Opals are the fifth most popular gemstone in the world, after diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies. Yet very few people know what to look for when buying opal jewelry.

When you buy diamonds, you look for the best mix of cut, clarity, color and carat for your money. Rubies and emeralds have natural inclusions, so you look for good color saturation. When you buy gold, you look for the 10k, 14k or 18k hallmark. But what do you look for when you buy opals?

These are beautiful gemstones which flash with fire and color in a display similar to the rainbow colors on the surface of a soap bubble. This quality is called iridescence, or more correctly, opalescence when applied to this gem. And the extent of opalescence and the range of colors displayed determine whether an individual opal is a high quality one or not. However these are not like other gemstones. Their fiery opalescence is caused by natural flaws. So how do you recognize top quality?

In fact the beauty of an opal is very subjective. What one person likes, another may not. However, with so many fakes and created stones available to buy, it is important to know something about this gemstone before shopping.

Broadly speaking, there are four types of opals, categorized according to their host rock. These are white, black, boulder and crystal opals.

White opals are most common and therefore the most affordable. They have a milky white background for the fire bursts in the center. Black opals are the rarest and look like a stormy black sky against which the bright colors flash. Boulder opals form along narrow cracks in ironstone and are always cut to include some of the ironstone host rock. They are a lot less valuable than black opals. Crystal opals are translucent. They typically have a sharp clarity and can demonstrate some of the most intense colors of any gemstone.

Whilst all types can be highly desirable depending upon current fashion trends, Australian Lightning Ridge Black Opals are widely regarded as some of the finest gemstones in the world.

The different types as well as the natural variations in fire and diffracted colors of individual gemstones gives a large range of colors. It is thought that the colors contained within the opal change as it develops. Greens and blues are commonly seen. Red and orange flashes are least common and so are more prized. However, look for a color play which flows organically like a river of water through the gemstone without any geometric pattern to it. Once you have seen the genuine article, the color displays in lab created fakes simply do not look right.

So when looking for an opal, buy from a reputable source. Choose your favorite type. Then look for an intense, fluid color play including a range of colors as well as reds. And ALWAYS buy natural mined opals.

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