Description
Opal Stone Facts Price, Properties & Benefits
Opal Stone Facts
Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica. Opal also contains few trace elements like Fe, Al, Ca, Mg & Na. water percentage is variable in Opal stones. Colors of Opal range from Colorless to Blue, Orange, Red and Green to Black. Few Opals exhibit a distinct phenomenon of Light called Diffraction due to its internal structure. The entering light diffracts into different colors resulting in the appearance of rainbow colors on its surface. This appearance of Rainbow colors is referred to as ‘Play of Color’ effect, also called ‘Fire’ in Opal. This phenomenon is common to Diamonds also. Due to this vivid similarity in optical property, Opal is considered as an alternative stone for the diamond in Indian astrology. White Opal with Fire is worn as an alternative for Diamond as per astrology. Intensity of Fire and Surface Finish defines the quality of Opal. Opal is a softer stone as compared to Sapphire and Emerald. Opal Contains water and any sudden changes in temperature may cause it to crack or fracture.
Varieties of OpalThe variety of Natural Opal is determined by its Body Color, Transparency & Optical Phenomenon.
- White Opal- with Play of Color
- Black Opal – with Play of Color
- Water Opal – Transparent Colorless Opal with Play of Color; like play of color in water
- White Opal – without play of color
- Opal Cat’s Ey
Opal Properties
- Hardness of Opal on Moh’s Scale: 5.5 – 6.5
- Optical Character of Opal: Isotropic
- Refractive Index (RI) of Opal: 1.44 – 1.47
- Specific Gravity (SG) of Opal: 1.98 – 2.20
- Transparency Level: Translucent to Opaqu
- Visible Optical Phenomenon: Interplay of colors due to diffraction
Opal Quality
Quality of Opals is adjudged mainly by its – Body Color, Luster, Surface Finish, Optical effect and Carat Size. ‘Fire’ is the name given to the phenomenon of light; Rainbow colors on its surface, often referred as ‘ the interplay of colors’. Fire adds Life, Beauty and Power to the Opal Stone. An Opal without fire is lifeless and looks like a plain marble. As the Fire increases, the price of Opals increases. The Best source of Opal is Australia. Opal comes in various colors like Red, Blue, Green, white and Black. But White Opal is most desired as the fire complements the white Base Color of Opal. A good Quality cut-&-polished opal should have good Luster on its surface. The Surface of Opal should not have Cracks, Linings or Spots. It is very common to have spots or patches on Opals which brings downs its price. Opal is a softer Stone as compared to other stones; hence check for any chipping or breakage in the stone carefully while buying.
What is the Price of Opal Stone?
As per current Market trend, the price of White Base fire Opal with a good surface finish in the size range of 5 carat should start at around Rs 700 per carat. If you encounter any acceptable quality of opal below this price, you must get cautious and must ask the seller for a reliable Lab Certificate. The demand of Opal has grown faster than any other stone in the last few years. The Rising demand and lack of information has led to the circulation of Synthetic, Treated and Used opals in Market. The Best quality Opal can range up to Rs 25000 per Carat. Always ask for a certificate from a reliable gem testing laboratory to get assured about the quality and authenticity of Opal Stone.
Opal Stone Benefits
Opal is associated with planet ‘Venus’. Diamond is also stone for ‘Venus’. But it is not practical to wear a 5-6 carat diamond due to its high price. Black spots are very common in Diamonds and the Diamonds without black spots command exorbitant price. Opal is an alternate stone for Diamond. Please note that it is NOT a substitute but an alternate to Diamond. It gives better Astrological results than Diamond itself. Venus is a planet for Fame, Wealth, Relationships and comfort in Life. It is also significator for Love, Marriage and Children. Enhancing Venus can put an end to delay in Marriage and Children. Venus also ignites flame of Romance with partner. Strong Venus bestows attractive personality and comfortable life. Wearing Opal gives excellent benefits in the cases of Delayed marriage, Delayed Children, Love affair, intimacy with the partner and Sexual health issues. People suffering from lack of interest in partner should wear it to bring back the lost love in their relationship. Wearing Opal is helpful in case of infertility. Opal is a stone for Fame. People involved in the profession related to Public relationship should wear Opal. It is very effective stone for people in the Field of Business, Acting, Politics, Art and Sales. Opal is birthstone for Month of October.
How to Wear Opal Stone?
Opal is a stone for Venus and hence it is worn on Friday. Opal can be worn as Ring or Pendant. Men can wear the Ring in Index finger or Right Hand while women can wear it in the Right or Left hand as per the convenience. Opal is always made in white metal, preferably- Silver. The Stone should be Activated, Energized and cleaned before being worn for the astrological benefit. We provide activated and Energized opal stones for astrological benefits.
- Day of Wearing Opal: Friday
- Metal for Wearing Opal: Silver
- Finger for Wearing Opal: Index Finger
- Mantra for Wearing Opal: Om Draam Dreem Droum Sah Shukraaye Namah
We assist you in wearing Opal stone as per Vedic guidelines and also guide you with the after-care of the Gemstone.