from Opal Galaxy features handcrafted pieces set with solid Australian opals from Lightning Ridge, Coober Pedy, Boulder, Yowah,
Opal Polishing 101: Tips, Techniques, and Common Mistakes
Opal polishing is the process of grinding, shaping, and finishing rough opal into a smooth domed cabochon to bring out
Buying Black Opals Online? Beware of Treated Ethiopian Opals Misrepresented as Natural
Treated Ethiopian opals are hydrophane opals from Ethiopia that have been artificially darkened through smoke treatment, sugar and acid treatment,
Opal: The Captivating Gemstone of Australia
Opal is Australia’s national gemstone and the only gemstone in the world that displays a full spectrum play of color,
Opalite vs Opal: How to Identify Real Opal from Fake Opalite
Opalite is a manmade glass or resin imitation of opal and is not a real gemstone, while natural opal is
Exploring the Beauty of Winton Boulder Opals
Winton boulder opal is Australian boulder opal mined from the Winton field in central west Queensland, known for producing large
Investment Opal Guide: Lightning Ridge Black Opal Collection
Investment opal from Lightning Ridge is one of the strongest performing gemstone investments in the world, with top tier black
Red Opal: Why Red Is the Rarest and Most Valuable Opal Color
Red opal is the most valuable color in the opal spectrum because red is the rarest play of color produced
Radiant Fire Opal: Explore the Beauty of This Vibrant Gemstone
Fire opal refers to the vivid color play seen across Australian black, dark, and crystal opals from Lightning Ridge, where
What Makes an Opal Valuable: Complete Guide to Understanding Opal Worth
What makes an opal valuable comes down to a few key factors: opal type, play of color, pattern, body tone,
Discovering the Wonders of Rare Opals
Rare opals include black opal from Lightning Ridge, boulder opal from Queensland, and crystal opal from Coober Pedy, along with
Opal Engagement Ring: A Stunning & Unique Choice for Your Special Moment
An opal engagement ring features a solid Australian opal as the center stone, most commonly black opal from Lightning Ridge,
Authentic Australian Souvenirs with Opals from Opal Galaxy
An Australian opal is the most meaningful Australian souvenir you can take home, as opal is the country’s national gemstone
Australian Opals vs. Other Gemstones: What Sets Them Apart
Australian opals stand apart from every other gemstone in the world because they are the only stone that displays a
Wood Replacement Opal: Fossil Boulder Opal from Australia
Wood replacement opal is a type of Australian boulder opal where ancient wood, branches, or plant material has been completely
The Town of Winton: Your Complete Guide to Queensland’s Boulder Opal Capital
Winton is a small outback town in central west Queensland, Australia, known as one of the country’s major boulder opal
Opal Jewelry for Men: Breaking Stereotypes and Embracing Style
Opal jewelry for men features solid Australian opals set in rings, pendants, cufflinks, tie pins, and bracelets, with black opal
Wood Fossil Opal: The Complete Guide to Nature’s Ancient Treasure
Wood fossil opal is fossilised wood where the original organic material has been replaced by precious opal over millions of
Opal in Ring: A Complete Guide to Choosing the Perfect Opal for your Jewelry
Opal rings are best made with boulder opal or black opal because their natural backing and dark body tone give
Rare Opal Pattern Collection
The most sought after opal patterns are harlequin, Chinese writing, ribbon, flagstone, broad flash, pinfire, and rolling flash, with harlequin
Opal Mining: The Complete Guide to Australian Opal Extraction
Opal mining in Australia takes place across Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, Coober Pedy and Mintabie in South Australia,
Opal Jewelers Parcels
An opal jewelers parcel is a curated lot of solid Australian opals sold together at wholesale pricing, designed for jewelers,
Opal Doublet Complete Guide: What They Are, Value & How to Buy
An opal doublet is a two layer composite stone made by gluing a thin slice of natural precious opal onto
Opal Brightness and Body Tone Guide
Opal brightness and body tone are two of the most important value factors in precious opal, with brightness referring to
Lightning Ridge Black Opal: The Ultimate Guide to Australia’s Most Precious Gemstone
Lightning Ridge black opal is the rarest and most valuable type of opal in the world, mined exclusively from the
The Wonders of Koroit Boulder Opals
Koroit boulder opals are a type of Australian boulder opal mined from the Koroit field in southwest Queensland, known for
How much is opal worth?
