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GEM11-39 - Opal - $ 3900 Tsehay Mewcha, Wollo, Welo Province, Ethiopia thumbnail, 22 x 14 x 10 mm; 15.50 cts
A very beautiful and impressive opal� it has an almost etheral quality to it. Unlike most opals with a white base or background color, this pear-shaped, double cabochon (polished on BOTH top and bottom so it can be displayed from either side) has a gorgeous yellow color and a stunning watery look that is dominated by a stupendous flash of colors across the entire face of the gem. It is riveting in person, characteristic of the very best quality of this new material from a small find in Ethiopia. Recently the material has been picked up by major worldwide gemstone companies and incorporated into very high-end masterpiece works. This is a museum class stone that is both wearable and collectible, and I think an investment as stones from this locality gain traction in the market. Also, nobody knows the size of the deposit - it cannot last forever, and then we are back to the more expensive Aussie opals of standard fashion. .Welo Opal is the only true stable opal that is mined in Ethiopia, according to many people who have handled it for the last 2 years as it trickled out. This opal has amazing fire play of all different colors. The Welo Opal is a very hard opal and thus very wearable.
GEMS-093 - Crystal Opal (Gemmy!) - $ 350 Australia thumbnail, 22.0 x 10.6 mm ; 4.73 carats
Opal is one of the most diverse gems out there. It's one of the few stones that looks just as attractive when it's crystal clear as it does when the stones are opaque. Despite its rather simplistic chemistry, Opals show a great range of color in many varieties. This cabochon cut gem is what is often called "Crystal Opal", with a white background hosting flashes of greens, golds, oranges, blues, purples and reds. The stone shows a beautiful jelly-like appearance when backlit. In reflected light, it shows great color flash and this stone is a solid Opal, not a doublet or a triplet, which makes a difference in value.
GEMS-094 - Fire Opal with Color Flash - $ 575 Mexico thumbnail, 24.80 x 16.35 mm ; 19.57 carats
Some of the most well known Fire Opal in the world is from Mexico. These stones are among some of the biggest, brightest and most intense color Fire Opals from North America. There has been a surge in the price of fine quality Fire Opal from Mexico in the last few years, as the material seems to be more and more difficult to obtain, especially in such striking stones like this one. This gem has a beautiful, FIERY orange color, with the typical “jelly-like” appearance, but the most impressive aspect of the stone is the fact there is a milky zone that shows the highly desirable and seldom seen COLOR FLASH which is called “Contra Luz” ! When you maneuver stone in reflected light, you can see an array of bright greens, reds and yellows. These flashes of color are only seen in about 1% of all Mexican Fire Opals ! It is also a bigger stone for the material, and would make a great piece of jewelry, or would stand on its own as a beautiful representation of these classic gems.
GEMS-095 - Crystal Opal - $ 625 Australia thumbnail, 25.70 x 19.91 mm ; 24.92 carats
Opal is one of the most diverse gems out there. It's one of the few stones that looks just as attractive when it's crystal clear as it does when the stones are opaque. Despite its rather simplistic chemistry, Opals show a great range of color in many varieties. This cabochon cut gem is what is often called "Crystal Opal", with a white background hosting flashes of greens, golds, purples and oranges. When this stone is strongly lit, it shows great color flash and the stone is a solid Opal, not a doublet or a triplet, which makes a difference when it comes to value.
IB13 - Opal - $ 250 Rodriguez Dam, near Tijuana, Baja California Norte, Mexico small cabinet, 7.4 x 4.5 x 2.1 cm ex. Irv Brown
A very rare TIJUANA OPAL from a limited find that was found during construction and roadbuilding for this dam, over 30 years ago.
IB29 - Fire Opal - $ 350 SOLD Rodriguez Dam, near Tijuana, Baja California Norte, Mexico miniature, 3.9 x 3.4 x 2.4 cm ex. Irv Brown
A very rare TIJUANA OPAL from a limited find that was found during construction and roadbuilding for this dam, over 30 years ago. This is one of the best specimens, and has excellent deep gemminess to some of the veins - BETTER IN PERSON!
J11T-173 - Opal - $ 1250 SOLD Boi Morto Mine, Pedro II, Piaui, Brazil small cabinet, 8.5 x 8.2 x 2.3 cm ex. Skip Colflesh
Here we have a large display-quality specimen, with a thin sheet of brilliantly colored opal overlaying the matrix. I cannot recall seeing for sale any true boulder opal like this from Brazil, and when I bought the piece from an older collection I was admittedly skeptical. But now I see there are photos on MINDAT, and an Aussie friend confirmed that yes, some of these really did come out in this quality from Brazil - though not many, and few in quality.
