"The Opal Story"

      The beauty of opal inspires wonder and admiration. It was revered as the quintessential gem in ancient times, as revealed in the origin of the word "opal" - Sanskrit for "precious stone." The irridescent splendor of gem opal excites the imagination creating a fever for possession. Opal compels as much as it adorns.
     The color of opal comes from white light reflecting through the gem. Light turns and bends through a three-dimensional grid formed by millions of spherical hydrous silica particles resulting in a rainbow of prismatic color. The size of these tiny spheres determines the color or fire.
     The dispersion of fire within opal is classified by its many patterns. "Pinfire" opal is a starburst patterned stone of densely packed pinpoints of color. "Harlequin" opal is a gem with interlocking sheets of fire. Fire rolling across the gem's surface is "broad flash" opal.
     Gemologists determine opal's value by the intensity of color saturation, rarity of color type and mixture of colors. The most rare and highly valued stone is color-saturated black opal and opal with intense play in the full color spectrum. The most common opal is milky white with weak flashes of fire.
     Opalization is extremely rare occurring only under very special conditions in sedimentary deposits of the lakes and creeks of the Cretaceous period. Most opal lies beneath the mesquite and sandstone deserts of Australia's remote outback.
     Today the major opal mining regions are Coober Pedy and Mintabie in South Australia and Lightning Ridge in New South Wales. Each new opal field inspires a rush of miners and would be fortune seekers who toil in physically demanding and often dangerous conditions.

Caring for Your Opal Jewelry:

• Although inlaying can stabilize opal, the gem is a relatively soft stone that should not be subjected to sudden impacts, household chemicals, detergents, abrasive materials or extreme temperatures.
• While the inlay process protects your opal, prolonged periods in dishwater, swimming pools or baths can damage the security of the setting over time.
• You should clean your opal jewelry with soapy water and a soft brush. Take care in avoiding all ultrasonic cleaning machines.
• We suggest removing your jewelry before any intense activity or applying cosmetics or lotions.

By following these simple instructions, your gem will give you years of enjoyment and provide an heirloom for generations to come.