Opal

The family behind the colors. Worth knowing before you pick a variety.

Stone: Opal (hydrated silica)
Major Sources: Australia, Ethiopia, Mexico & Peru
Treatment: Some dyed or assembled; we disclose treatments

Opal is hydrated silica with no crystal structure. Precious opal flashes color where tiny silica spheres diffract light; common opal, like Peru's pink and blue opal, has none. It's sold raw, tumbled and as cabochons.

Read the Opal Guide

Ethically Sourced

Hand Graded

Origin Documented

Expert Verified

bestseller

Andean Blue Opal Raw Stones

A Grade | 1–2″

ACARI, PERU

EMOTIONAL HEALING◇STRESS RELIEF◇INTUITION

From $10 per piece★★★★★ 5.0 (1)

Pink Opal Raw Stones

A Grade | 1–2″

AREQUIPA, PERU

LOVE◇SELF LOVE◇EMOTIONAL HEALING

From $4.50 per piece★★★★★ 5.0 (8)

Dendritic Opal Polished Hearts

AA Grade | 1.00–1.50″

ATSINANANA, MADAGASCAR

GROUNDING◇MANIFESTATION◇HEALING

$7.50★★★★★ 5.0 (3)

White Opal Raw Stones

A Grade | 1.50–3″

RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRAZIL

INTUITION◇MEDITATION◇MANIFESTATION

From $6 per piece★★★★★ 5.0 (1)

Pink Opal Hand Polished Stones

A Grade | 0.75–1.25″

ICA, PERU

LOVE◇SELF LOVE◇EMOTIONAL HEALING

From $14 per piece★★★★★ 5.0 (2)

Andean Blue Opal Tumbled Stones

A Grade | 1–1.50″

ACARI, PERU

EMOTIONAL HEALING◇STRESS RELIEF◇INTUITION

From $24 per piece★★★★★ 5.0 (1)

Andean Blue Opal Tumbled Stones

AA Grade | 0.75–1.25″

ACARI, PERU

EMOTIONAL HEALING◇STRESS RELIEF◇INTUITION

From $30 per piece

Andean Blue Opal Tumbled Stones

AA Grade | 0.25–0.75″

ACARI, PERU

EMOTIONAL HEALING◇STRESS RELIEF◇INTUITION

From $7 per piece

Before You Buy Opal

Does all opal flash color?

No. Precious opal flashes color where tiny, evenly stacked silica spheres break up light. Common opal, like Peru's pink and blue, has no flash, and fire opal is prized mostly for its warm body color.

Is opalite real opal?

Usually not. Opalite is mostly a trade name for man-made glass with a milky glow and no true play of color. Lab-grown opal and resin imitations exist too.

Natural or treated?

Usually natural. Some opal is darkened with sugar or smoke treatment or filled with oil, wax or plastic, and thin slices are sometimes glued to a backing as doublets or triplets. We disclose all treatments on the product page.

Care

At 5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, opal scratches and chips easily, and heat or sudden temperature changes can crack it. Clean it only with warm, soapy water; skip long soaks, which can loosen the glue in doublets.

Read the Opal Guide