K-168 - Hyalite Opal on Goshenite Beryl - SOLD Erongo Mountains, Namibia miniature, 4.0 x 3.8 x 3.6 cm ex. Charlie Key
This specimen is notable both for the doubly-terminated goshenite and also for the richness of the hyalite opal, which glows intensely in ultraviolet light and is quite rare from here.
KLEIN-11 - Kleinite with Hyalite Opal - $ 85 SOLD McDermitt Mine, Opalite District, Humboldt Co., Nevada, USA miniature, 5.4 x 5.4 x 4.4 cm
A rich, representative sample with many crystals enmeshed in pockets of the matrix, capped with a snowy, bright white layer of hyalite opal like frosting on a cake
MD-112925 - Opal (Var: Wood Opal) - - Archived Virgin Valley District, Humboldt Co., Nevada, USA small cabinet, 7.6 x 5.3 x 4.9 cm
A spectacular and rather large specimen of high-quality opal found here in the 1970s according to Charlie, and part of a stash he made of the material at that time. This is the largest and best of the lot he saved, because of its obvious preservation of the shape of the original petrified limb. A thick rind of gem/carving-quality "precious opal" surrounds a more opaque center of opal. The colors are INTENSE, with hues of fiery blues and greens wihtin best quality black silica like a nebula in space. THIS IS A SUPERB display specimen, overall. Notably, not all Virgin Valley opals are stable without the need to keep them in water: this one survived 30 years in Maine in an apartment, so I think we have proof it will last. I have seen MANY of these over the years, but few of such riveting quality - and it IS much more impressive in person, too. 7.6 x 5.3 x 4.9 cm
MD-114268 - Opal (Var: Fire Opal) - - Archived Cobano Mine, El Salvador, Mun. de San Cristóbal de la Barranca, Jalisco, Mexico small cabinet, 5.2 x 5.1 x 2.9 cm.
5.2 x 5.1 x 2.9 cm. A SPECTACULAR specimen of a Mexican fire opal nodule in rhyolite matrix. The vivid play of colors, particularly the greens, makes for a beautiful specimen. SELDOM do you see this material, in this quality, preserved in matrix. The value as cutting rough is too great!! The opal nodule is visible on three sides. Mexican fire opal gets its name from the reddish-orange tint to the opal, like fire. From an uncommon Mexican locality.
MD-118470 - Opal - - Archived Virgin Valley District, Humboldt Co., Nevada, USA small cabinet, 5.2 x 5.0 x 3.5 cm.
5.2 x 5.0 x 3.5 cm. An INCREDIBLY COLORFUL rind of multi-colored jelly opal covers nearly all sides of matrix on this SUPER piece from the famous Virgin Valley of Nevada. The purples and greens are truly beautiful. Ex. Scott Williams and George Elling Collections.
MD-118684 - Opal (Var: Opal-AN) - - Archived Erongo Mountain, Usakos and Omaruru Districts, Erongo Region, Namibia large cabinet, 16 x 13 x 3.5 cm.
16 x 13 x 3.5 cm. Very large plate of Hyalite Opal from the Erongo Mountains in Namibia. Superb classic fluorescence, as one would expect.
MD-119956 - Opal - - Archived Virgin Valley District, Humboldt Co., Nevada, USA small cabinet, 9.2 x 7.8 x 5.4 cm.
9.2 x 7.8 x 5.4 cm. This is a large specimen of petrified wood, a good portion of which has been replaced with OPAL! Opal has been known to replace other organic materials, including shells. The opal here would be classified as "common opal," but it does show some color rather than being merely milky-translucent.
MD-120690 - Opal (Var: Opal-AN) - - Archived Squaretop Mountain, Kaimkillenbun, Wambo Shire, Darling Downs-South West Region, Queensland, Australia thumbnail, 3.0 x 1.8 x 1.4 cm.
3.0 x 1.8 x 1.4 cm. A cute, nicely shaped toenail of colorless, globular, jelly-like hyalite opal from an UNCOMMON Australian locality - Squaretop Mountain, Dalby (Kiamkillenbun ?), Queensland. A spot of brown matrix on the back adds character. Moderate lime-green fluorescence. Ex. Sam Nasser Collection.
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