Opals are found in Brazil, Mexico, Honduras, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Peru, Canada, USA, Czech Republic and Guatemala. Australian opals however, are considered the best quality worldwide and consequently produces over 90% of the world’s opal supply. Australian opals are in comparison, incredibly expensive due to several alluring factors. They have a most spectacular play of colour spectrum, which gives the gemstones an intense and mystical appearance known as opalescence. Each piece displays unique combinations of colour and fire, and the odd exceptionally rare top quality Black Opal can occasionally be regarded as more valuable than a diamond.
Other important factors that affect the value of any opal are brightness, pattern, consistency, body tone and size. The value of any particular opal piece is determined by the above qualities, and defined as “dollars per carat weight”.
Currently, Australian opals are considered by far the best quality worldwide, and a safe investment as their value has never dipped.
As the supply will inevitably diminish, the demand and value will inevitably increase.
Ethiopian opals are a relatively recent popular alternative as they are equally as beautiful, rarer yet cheaper. Why ? I draw the very same analogy regarding my website business Netstore Jewellery.
Ethiopian opals have to compete with “opal royalty”, so in order to turn a profit, they offer their gems at a lower price. (As also do I.)
Please take advantage of the unique one of a kind original stock I inherited, at prices that will amaze you. I am often shocked at the comparative prices I am currently seeing in the marketplace, and feel the need to increase mine just so I am not seen as too cheap.