Opal valuation

Why are some opals more expensive than others?
A side view of the stone explains the difference. As a rule, Opal triplets and doublets are cheaper than solids, but this is not always the case. Some high quality triplets can be more expensive than lower quality solids. If you are confused about pricing, please ask us.

Compared with other more known gemstones, opal is quite new. Although it has been known to Europeans for thousands of years, it did not become popular until it was found in quantity in Australia.

Many jewelers are unfamiliar with it, so often don't carry stock, so the public does not get to see its beauty. www.opalmine.com has two goals in mind.

First to tell everyone about this magnificent stone, and second to sell you a stone that you will be proud to wear. Whether you are a rich person, or like most of us, just making a living, opal is the stone for you. There's nothing worse, if you are wearing a lovely ring, to have to admit that it is synthetic, if someone asks.

The exciting part about opal is that it can be cut in a number of different ways to suit everyone's pocket, and whether you can afford an expensive opal or a cheaper one, you can still proudly state that it is a REAL opal, not a synthetic. After you have studied this section, you will quickly see why some opals are more expensive than others. If you are still a bit confused, just let us know your price limit and your color preference. We will then make some helpful suggestions about what you should purchase.

There is absolutely no obligation to buy. And we have an international guarantee of quality. You may return your purchase for refund, no questions asked. Please take note of freight and insurance details in our returns policy in this regard. Feel free to ask all the questions you like, but please first go to All About Opals or to Frequently Asked Questions before you do.

Suggestions in Making a buying decision

(1) Determine your budget. How much can you afford? $10, $100, $500, $1000,$10,000 etc

(2) Purpose of the purchase.

(a )Is it for you personally?. If so, perhaps you want to view it as an investment to be treasured and handed on to your children in time. In this case, you may want to spend more money and decide on a solid stone.

(b) Is it for a gift? If so, maybe you don. t want to spend as much because you may have a lot of gifts to buy for various people, but you still want the item to look really expensive and appealing. In this case, go for a lower priced solid ,doublet, or triplet, in a gold plated rather than solid gold setting. This way your budget will be stretched further and you will achieve the same purpose. Remember, with gifts its not always the value but the kind thought and love expressed by them.

( c ) Keep in mind that if you buy multiples of gifts from our site, you can ask for a discount. Please do so when contacting me.

In this section we have tried to explain the difference in valuing cut opal . For a brief outline of buying Rough Opal, click here.
Opal value is established by supply and demand. This makes it a more appealing investment than some other gems which are kept at high prices by cartels. Having said that, the increase in opal value in the last 30 years is impressive. The following chart shows what happened up until 1980. Since then, the Japanese have become obsessed with the stone, and prices have gone through the roof. In recent times, since the Japanese recession, prices have levelled off, and now is a very good time to buy. .


Solid Black Opal	A solid piece of opal with a natural black back. This makes the stone darker on top. Black opals come in all color variations
Solid Crystal Opal	A sold piece of opal without a natural black back. The stone has a lighter, more delicate color on top.Crystal opals come in all color variations
Solid Boulder Opal	A solid piece of boulder opal with a natural brown ironstone back, giving it a black opal appearance from the top. Boulder opals come in all color variations.
Doublet Opal	A solid piece of opal cemented to a natural black potch backing, giving the appearance of black opal on top. The stone is made of TWO pieces. Hence the name DOUBLET. Doublets come in all color variations.
Triplet Opal	A solid thin piece of opal cemented to a black background with a crystal cap cemented to the top. The stone is made of three pieces. Hence the name TRIPLET. Triplets come in all color variations.