About Opal
Australias magnificent gemstoneA Brief History
Nature has provided us with a gift of magical beauty in the form of precious opal. Its flashes of pure spectral colours easily charm, mystify and even mesmerise. On every level opal is a fascinating gemstone, its play of colour captivates those who adorn themselves with it, collect it or admire it.
Australian opal was first discovered in 1849 by a German geologist Johan Menge and by 1985 it became the state gemstone of South Australia. Opal is the only gemstone within which the entire spectral blaze of colour unfolds into a glimmering ballet.
Colour and play of colour
Precious opals unique arrangement of silica spheres diffracts the incoming light giving off a display of spectral colours generally referred to as play of colour. The pattern of play gives personality to each opal. Two similarly cut diamonds of different origin can seem almost identical. Each fine opal however is unmistakably individual.
Saunders & Pughe visit Australia’s opal mines 2024
We attended a tour organised by the Australia Opal Centre based in Lightning Ridge. This once in a lifetime trip took us deep into Australia’s Outback visiting mines and meeting the miners who endure the harsh conditions of the Outback in the search of colour! Our opal adventure began in Lightning Ridge followed by Winton, Coober Pedy and White Cliffs. Please contact us to arrange an appointment to view our extensive collection of loose opal.
Lightning Ridge
Opal is Australia’s national gemstone and black opal is the rarest and most valuable form, at times reaching carat prices rivaling those of the best diamonds. Lightning Ridge is the area in Northwestern, New South Wales and produces black opal of the highest quality.
“The Ridge” is famous for red on black gems of superlative brilliance in every conceivable pattern from the deepest clearest blues and greens to rippling golden orange. Every colour in the spectrum- glorious and incandescent- is seen in the best of these stones.
Queensland Opal
Boulder Opal
The term “boulder opal” describes the precious opal that is found within ironstone concentrations ranging in size from less than a few centimetres to boulders more than a meter in diameter. This type of precious opal is unique to Queensland.
Boulder opals are mostly cut in freeform shapes to highlight their individuality, beauty and avoid waste. There are many varieties of boulder opal, these are defined by body colour, play of colour and pattern
Coober Pedy
Opal fields in South Australia produce light coloured and crystal opal together with a variety of opalised fossils. The best opal is usually very hard seam material of outstanding quality. Brilliant transparent greens and blues with flashes of orange and red.
Contact Us
Come and Visit Us
Our opening hours are:
Monday to Saturday 10am until 5pm.
We are closed on Sundays, all bank holidays and we are closed between Christmas and New Year.
To arrange an appointment you can call us on 01434 633302, or email [email protected]