Buying Boulder Opal? Here’s 10 Things You Need to Know

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In the market for Boulder Opal? When it comes to buying such a unique stone, you’ve likely got important questions. You’ve come to the right place! Read on as we highlight 10 important facts to consider when buying Boulder opal.

1. What is Boulder Opal?

Boulder opals are a unique stone predominantly mined in Australia, and have a dark base color peppered with bright neon colors. Of all the classes of opal stones, Boulder opals tend to be at the higher end of the spectrum, next to black opals. When comparing black opal to Boulder opal, you might think they look similar. However, a closer inspection will reveal that black opals have an intensely dark base color, while Boulder opals have a dark brown, or even light brown base. Which is exactly why...

2. Boulder Opal is Not Black Opal

Boulder opals are sometimes confused with black opals because they contain a similar dark base color. Just because they are dark does not mean they are Black opal. Black Opal is a term reserved only for Opals that come from Lightning Ridge and have a body tone between N1 and N4.

3. Are Boulder Opals Brown or Black?

When Boulder opal is cut from the ironstone, the cut is precise to display the ironstone as the color base of the stone. This color is a delicious earthy brown color and it helps to highlight the gorgeous color of the Opal.

4. What Color is Boulder Opal?

Even with the dark base color, the beauty of Boulder opals is that they reflect an assortment of vivid colors. Most commonly, the base color and most dominant color coming through is brown. However, an intricate pattern of colors shine from the stone, including bright blues and greens, fiery yellows, oranges and reds, and even purples! In fact, the best level of Boulder opals display a vivid spectrum of colors. However, there are some Boulder opals that have a milky base. That’s because there’s an additional layer of sandstone underneath the base color that is lighter. This can create an effect of an overall lighter colored stone.

5. Where Does Boulder Opal Come From?

Boulder opals are mined from the ground, where large ironstone boulders form veins of unique and colorful opal in their cracks. These large boulders are mined in Outback Queensland. The rich opal fields of Quilpie and Winton are geological meccas brimming with ironstone.

In fact, Australian opals have an impeccable reputation because of the dry climate. This means that over time, opals become more dry and resistant to cracking. Of course, there are other sources where Boulder opals are mined, including the USA, South America and Africa. Still, the Australian ironstone has a reputation for providing high-quality Boulder stones.

6. Will Boulder Opals Crack?

That isn’t to suggest that every Australian Boulder opal is perfect. Fortunately, if Boulder opals are prone to cracking or crazing, it’ll happen when the stone is being cut and before it reaches the retail market. Of course, you should always be vigilant when buying Boulder opal, and only purchase from reputable dealers like those on Opal Auctions.

7. What is Good or High Quality Boulder Opal?

Because we’re dealing with a colorful stone, the best variations of Boulder Opals will have a deeply saturated dark base contrasting bright, clearly defined colors. The greater the contrast between the base and the accent colors, the higher quality the stone. Still, each Boulder opal has its own unique color palate, and you might be drawn to a quality of Boulder opal that’s not necessarily as high as others, but has a color scheme that appeals to you. When buying Boulder Opals, it’s best to follow your eyes because they’ll tell you what you like best.

8. What is the Best Shape of Boulder Opal?

When browsing Boulder opals, you’ll come across a variety of unique shapes, often exposing the intricate ironstone from which the stone was cut. Commonly, Boulder opals follow the traditional shape of Opal, which is an oval stone featuring a high dome. However, this particular shape produces a lot of waste as most of the rough stone gets cut away. That’s why naturally shaped opals have grown increasingly popular. Not only is it more efficient and economical to use raw stones, but it looks unique and gorgeous. Most often, you’ll find Boulder opals available in free form shapes, but they can also still be found in the traditional oval shape.

9. What are Boulder Opals Worth?

Valuing a Boulder opal is a complex process, and several factors must be assessed including the pattern, brilliance, base color, size, play of color and more. First, an opal must be examined, then a carat size will be determined, and from there the stone can be valued. Black opals are the most expensive type of opal, and can cost thousands of dollars per carat. In general: the less visible the ironstone, the higher the price tag.

10. Where Can I Buy Boulder Opal?

Bottom line, there’s a lot to remember when buying Boulder opals. With this information in hand, always buy from reputable jewelers who is willing to answer all your questions and work with you to find the right stone.

Boulder opals are a unique and gorgeous stone, each with its own play of color, shape, and story.

Ready to unveil the perfect stone? Browse our wide collection of beautiful Boulder opals.

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Boulder Opal

Na tržištu Boulder Opal ? Što se tiče kupnje tako jedinstvenog kamena, vjerojatno imate važna pitanja. Došli ste na pravo mjesto! Pročitajte kako ističemo 10 važnih činjenica koje treba uzeti u obzir prilikom kupnje Boulder opala.

1. Što je Boulder Opal?

Boulder opali jedinstveni su kamen koji se pretežno vadi u Australiji i ima tamnu osnovnu boju prešaranu svijetlim neonskim bojama. Od svih klasa opala, Boulder opali imaju tendenciju da se nalaze na višem kraju spektra, pored crnih opala. Usporedbom crnog opala s Boulder opalom, mogli biste pomisliti da izgledaju slično. Međutim, pažljiviji pregled otkrit će da crni opali imaju jako tamnu osnovnu boju, dok Boulder opali imaju tamno smeđu ili čak svijetlosmeđu osnovu. Upravo zbog toga ...

