Opal is one of the most popular gemstones known for its spectacular play of color. As a result, opal is also one of the most imitated stones on the market. Here are a few tips to help you tell if an opal is real:
Inspect the Stone’s Surface
Opals have a smooth, waxy surface and are often somewhat translucent. A real opal also comes in a white body tone, which is the color of the stone itself.
Look for a Play of Color
The “play of color” is what makes an opal so unique and desirable. This refers to the way the stone appears to change color when viewed from different angles. If you don’t see any color play, the opal is likely a fake.
Check the Stone’s Hardness
Opals rank between 5.5 and 6.5 on the Mohs scale, which means they’re fairly soft stones. If you can easily scratch the surface of the opal with a knife or other object, it’s probably not real.
Look at the Price
Real opals can be quite expensive, so if you see an opal that’s being sold for a very low price, it’s likely a fake. Beware, though, some fake opal sellers can still charge high prices.
Check for Doublets and Triplets
These are fake opals that are made up of two or three thin layers of stone glued together. You can usually tell if an opal is a doublet or triplet by looking at the back of the stone. If you see a black backing, it’s likely a fake.
Be Aware of Common Synthetic Opals
Some companies create synthetic or man-made opals that look very similar to the real thing. These are commonly referred to as “fire opals” or “lab-created opals.” If you’re not sure if an opal is real, ask a jeweler to inspect it for you.
Contact us at Nazar’s & co. Jewelers for more information on buying opals. We would be happy to answer any questions you have about purchasing opals.
FAQs
If there are no traces of paint or pigment, then it's a sign that the stone is real. Also, if you rub your fingers over the opal surface, it should not scratch off easily. The surface should feel velvety soft but may feel rough if it's poorly cut. Opal should be clear and shiny.
What is the name of a fake opal? ›
Slocum opal, opalite, synthetic opal, Gilson opal, Inamori opal are all imitations of natural opal created by man to reproduce the most fascinating natural gem, unique and inimitable, the Opal.
How do you identify raw opal? ›
Things You Should Know
Real opal won't look especially shiny under a light; if it appears this way, it might be made of plastic or resin. See if the opal can be scratched by a knife, a glass plate, or a steel nail.
What does the back of an opal look like? ›
When you look at the side of the opal check to see if it has distinct visible 'layers'. Opal doublets are a slice of Opal attahced to a black backing while a triplet has this backing but also a third layer which is a clear, domed layer on top of the opal.
Do fake opals glow under a blacklight? ›
Synthetic opals, in addition to their visual clues, will emit a green colour under UV light; this is why it is often advised to take a UV torch along to test if the stone 'fluoresces', and if not, it is natural.
How do you tell a good quality opal? ›
When shopping for opal, make sure you examine the colour and patterns carefully. Pay attention to the stone's play of colour, or iridescence, which should be visible when moved around in your hand, and also its price per carat to ensure that you are getting the highest quality product at the best possible price.
How can I test my opal at home? ›
If it scratches, the stone is probably not real. Lastly, you can use a loupe or magnifying glass to inspect the surface of your opal. A real opal should appear transparent and feature small air bubbles or a distinct crystalline structure. Fake stones will often be cloudy or feature obvious flaws on their surface.
What does simulated opal look like? ›
Decoding Synthetic Solid Opals
The pattern can be a giveaway – lab-made opals like Gilson opal rock bright colours in neat patches all over. Often, the pattern seems a tad 'too perfect,' almost like it's striking a pose. Sometimes, they even flaunt a 'snakeskin' pattern.
Who should not wear opal? ›
Who Should Not Wear Opal Jewelry? It is advised that people who have Aries, Leo, Scorpio, and Cancer zodiac signs should not wear these gems. If you do, you might have to face the side effects.
Does opal glow in the dark? ›
“That opal actually glows in the dark – the darker the light, the more colour comes out of it, it's unbelievable.” John Dunstan told ABC. Opals are a form of amorphous hydrated silica with up to 20% water locked within the silica structure.
There are two broad classes of opal: precious and common. Precious opal displays play-of-color, common opal does not. Play-of-color occurs in precious opal because it's made up of sub-microscopic spheres stacked in a grid-like pattern—like layers of Ping-Pong balls in a box.
How to tell if an opal is real or not? ›
When you view a synthetic opal side-on, its colour structure will present as neatly lined columns, with the pattern appearing in a repeated uniform way through the stone. Genuine opal, when viewed side-on, will appear solid as it is not composed of different layers.
What is the most valuable opal color? ›
Black opal is the most rare and highly valued form of opal, and has what is called a black (or dark) body tone. Black opals come in every colour of the rainbow. Their dark body tone makes the colours on the face of the opal appear rich and intense.
What is a ghost opal? ›
Some Ethiopian opals have a natural Phantom ghost. These opals are called Phantom Ethiopian opals and are also known as Ghost Phantom Opals. It is thought that Ethiopian opal is formed differently than sedimentary opal and this allows for this unique ghost inclusion in these opals. It does not form in any other opals.
Do opals glow in the dark? ›
“That opal actually glows in the dark – the darker the light, the more colour comes out of it, it's unbelievable.” John Dunstan told ABC. Opals are a form of amorphous hydrated silica with up to 20% water locked within the silica structure.
How much are opals worth? ›
Black opal is the most prized type of opal and may earn prices over $10,000 USD a carat. Boulder opals also have a dark body tone but are not quite as valuable, while white opals have a light body tone and are generally the least valuable form of opal.
