Opal Gemstone Beads
Opal is a natural gemstone made from silica mineral and 90% are found in Australia. What makes Opal distinct is what is referred to as ‘play of color’, a phenomenon that occurs when light hits the chips of silica inside the gemstone and a rainbow of different colors refract inside the stone.
Opal Gemstone Beads for Elegant & Colorful Jewelry
Fire Opal 10mm Round Large Hole 8-Inch
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
$14.00
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$14.00
This Fire Opal contains both Opal and the rhyolitic host material in which it is formed, which provides sufficient hardness for the stone to be cut...
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
$14.00
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$14.00
MATTE White African Opal 4mm Round 8-Inch
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$7.00
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$7.00
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$7.00
$7.00
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$7.00
White African Opal is a white to cream to light tan stone with veining of black or gray. Like all Opals, it is a form of hydrated amorphous silica,...
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$7.00
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$7.00
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$7.00
$7.00
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$7.00
Dendritic Black Opal 8mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$17.00
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$17.00
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$17.00
$17.00
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$17.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
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$17.00
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$17.00
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$17.00
$17.00
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$17.00
Black Moss Opal 27x34mm Slice Gold Plated - Pendant
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$8.00
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$8.00
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$8.00
$8.00
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$8.00
Black Moss Opal 27x34mm Slice Gold Plated - Pendant
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$8.00
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$8.00
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$8.00
$8.00
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$8.00
Australian Boulder Opal 4mm Faceted Round - 15-16 Inch
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$28.00
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$28.00
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$28.00
$28.00
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$28.00
Boulder Opal is a golden-brown to dark brown stone, displaying these colors in patterns of parallel bands. It is considered a precious Opal, and fo...
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$28.00
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$28.00
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$28.00
$28.00
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$28.00
Dendritic Black Opal 6mm Round 15-16 Inch
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$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
$14.00
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$14.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full details
Original price
$14.00
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$14.00
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$14.00
$14.00
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$14.00
Black Opal Australian, Faceted 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$48.00
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$48.00
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$48.00
$48.00
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$48.00
Black Opal is a naturally occurring variety of precious opal mined in Australia. this opal variety is characterized by their dark base tone. It is ...
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$48.00
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$48.00
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$48.00
$48.00
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$48.00
Yellow Opal Faceted AA-Grade Banded 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$19.00
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$19.00
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$19.00
$19.00
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$19.00
Yellow Opal is transparent to opaque, milky white to pale yellow in color. It sometimes features dark brown to black dendritic inclusions that bran...
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$19.00
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$19.00
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$19.00
$19.00
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$19.00
Yellow Opal 2mm Table Cut Cube Banded Bead - 15-16 Inch
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
$18.00
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$18.00
Yellow Opal is transparent to opaque, milky white to pale yellow in color. It sometimes features dark brown to black dendritic inclusions that bran...
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
$18.00
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$18.00
Mexican Fire Opal 2x6-5x10mm Rough Chips 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE
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$46.00
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$46.00
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$46.00
$46.00
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$46.00
Fire Opal is a transparent or translucent stone named for the vivid red, orange and yellow colors in which it occurs. The most precious Fire Opal h...
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$46.00
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$46.00
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$46.00
$46.00
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$46.00
Pink Opal 3x4mm Rondelle Faceted A Grade - 15-16 Inch
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$28.00
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$28.00
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$28.00
$28.00
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$28.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
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$28.00
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$28.00
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$28.00
$28.00
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$28.00
Ethiopian Opal 5-11mm Nugget Green - 15-16 Inch
Regular Price
$66.00
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$66.00
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$66.00
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$66.00
$33.00
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$33.00
Ethiopian Opal was first discovered in Ethiopia in 1994, with additional major finds in 2008 and 2013. Beautiful specimens of Precious Opal, Fire O...
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Regular Price
$66.00
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$66.00
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$66.00
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$66.00
$33.00
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$33.00
Sale
Pink Opal 6mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
$18.00
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$18.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
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$18.00
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$18.00
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$18.00
$18.00
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$18.00
Australian Green Opal 7mm Cube Table Cut - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE
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$55.00
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$55.00
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$55.00
$55.00
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$55.00
Australian Green Opal is a variety of Common Opal which is a mixture of Opal and nontronite. Common Opal is generally opaque, without the play of c...
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$55.00
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$55.00
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$55.00
$55.00
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$55.00
Pink Opal 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads
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$23.00
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$23.00
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$23.00
$23.00
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$23.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
Original price
$23.00
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$23.00
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$23.00
$23.00
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$23.00
Ethiopian Opal 2.5mm Cube Light Yellow Faceted - 15-16 Inch
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$32.00
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$32.00
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$32.00
$32.00
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$32.00
Ethiopian Opal was first discovered in Ethiopia in 1994, with additional major finds in 2008 and 2013. Beautiful specimens of Precious Opal, Fire O...
View full details
Original price
$32.00
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Original price
$32.00
Original price
$32.00
$32.00
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$32.00
Australian Green Opal Light Green 10mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch - CLEARANCE
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$59.00
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$59.00
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$59.00
$59.00
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$59.00
Australian Green Opal is a variety of Common Opal which is a mixture of Opal and nontronite. Common Opal is generally opaque, without the play of c...
