Collection: Black opal

Black opal is one of the rarest and most prized gemstones in the world.

🌑 What is black opal?

Black opal is a variety of opal distinguished by its dark background, usually black, dark gray, or deep blue. This background highlights the stone's intense play of color—a phenomenon called opalescence or play of color —which can display flashes of red, green, blue, yellow, and purple.

This contrast between the dark background and the shimmering colors is what makes black opal so spectacular and valuable.

🌍 Origin and deposits

The majority of black opals come from Australia , specifically from the Lightning Ridge region of New South Wales. This is the most famous deposit in the world for this gem.

Other sources exist, but they are much less prolific:

Ethiopia
Honduras
United States (Nevada)

💎 Physical properties

Hardness : 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale (relatively brittle)
Structure : amorphous (without defined crystal structure)
Composition : hydrated silicon dioxide (SiO₂·nH₂O)
Specific gravity : about 2.0 to 2.2
Transparency : translucent to opaque

💫 Value and quality

Several criteria influence the value of a black opal:

Intensity and variety of colors : the more vivid they are and the more they cover the entire spectrum, the more precious the stone.
Color scheme pattern : Some patterns (like the "harlequin") are very rare and highly sought after.
Uniformity and size of the color scheme
Transparency and deep black background
Size and shape

An exceptional quality black opal can fetch several thousand (or even tens of thousands) euros per carat.

✨ Symbolism and virtues (lithotherapy)

Would promote psychological protection
Would stimulate creativity and intuition
Would encourage inner transformation
Would be a talisman of artists and visionaries

🔎 Good to know

Fragility : it is sensitive to shocks, chemicals and sudden changes in temperature.
Imitations : beware of synthetic opals or "doublets/triplets" (fine opal glued to a dark background).