2. Boulder Opal nije crni opal

Boulder opale ponekad se brkaju s crnim opalima jer sadrže sličnu tamnu osnovnu boju. To što su tamni ne znači da su crni opali. Crni opal izraz je rezerviran samo za opale koji dolaze iz Lightning Ridgea i imaju tjelesni ton između N1 i N4.

3. Jesu li Boulder opali smeđi ili crni?

Kad se Boulder opal odsiječe od željeznog kamena, rez je precizan da prikaže željezni kamen kao osnovu boje kamena. Ova je boja ukusno zemljano smeđe boje i pomaže u isticanju prekrasne boje Opal.

4. Koje je boje Boulder Opal?

Čak i uz tamnu osnovnu boju, ljepota Boulder opala je u tome što odražavaju niz živih boja. Najčešće je osnovna i najdominantnija boja smeđa. Međutim, zamršeni uzorak boja sjaji s kamena, uključujući svijetle plave i zelene, vatreno žute, naranče i crvene, pa čak i ljubičaste! Zapravo, najbolja razina Boulder opala prikazuje živopisan spektar boja. Međutim, postoje neki boulderski opali koji imaju mliječnu bazu. To je zato što je ispod osnovne boje svjetliji dodatni sloj pješčenjaka. To može stvoriti učinak ukupnog svjetlijeg kamena u boji.

5. Odakle dolazi Boulder Opal?

Opal gromada vadi se iz zemlje, gdje velike gromadne gromade u svojim pukotinama tvore žile jedinstvenog i šarenog opala. Te velike gromade vade se u zaleđu Queenslanda . Bogata polja opala Quilpie i Winton geološke su meke prepune željeznog kamena.

Zapravo, australski opali imaju besprijekornu reputaciju zbog suhe klime. To znači da s vremenom opali postaju suhiji i otporniji na pucanje. Naravno, postoje i drugi izvori u kojima se vadi opali Boulder, uključujući SAD, Južnu Ameriku i Afriku. Ipak, australski željezni kamen slovi po tome što pruža visokokvalitetno kamenje Boulder.

6. Hoće li Boulder Opals popucati?

To ne znači da je svaki australski Boulder opal savršen. Srećom, ako su opali Boulder skloni pucanju ili pucanju, to će se dogoditi kad se kamen reže i prije nego što stigne na maloprodajno tržište. Naravno, uvijek biste trebali biti na oprezu kada kupujete Boulder opal i kupujte samo od uglednih prodavača poput onih na Opal aukcijama.

7. Što je dobar ili kvalitetan boulder opal?

Budući da imamo posla sa šarenim kamenom, najbolje varijacije Boulder Opala imat će duboko zasićenu tamnu podlogu kontrastnih svijetlih, jasno definiranih boja. Što je veći kontrast između baze i naglašenih boja, to je kamen kvalitetniji. Ipak, svaki Boulder opal ima svoje jedinstveno nepce u boji, a možda će vas privući kvaliteta Boulder opala koja nije nužno visoka kao drugi, ali ima shemu boja koja vam se sviđa. Kada kupujete Boulder Opals, najbolje je slijediti oči jer će vam reći što vam se najviše sviđa.

8. Koji je najbolji oblik boulder opala?

Pregledavajući Boulder opale, naići ćete na razne jedinstvene oblike, često izlažući zamršeni željezni kamen od kojeg je kamen izrezan. Obično opali Boulder slijede tradicionalni oblik opala, koji je ovalni kamen s visokom kupolom. Međutim, ovaj oblik stvara puno otpada jer se većina grubog kamena odsiječe. Zbog toga su opali u prirodnom obliku sve popularniji. Ne samo da je učinkovitije i ekonomičnije koristiti sirovo kamenje, već izgleda jedinstveno i prekrasno. Najčešće ćete pronaći Boulder opale dostupne u slobodnom obliku, ali i dalje ih možete pronaći u tradicionalnom ovalnom obliku.

9. Što vrijede boulder opali?

Vrednovanje opala Boulder složen je postupak, a mora se procijeniti nekoliko čimbenika, uključujući uzorak, sjaj, osnovnu boju, veličinu, igru boja i još mnogo toga. Prvo se mora ispitati opala, zatim će se odrediti veličina karata, a odatle se može vrednovati kamen. Crni opali su najskuplja vrsta opala, a mogu koštati tisuće dolara po karatu. Općenito: što je željezni kamen manje vidljiv, cijena je viša.

10. Gdje mogu kupiti Boulder Opal?

Dno crta, puno se toga treba zapamtiti kad kupujete Boulder opale. Imajući ove podatke na raspolaganju, uvijek kupujte od uglednih draguljara koji su spremni odgovoriti na sva vaša pitanja i zajedno s vama pronaći pravi kamen.

Boulder opali jedinstveni su i raskošni kamen, svaki sa svojom igrom boja, oblika i priče.

Spremni ste otkriti savršeni kamen? Pregledajte našu široku kolekciju prekrasnih opala Boulder.