AUSTRALIAN OPAL
Black Opal is a precious gem stone which is found only in Australia in the past 100 years. This is quite a recent find compare to other gems. The production of Black Opal has been dramatically reduced the last couple of years. This is because Black Opal is extremely difficult to find and many Lightning Ridge (Black Opal field) miners have left the field with empty pockets. It is now almost impossible to run the machinery due to the high cost of petrol, as well as all other expenses.
Many may already recognise that opal only come from Mexico and has a milky color instilled inside the gem itself. This is not the case. We have been introducing Black Opal to our clients all around the world. The types of question that were asked many times were "I've never seen this type of opal. Is this man-made ?" or "The color isn't natural, is it ?". Although the Black Opal has gained its popularity compared to 10 years ago, we believe there are many might still think that Black Opal is not natural gem.
As Australia is becoming a popular holiday destination, the Black Opal is also becoming a popular gem. This is good news for opal trade, however we feel most opal traders are not providing the right information to their clients, it's a very sad fact for us.
We can tell you every aspect and facts of opals in this chapter. Do not run away, we promise to use simple language and show you as many pictures as possible that will help you understand.
"What is opal ?" or "what type of character does it have ?", if you have these type of questions, please click BASIC. If you have a general idea about opals or if you've already read through BASIC, please click ADVANCED. Maybe you have plans to come to Australia for a holiday and you would like to purchase some opals, then click HOW TO BUY OPAL. This chapter will help you select the right opal for you.
If you have any difficulties or objections please let us know. And if you want to learn more about opal please let us know too. We are happy to help introduce our precious gem of Australia to the world.
So it's time to start....., please enjoy !!
