Halleys Comet Black Opal
The map above all the Australian Opal feels , also photograph above is the largest Black opal nobby found in modern times discovered on the 3 mile and weighs over 2000 carats is listed with the Guinness book of records
Photograph of mining scene above is of where the Haley's comment Black opal was discovered on the 3 mile lightning Ridge Opal field only a stone's throw from where I open cut a similar claim
Today's world there are few items left that have clarity, definition and brilliance yet the Black Opal quenched our desire for these qualities of which the opals found only on the blood sweat and tears of the opal miners of Lightning Ridge Australia, is the most highly valued.
OPAL DOUBLET The doublet opal is a slice of precious opal glued onto a backing of non-precious opal called "potch". Sometimes glass or ceramic is used for the backing. If the slice of precious opal is very thin the face of the opal doublet will be flat. If the slice of precious opal is thick enough the top will be domed. Domed opal are more valuable than flat opal doublets of equal colour. Not all opal doublets on sale are made from Lightning Ridge Opal. OPAL TRIPLET The triplet opal is simply a flat doublet with a domed, clear quartz top glued to it. The colour of the thin slice of precious opal is dispersed through and slightly magnified by the domed quartz face. It is easy to pick a opal triplet from a domed doublet opal for viewed side on, the clearness of the quartz top can be seen. The quartz face of a opal triplet is harder, and therefore longer wearing than natural opal and, for this reason, is often favoured for ring stones. Most of the worlds opal triplets are made from South Australian opal but some made from local opal are available at Lightning Ridge OPAL CRYSTAL The connoisseur of opal always purchases a "solid". High quality solid opal are often referred to as "stones". One type of opal solid is all precious opal and is known as "crystal" opal. Crystals may be light, semi-black opal or black depending on the density of the colour. The very rare black crystal opal is indeed a beautiful stone. Good opal crystal may vary in price between 200 and 1800 dollars a carat but poorer quality opal crystal are readily available at reasonable prices. SOLID OPAL The most important opal stone of all is the solid opal with a precious face and a natural potch backing. Those with light coloured backs are known as light opal: with darkish backs as semi-black opal: and opal with a jet-black backs are the famous Lightning ridge black opals. Whilst of this type are readily available at prices as low as $50 each, a "stone of top quality black opal will realise over $3000 per carat. If you are looking for an inexpensive opal, for pleasure reasons only, the matter is simple. You just shop around until you see a opal that you like the look of, at a price you can afford, and you buy it. It is better to own an opal that you really like than to buy an opal that , although you do not particularly like it, is good value for the money. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the one you like may not be liked by your friends, but then you may not be so keen on your friends choice. Do not be influenced by the "experts" that abounds in plenty at Lightning Ridge.
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