What is opal?:
Natural Opal is silicon oxide (in the form of closely packed aggregates of silica spheres) with a variable amount of water (between 5-15%). In precious opal the arrangement of spheres is in orderly layers, and light passing through the spheres is diffracted at the void and layer interface to produce the vivid play of color associated with opal. Larger silica spheres are associated with more sought after colors, such as red.
Types of opal:
White opal - Opaque, milky white with speckles, flashes, or sheets of rainbow colors. We offer beautiful solid white Australian opal jewelry.
Jelly or Water Opal - colorless and transparent with little or no play of color.
Crystal Opal - Crystal Opal is transparent or extremely translucent and display a variety of colors. Crystal opal is clear enough to see through against a light surface but when viewed on a dark surface the colors really come to life.
Boulder Opal - Boulder opal is a naturally formed solid opal which consists of a fine layer of opal that has been deposited by nature on and in the fissures of ironstone base rock.
Fire Opal - Transparent or translucent opal with orange or red body color. It can also have yellow or brown body color. The opal may or may not display fire. This opal got its name from the typical color of the gem, not from displaying fire. Fire opals are also commonly known as Mexican opals because Mexico is a major source of this type. Fire opal with a red body color is also known as cherry opal.
Opal Doublet - Doublet Opals consist of a layer or slice of precious natural opal (usually white or crystal) that is too thin to be set in jewelry on its own which has been bonded to a dark or black backing. The backing can be potch (non precious opal), black glass or ironstone boulder. These days most doublets are bonded to an ironstone backing thus forming a "boulder doublet". The dark backing enhances the color and simulates high quality black opal. However because less opal material is required doublets cost much less.
Opal Triplet - A triplet is essentially a doublet capped by clear quartz cap. The cap adds additional thickness to the gem, prevents damage in setting, and protects the actual opal from wear. The cap also acts as a magnifying glass, enlarging the color play and giving more of the appearance of fine black opal. Triplets range from souvenir quality to gem quality with the best specimens showing the brilliant colors of fine black opal. However because only a thin slice of opal is used the cost is much lower. If you like the vibrant flashes on black, they are the affordable alternative to the $ 10,000 per carat Black Opal. For use in rings, triplets are far superior to solid opals, because the quartz cap adds strength and hardness to the otherwise fragile opal. Our Australian black opal triplet jewelry allow you to enjoy the look of precious black opal at a fraction of the cost and with greater durability than solid black opals. Doublets and triplets do not tend to craze (crazing is when an opal spontaneously develops fine internal cracks as the opal losses water from its structure) as do many solid opals.
Mosaic Opal - A mosaic opal consists of tightly fitted, irregular pieces of opal, carefully fitted to create a brilliant mosaic. This allows smaller, colorful chips of opal to be utilized rather than
discarded. See our
Mosaic Opal Jewelry, now on a separate page.
Synthetic Opal - An opal created in
a laboratory setting that has essentially the same physical, optical, and
chemical properties as natural opal. Simulated Opal - An opal created in a laboratory setting that has the same optical, properties as natural opal but is not physically or chemically the same. Gilson® Created Opal - Currently the world's finest laboratory grown opal, which most in the industry accept as synthetic. Some argue that it too is a simulant since it contains no water as natural opals do. Other than not containing water, Gilson Created opals have all the properties of natural opal. Invented in 1974 by Pierre Gilson Sr., these opals are not inexpensive and require a year or more to grow. The Gilson Created Opal, due to lack of water, does not tend to crack and craze as does mined opal does when it loses its water due to extreme temperature changes or other drying conditions.
We offer striking
Gilson® Created Opal Jewelry Polymer-impregnated Opal - The
process of created these opals begins by duplicating the first steps of the more expensive Gilson® Opal.
A porous, very colorful opal is easily formed. Gilson goes to great trouble to
fill the gaps with more silica, thus pure opal. Manufacturers of
polymer-impregnated opals take a shortcut and produce a product that is not 100%
opal. They take the porous material and fill the holes with resin (epoxy glue).
The resin gives the gemstone strength and durability. There is currently much
debate in the field whether these are synthetic or simulated opal. These opals
consist of 70 - 90% silica (opal) and 10 - 30% resin. Whatever the final
classification of gems of this nature they are beautiful, cost effective, and
exhibit fire play resembling the finest opal. We do offer a wide variety of
lab created (polymer-impregnated) opal
jewelry for those looking for a great deal of fire play at a low
price. We offer
lab solid black opal jewelry,
solid blue created opal jewelry,
solid pink, and
white lab created opal jewelry. Lab Grown or Lab Created Opal - Unless Gilson
Avoid extreme changes in temperature (like wearing an opal ring while cooking or baking and then putting that hand into the freezer) that could cause you opal to crack.
Avoid knocking or scraping jewelry set with solid opals. It is not advisable to wear your opal jewelry when playing sport, gardening and performing household tasks like washing dishes and showering.
Solid opal can be cleaned with a soft detergent in warm water using a soft cloth or brush. Once cleaned the opal should be rinsed in clean water to remove any residue. Doublets and triplets can be wiped with a damp soft cloth but should not be soaked.
What should I look for when buying opal jewelry?
When buying opal jewelry (or any jewelry), especially online where you don't get a chance to handle or try it on before purchasing, it is important to only purchase from a seller that allows you to return your purchase if you are not satisfied. If there is a restocking fee you may want to pass on that store or seller.
At Jill's Jewelry & Opal Treasures your satisfaction with our opal jewelry (also with our ammolite jewelry, and our dichroic glass jewelry) is our number one concern. For U.S. buyers, we will even refund your shipping cost if you chose our 1st class shipping method!
You also want to make sure that you know what you are buying. Does the seller tell you whether the opal jewelry is set with a solid opal, a doublet, or a triplet? Is there a mention of whether the opal is naturally mined, synthetic, or lab created? Can you find that information anywhere on the store's website or online store? Will they answer questions and/or provide additional photos of an item in a timely manner?
Because there are so many varieties of opal, buying opal jewelry can be a confusing ordeal. Someone who loves opals but doesn't know much about opals or opal jewelry, may be taken advantage of by unscrupulous merchants. To make the experience of buying opal jewelry easier, we have created an opal information page to help educate our potential buyers about opal varieties and terminology that they may encounter when buying opal jewelry. We firmly believe that an informed buyer is a happy buyer and hopefully a satisfied repeat customer.
Jill's Jewelry & Opal Treasures
carries a wide variety of gemstone jewelry in .925 sterling silver as well
as 14k gold-filled and 14kt gold. Jill's Jewelry & Opal Treasures
specializes in opal jewelry, ammolite jewelry, dichroic glass jewelry, paua
shell jewelry, mystic fire topaz jewelry, and mystic ice cz jewelry. You
will also find a variety of turquoise and rainbow moonstone jewelry as well
as jewelry with other semi-precious gems.
We accept credit cards through paypal. 
