BLACK OPAL

Immerse yourself in the rich history and natural beauty of one of the world's

most sought-after gemstones with our exquisite black opal,

sourced predominantly from the renowned

Lightning Ridge in New South Wales.

This striking gemstone not only captivates with its iridescent

play of colours but also embodies a narrative that dates back

to the late 1800s when it was first discovered.

See our collection of black opal here

Our Black Opals are a tribute to the pioneering spirit of Jack Murray, the intrepid miner who commenced the first shafts during the years 1901-1902. (Funny enough our store is situated right next to Murray river!) With only rudimentary tools—picks, shovels, and ropes—Murray and his contemporaries delved deep into the earth, extracting dirt from depths of up to 75 feet to reach the elusive opal level.

The average opal level, typically found between 25 to 45 feet, is marked by a hard band that serves as a natural barrier, retaining the dissolved silica and water. As the groundwater meanders through the porous layers of the Earth, it gradually loses moisture through evaporation. This natural phenomenon leaves behind a viscous silica gel, which, over eons, undergoes a remarkable metamorphosis. The gel solidifies into opal, capturing the essence of its surroundings and the very essence of time itself.

PLAY OF COLOUR

At the heart of Black Opal's brilliance is its unique composition of microscopic silica spheres, each meticulously arranged in a three-dimensional lattice. These spheres, varying in size and shape, act as prisms, refracting light in a manner that creates an ever-changing kaleidoscope of hues. As light penetrates the opal, it encounters these spheres, and the result is a breathtaking cascade of colours that can shift from vibrant reds and oranges to serene blues and greens, all depending on the angle of observation.
Black opals from Mintabie, where the River Gemz family used to mine, showcase a unique blend of pastel hues of exceptional quality.

BODY COLOUR

Whilst white opals and crystal opals have a milky or translucent base, black opals display a dark body colour ranging from dark grey to jet black. The dark background enhances the play of colour making the opal more vivid and striking.

TRANSPARENCY

This remarkable stone exhibits a fascinating range of transparency and translucency, allowing light to penetrate and interact with its intricate internal structure.

HARDNESS

Scoring between 5.5 to 7.2 on the Moh’s scale of mineral hardness, opal presents a stunning balance of durability and elegance, distinguishing itself from the hardest of gemstones, such as diamond, which scores a perfect 10.

SPECIFIC GRAVITY

With a specific gravity that ranges from 1.98 to 2.20, black opal possesses a unique physical property that sets it apart from other gemstones in the mineral kingdom. This specific gravity is a critical factor for geologists and gemologists alike, aiding in the identification and classification of opals amid a plethora of other precious stones.

OPAL VALUE

Each black opal in our collection is a unique testament to the intricate interplay of six pivotal factors that govern its value: body colour, transparency, pattern, brilliance, thick of the colour bar and origin. Australian black opals are distinguished not only by their rarity but also by their striking colour play and exceptional quality, making them the pinnacle of opal craftsmanship and a coveted gemstone for collectors and connoisseurs alike.

Black opal is often thought of as being the most expensive and given that all factors in two different types of opal are identical it is the rarity of black opal that makes it more expensive than a boulder opal for example.