Opal worth ranges from around $10 per carat for common white opal to over $15,000 per carat for top grade
How Is Opal Formed? A Complete Guide to Opal Formation
Opal is formed when silica rich water seeps into cracks, voids, and cavities in sedimentary rock and slowly deposits microscopic
How Hard is it to Find Good Opal?
Finding good opal is extremely difficult because precious opal forms in very specific geological conditions that only exist in a
Real Opal Essential Steps to Discover True Quality
Real opal is solid natural precious opal formed in the earth over millions of years, with no treatments, no backing
Ethiopian Opals
Ethiopian opals are hydrophane opals mined mainly from the Wello region of Ethiopia, known for their bright play of color
Crystal Boulder Opal
Crystal boulder opal is a type of Australian boulder opal where the opal layer sitting on the ironstone backing is
Coober Pedy Opal: Complete Guide to the Opal Capital of the World
Coober Pedy opals are Australian opals mined from the Coober Pedy field in South Australia, the largest opal mining town
Colors in Opals
The colors in opals come from microscopic silica spheres inside the stone that diffract light into the full visible spectrum,
How to Care For Opal and Opal Jewelry
Opal care means keeping the stone away from heat, harsh chemicals, ultrasonic cleaners, steam cleaners, and sudden temperature changes, all
Boulder Opal Mining in Diamantina
Boulder opal mining takes place across the Queensland fields of Winton, Quilpie, Yowah, Koroit, and the Diamantina region, where miners
Belemnite Opal
Belemnite opal is a fossilised belemnite, an extinct squid like marine creature from the Cretaceous period, where the original shell
Opal Stone: A Complete Guide to the World’s Most Colorful Gemstone
Opal Stone is a hydrated silica gemstone formed in the earth over millions of years, made up of microscopic silica
Metallic Opal Collection
Metallic opal is precious opal that displays a bright reflective sheen across its play of color, making the reds, greens,
Lightning Ridge: Australia’s Premier Black Opal Mining Town and Hidden Outback Gem
Lightning Ridge is a small outback town in northern New South Wales, Australia, and the only place in the world
Aboriginal Opal Story: Dreamtime Tales and Rainbow Serpent Legends
Aboriginal opal stories pass down through Dreamtime legend across multiple First Nations whose lands cover the Australian opal fields, with
Raw / Rough Opal
Raw opal is precious opal in its natural unprocessed state, straight from the mine with no cutting, polishing, or shaping,
Opal Pendants: Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing and Caring
An opal pendant features a solid Australian opal set in 18k gold, 14k gold, sterling silver, or platinum, hung on
Choosing the right opal for your ring design
Choosing the right opal for a ring design depends on the wearer’s lifestyle, the metal and setting style, and the
Gold Opal Ring: Timeless Beauty and How to Value Them
A gold opal ring features a solid Australian opal set in 18k gold, 14k gold, or 9k gold, with the
Water Opals: Trusted Guide to Real Opal That Absorbs Water
Water Opals are a type of opal that can physically absorb water through their porous structure. When a Water Opal
Harlequin Opal Pattern Explained
Harlequin opal is the rarest and most valuable pattern in the entire opal market, defined by distinct angular blocks of
Rainbow Opal Collection
Rainbow opal is a precious opal that displays the full spectrum of color across its surface, including red, orange, yellow,
The October Birthstone: Everything You Need to Know About Opals
Opal is the October birthstone, recognised globally as the traditional and modern gemstone for October births, alongside tourmaline as the
Opal Setting Guide: How to Set a Boulder Opal into a Pendant
Opal setting for a boulder opal pendant works best with a bezel in 18k gold, 14k gold, or sterling silver,
How to Buy Australian Opal Online: Technical Buying Guide
How to buy Australian opal online comes down to checking five things: the opal type, provenance from a named Australian
Opal Mining in Australia: How Australian Opal is Found
Opal mining in Australia uses a mix of open cut, shaft, and tunnel methods across Lightning Ridge in New South