What is Synthetic Opal Made Of?

Obrada...

Opal is a naturally-occurring amorphous solid known for its flashes of fire color. An amorphous solid is a material that, unlike crystal, is not organised in a regular lattice pattern. This makes for some unusual interactions with light, and is explicable for opal’s rainbow colours.

However, just because opal is classified as amorphous is not to say that its atoms are arranged without order. Chemists have discovered a clear sphere structure in opal, which has led to them copying it in 1974. Synthetic opal is often named Gilson opal, after Pierre Gilson, the man who invented it (along with a number of other synthetic minerals: coral, emerald, lapis lazuli, etc.). If you’re looking for someone to blame for having paid over the odds for a synthetic substance, by the way, Pierre Gilson is the man you’re looking for.

Originally synthesised in Switzerland, Glison opal is now primarily synthesised in Japan (by Kyocera and Inamori, for example). It differs from natural opal inasmuch as it is much more regular. Synthetic opal, though less desirable than organic opal in the eyes of most lapidaries, is not to be confused with imitation opal, which, unlike pure synthetic opal, is tinctured with minerals not found in actual opal. The term “Gilson opal” is usually used to refer to imitation opal, opals which are not only lab-created but contain minerals not found in actual opal (minerals such as plastic in Slocum stone, for example).

How to Spot a Synthetic Opal

If you ever find yourself in the market for opals, you’d be well advised to bring a loupe along with you. Under a high magnification (of around sixty), it’s clear to tell by the regularity and columnar nature of the patterns that the opal is synthetic. Even to the naked eye, the columnar nature of the opal is plainly visible. With the help of a loupe you’ll be able to discern a so-called ‘lizard skin’ effect in the patches of colour. This crumbly surface is the most common “tell-tale” of synthetic opal.

Synthetic opals are said to fluoresce a green colour under UV light. Along with the loupe, you’d be well advised to take a UV torch along with you to the flea market (or wherever you go to get your opals). If it fluoresces, it’s synthetic; if not, it’s natural.

The Two Main Kinds of Synthetic Opal

Synthetic opal comes in two main kinds: white opal and black opal. The white opal is generally more expensive than the black, largely because the white is more natural-looking than the black.

A new man made opal Monarch opal has recently come onto the market and many people think it isa new opal, but it is man made synthetic opal.

Monarch opal has been the most confusing man-made opal so far as dark black the potch line inclusions look like treated Andamooka stone

Another man-made opal is Aurora Opal made by the German company Pinfire Gems and Colloids

These Synthetic Opals and Synthetic Impregnated Opals, Coarse and Fine Crystalline Opals have a Non-Directional Play-of-Color and are seen in lot opal bangles. They market Aurora black opal, Fire opals and Crystal opals. The Aurora opal patterns are described as Irregular and non-directional swirls.

Bello opal by Sanwa a Hong Kong based company that makes synthetic opals as well as synthetic turquoise.

SYNTHETIC OPAL CHEMICAL COMPOSITION: SiO2.nH2O+Resin

Many countries manufacture opals as it is a valuable gemstone, so unfortunately we will be expecting more synthetic opals to come on line. To our knowledge China and Thailand are constantly trying to manufacture new products for this market to catch the unsuspecting opal buyer. Professional laboratories try and market their product as brand name.

Synthetic opal is available in sheets or blocks. Blocks are used to make bangles and sheets are ideal for inlay work or matching sets rings, pendant and earrings.

Warning to hobby cutters, most of these man made silica opals do have the same properties as natural opals, which can cause problems with lungs called silicosis.

Caveat emptor Buyer Beware!

SHOP FOR OPAL

Black Opal

Boulder Opal

Crystal Opal

Ethiopian Opal

Opal je prirodno prisutna amorfna krutina poznata po bljeskovima boje vatre. Amorfna krutina je materijal koji, za razliku od kristala, nije organiziran u redovitom rešetkastom uzorku. To čini za neke neobične interakcije s svjetlom, a može se objasniti i opalovim bojama duga.

