Often, you will find discussions on the made, category, and color of opals. However, there are other factors that you should consider in finding the perfect opal. Shapes Majority of the opals today are in opal shape. The opal market all over the world dictated that the oval-shaped opals are the most popular ones. If the opal is not in oval shape, then it will be considered in a ‘free form’, which simply refers to an irregular shape. The reason behind this is that oval opals are can fit a setting easily compared to free form opals that will cost anyone to customize a setting for such. There are round opals though. However, round opals are not very popular since these are very difficult to cut. Size Size matters though it will generally differ depending on the type of jewelry. For rings, dimensions of the opal must be 7 x 5 mm, 8 x 6 mm, 9 x 7 mm or 10 x 8 mm. these are the standard sizes otherwise your jeweler has to customize one if necessary. For pendants, the size can vary from 8 x 6 mm and bigger. Remember that anything smaller than this measurement will be too small to make for a pendant. Weight Weight is also critical. Opals are weight in carats specifically in New South Wales in Australia. Good sized opals should be between 1 to 3 carats. There are tiny sized opals though that may go as low as .3 carats. This means that if you are not very familiar with the relationship of size and weight of opals you might end up buying a 5 x 3 mm opal that weighs only .2 carats. Thickness The rule of thumb here is that any opal that is less than 1.5 mm thick is considered too thin while any opal that is thicker than 4 mm will be too thick. The latter would be very difficult to set in a ring. Inclusions Inclusions or faults are mostly evident on the surface of the opal itself. If you will observe other stones closely, you might notice small cracks, tiny holes, and discoloration among other things. These faults can devalue the stones. However, these inclusions do not make the stones unworthy of selling. When it comes to opals, they are treated differently. Any crack or hole in the opal is an anathema. However, it is considered okay for the opal to possess a pitted surface on the bottom or a bit of ‘sand’. Sometimes, these come with the opal structure naturally. However, the cutter should make sure that these are at the bottom or underneath the opal. This could be a problem since there are very few opal cutters worldwide. With this, you have to examine the shape of the opal carefully so that further cutting will not be needed. Here are some of the things that you should consider in buying opals. Bearing these in mind, you will surely find the perfect opal online through www.opals-australia.com.
Related Articles -
perfect, opal, online,
|