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Original price
$59.00
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$59.00
Original price
$59.00
$59.00
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$59.00
Black Opal Australian, Faceted 3mm Round - 15-16 Inch
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$40.00
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$40.00
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$40.00
$40.00
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$40.00
Black Opal is a naturally occurring variety of precious opal mined in Australia. this opal variety is characterized by their dark base tone. It is ...
View full details
Original price
$40.00
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Original price
$40.00
Original price
$40.00
$40.00
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$40.00
Pink Opal 5x10-20mm Top Drill Teeth - 15-16 Inch
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$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
Original price
$16.00
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Original price
$16.00
Original price
$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
Ethiopian Opal 3-5mm Rondelle Faceted - 15-16 Inch
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$120.00
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$120.00
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$120.00
$120.00
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$120.00
Ethiopian Opal was first discovered in Ethiopia in 1994, with additional major finds in 2008 and 2013. Beautiful specimens of Precious Opal, Fire O...
View full details
Original price
$120.00
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Original price
$120.00
Original price
$120.00
$120.00
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$120.00
Pink Opal 6mm Natural Energy Prism Faceted - 15-16 Inch
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
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$26.00
$26.00
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$26.00
Pink Opal 8mm Round A Grade - 15-16 Inch
Original price
$33.00
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Original price
$33.00
Original price
$33.00
$33.00
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$33.00
Pink Opal is a variety of non to precious opal, meaning that it has lustre and some translucency without the fire or color play associated with pre...
View full details
Original price
$33.00
-
Original price
$33.00
Original price
$33.00
$33.00
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$33.00
Dendritic Black Opal 4mm Round - 15-16 Inch
Original price
$13.00
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Original price
$13.00
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$13.00
$13.00
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$13.00
This variety of opal is named "dendritic" for the small inclusions within it that resemble moss or ferns. These inclusions consist of iron, mangane...
View full details
Original price
$13.00
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Original price
$13.00
Original price
$13.00
$13.00
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$13.00
Boulder Opal 10-18x17-23mm AAA Grade Small Free Form Cabochon
Original price
$16.00
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$16.00
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$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
Boulder Opal is a golden-brown to dark brown stone, displaying these colors in patterns of parallel bands. It is considered a precious Opal, and fo...
View full details
Original price
$16.00
-
Original price
$16.00
Original price
$16.00
$16.00
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$16.00
About this stone
Color
WhiteBlackFireBoulderCrystalPinkYellow
Origin
AustraliaEthiopiaMexicoPeruBrazil
Mohs hardness
5.5–6.5
Treatment categories
NaturalStabilizedSmoke-treated
Industry-standard treatment
Most precious opal is natural; some Ethiopian welo opal is smoke-treated to darken body color; doublet/triplet assemblies are separate categories
Mineral chemistry
Hydrated amorphous silica (SiO2·nH2O), water content 3–21%
Crystal system
Amorphous
Stone family
Opal
Birthstone
October
Common cuts
RoundFaceted RoundRondelle
Common sizes
3mm4mm6mm8mm
Care notes
Moderate hardness (Mohs 5.5–6.5) with high water content. Avoid ultrasonic, steam, dry/hot environments, and harsh chemicals; mild soap and soft cloth only.
Related stones
Opalite (glass), Common Opal, Fire Opal, Welo Opal
Frequently asked questions
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What's the difference between common opal and precious opal?
Precious opal shows play of color — the rainbow flash that moves as the stone is rotated, caused by microscopic silica spheres diffracting light. Common opal does not show play of color; it is opaque to translucent and prized for its body color (pink, blue, green, yellow, etc.) rather than its flash. Most opal in the bead trade is common opal — Peruvian pink, blue, green, and yellow opal are all common opal. Play-of-color opal beads (Ethiopian Welo, occasional Australian) are specialty and stocked intermittently. -
Is opal soft? Can it scratch easily?
Opal is Mohs 5.5–6.5 — softer than agate, jasper, and quartz (all 6.5–7). Opal beads can scratch against harder beads on the same strand or against metal findings during wear. For mixed-stone designs, pair opal with stones of similar hardness or use softer spacers to protect the opal surface. Opal works well in earrings, pendants, necklaces, and low-impact bracelets; ring use is possible but reserves the stone for less-active wear. -
Why does opal crack? What is crazing?
Crazing is a fine network of internal cracks that develops in opal when the stone dehydrates too rapidly. Opal contains 3–21% water by weight locked into its silica gel structure; if that water is lost quickly — through direct sun exposure, heat sources, dry indoor environments, or ultrasonic cleaners — the structure can fracture internally. Crazing is permanent. Standard care: store opal away from direct heat, clean with a damp soft cloth not solvents, avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaning, and avoid prolonged direct sunlight. -
Is Ethiopian opal different from other opal?
Ethiopian opal (often called Welo opal after the Wollo Province where it's mined) is hydrophane — it absorbs water and temporarily loses transparency when wet, returning to normal as it dries. This is a property of the porous silica structure unique to certain opal deposits. Practically: don't submerge Welo opal during wear (showers, swimming), avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaning, and let it dry naturally if it does get wet. The visual change is temporary if brief, but repeated wet/dry cycles stress the stone. -
Is yellow opal natural or dyed?
Both exist in the bead market. Natural yellow opal — often Indonesian or Mexican common opal — is a muted mustard to honey tone. Bright neon yellow or saturated lemon-yellow is a dye signal; natural opal's palette is soft. Treatment, when present — ask before buying if a strand doesn't specify. Across Dakota's catalog, color tags identify yellow opal but treatment posture per strand should be confirmed on the individual listing.