Australian Opal Value Per Carat Once categorized, opals are sold in price per carat, or weight. Because there are so many opal fields in Australia, there really is no singular form of opal. This means that opal costs can vary from about $10 per carat to approximately $6,000 per carat.
Are Australian opals a good investment?
Australian opal is highly prized, rare and the best quality opal in the world. Opal is considered a safe investment because the material has never dipped in value and has only ever increased due to the demand of the world market and jewellery production.
Why is Australian opal more expensive?
Not all opals are valued at the same price point. Australian opals are incredibly expensive, especially in comparison to opals sourced in other regions of the world. The reason is that Australian opals have a superior quality that is hard to come by in other regions around the globe.
Are opals worth buying?
The advantage of buying a doublet or triplet is a lower price (they are much cheaper to produce) however the disadvantage is they may eventually be destroyed if repeatedly immersed in water. Solid opals are therefore considered much better they're 100% the “real thing” and are a quality, long-term investment.
Is opal worth any money?
Generally opals with a black or dark body tone are more valuable than those with a white, light, or crystal body tone, because a stone with a darker body tone tends to display colours more vibrantly. Black opal is the most prized opal and may realise prices over AUD $15,000 a carat.
Are opals more expensive than diamonds?
Getting your hands on opal is easy, but finding gem-quality opal is another story. Diamonds, on the other hand, fetch a high price even for the most low-quality diamonds. Because the value of most diamonds will be higher than opals, while high-quality opals are rarer than diamonds.
What is so special about opals?
Opal is arguably the most unique, diverse, and beautiful birthstone. Unlike most gemstones, opal is amorphous which means it does not have a defined crystalline structure. It takes on many shapes and colors and in that way, it is pretty unpredictable.May 6, 2020
Is opal mined ethically?
In a perfect world, all mining operations would be undoubtedly and wholeheartedly ethical! The fact is that it's completely possible to source opals without harming the local environment, communities, and miners.
Why is Australian opal so expensive?
The distribution and intensity of these colorful flashes are what gives the determination of its costing. The opal stone is mainly found in Australia, where the mines supply up to almost all of the global opals gemstones. This is another factor that makes the gemstone more expensive as compared to the others.
Is Australian opal natural?
The Truth About Australian Opal Prices and Value. Opal is a stunning iridescent natural gemstone made from silica mineral. Unlike its crystalline family members, quartz and agate, opal is non-crystalline, meaning its composition is amorphous silica instead of crystal.
What are the best quality opals?
- Fire of Australia. Considered the finest uncut opal, it is valued at close to $900,000.
- The Virgin Rainbow. This $1 million opal is the world's most expensive.
- Aurora Australis.
- The Queen.
- Pride of Australia/Red Emperor.
- The Flame Queen.
What is the rarest Australian opal?
Black opal is the most rare and highly valued form of opal, and has what is called a black (or dark) body tone. Black opals come in every colour of the rainbow.
What is the best grade of opal?
- Black opals are generally the most valuable and have a body tone of N1 to N4.
- Opals with N5 to N6 considered a semi black or dark opal.
- Body tone N7 to N9 are called crystal opals.