Natural Opal in Pakistan

Where the colours come from

Precious opal is built from microscopic spheres of silica packed in tidy rows, with water trapped between them. Light passing through that grid splits into spectral colours that change as the stone moves. Sphere size decides the palette: small spheres give blues and greens, while larger ones also allow orange and red.

The main kinds of opal

• Ethiopian (Welo) opal - usually a white to clear body with bright, punchy fire, giving strong colour at fair rates.
• Australian opal - the long-standing benchmark, from white opal up to rare dark and black opal, where the dark body makes every flash look more intense.
• Crystal opal - a transparent to semi-transparent body, so colour seems to glow from deep inside.
• Fire opal - a yellow, orange or red body colour, with or without play-of-colour.

What raises an opal's price

1. Brightness of the play-of-colour, the biggest single factor.
2. Which colours appear - red and orange flashes are rarer than blue and green.
3. Pattern - broad flashes and striking patterns are worth more than fine pinpoint sparkle.
4. Body tone - a darker background usually means a higher value.
5. Size, shape and soundness - bigger, nicely domed stones free of cracks or crazing cost more.

Divide any listing's price by its carat weight to get the per-carat rate.

Natural opal, lab opal and doublets

Lab-made opal often shows a neat, repeating "lizard-skin" or columnar pattern that looks too orderly to be natural. Opalite is glass with a milky blue glow and no real play-of-colour. Doublets and triplets are thin slices of opal glued to a backing, sometimes capped with clear quartz; look at the side for a join line. Our authenticity page explains how we check stones before listing them.

Opal in tradition

Opal is one of the October birthstones. In South Asian astrology it is tied to Venus (Shukra) and traditionally worn for creativity and harmony in relationships, often as a substitute for diamond, set in silver or white gold on the ring or middle finger. These are beliefs, not guaranteed effects; speak to an astrologer if that is what guides your choice.

Looking after opal

Opal is fairly soft, around 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, and holds water, so keep it away from heat, sudden temperature changes and knocks. Many Ethiopian opals are hydrophane: they absorb water and can turn cloudy for a while, so never soak them. Wipe with a slightly damp soft cloth, and skip ultrasonic cleaners.

Buying opal from Authentic Gems

Every opal is checked and photographed to show its fire fairly. Delivery is a flat Rs. 500 per order by insured, tracked courier, usually 1 to 2 working days within Karachi, 2 to 4 to Lahore, Islamabad and other major cities, and up to about 7 for smaller towns. You pay Cash on Delivery after opening the parcel and looking at the stone, and our return policy gives you 7 days to return it unused.