Međutim, samo zato što je opal klasificiran kao amorfan, ne znači da su njegovi atomi raspoređeni bez reda. Kemičari su otkrili jasnu strukturu sfera u opalu, što je dovelo do njihova kopiranja 1974. godine. Sintetički opal često se zove Gilson opal, nakon što je Pierre Gilson, čovjek koji ga je izumio (zajedno s nizom drugih sintetičkih minerala: koralja, smaragda , lapis lazuli, itd.). Ako tražite nekoga za krivnju zbog toga što ste platili više od tečaja za sintetičku tvar, usput, Pierre Gilson je čovjek kojeg tražite.

Izvorno sintetiziran u Švicarskoj, Glison opal sada je prvenstveno sintetiziran u Japanu (npr. Kyocera i Inamori). Ono se razlikuje od prirodnog opala, budući da je mnogo redovitije. Sintetički opal, iako je manje poželjan od organskog opala u očima većine lapidara, ne treba se miješati s imitiranim opalom, koji je, za razliku od čistog sintetskog opala, tinkturiran mineralima koji se ne nalaze u stvarnom opalu. Izraz "Gilson opal" obično se koristi za oponašanje opala, opala koji nisu samo laboratorijski stvoreni, već sadrže minerale koji se ne nalaze u stvarnom opalu (minerali poput plastike u Slocum kamenu, na primjer).

Kako postaviti sintetički opal

Ako se ikad nađete na tržištu opala, dobro bi vam bilo dobro obaviti luksuz s vama. Pod visokim uvećanjem (od oko šezdeset), jasno je reći pravilnosti i stupčaste prirode uzoraka koji je opal sintetski. Čak i do golog oka jasno je vidljiva stupčasta priroda opala . Pomoću lupa možete uočiti takozvani učinak "gušter kože" u zakrpe boje. Ova mrvica je najčešća "priča" sintetičkog opala.

Smatra se da sintetički opali fluoresciraju zelenu boju pod UV svjetlom. Zajedno s luksuzom, dobro bi vam bilo preporučeno uzeti UV baklju zajedno s vama na tržnicu buha (ili gdje god idete da biste dobili opale). Ako je fluorescentno, to je sintetski; ako ne, to je prirodno.

Dvije glavne vrste sintetičkog opala

Sintetički opal dolazi u dvije glavne vrste: bijeli opal i crni opal. Bijeli opal je općenito skuplji od crne boje, uglavnom zato što je bijela prirodnija od crne boje.

Novi čovjek napravio opalni Monarch opal nedavno je došao na tržište i mnogi ljudi misle da je novi opal, ali je čovjek napravio sintetički opal.

Monarch opal bio je najzamjetljiviji umjetni opal, sve dok tamnoprasta linija lončanice izgleda poput obrađenog Andamooka kamena

Još jedan umjetni opal je Aurora Opal od strane njemačke tvrtke Pinfire Gems i Colloids

Ovi sintetički opali i sintetički impregnirani opali, grubi i fini kristalni opali imaju neporativnu reprodukciju boje i vide se u puno opalnih kuglica. Oni prodaju Aurora crni opal, Fire opals i Crystal opals. Oblici Aurora opala opisani su kao Nepravilni i ne-usmjereni kotačići.

Bello opal Sanwa je tvrtka sa sjedištem u Hong Kongu koja proizvodi sintetičke opale kao i sintetički tirkiz.

SINTEŠKI OPALNI KEMIJSKI SASTAV: SiO2.nH2O + Smola

Mnoge zemlje proizvode opale kao dragocjeni dragulj, pa nažalost očekujemo da će više sintetičkih opala doći na liniju. Prema našem znanju Kina i Tajland stalno nastoje proizvoditi nove proizvode za ovo tržište kako bi uhvatili bezazlen opala kupca. Stručni laboratoriji pokušavaju prodavati svoj proizvod kao marku.

Sintetički opal dostupan je u listovima ili blokovima. Blokovi se koriste za izradu šibica i listova idealni su za umetanje ili odgovarajuće postavljanje prstena, privjesaka i naušnica.

Upozorenje na hobotnice, većina tih silikonskih opala napravljenih od čovjeka imaju ista svojstva kao i prirodni opali, što može uzrokovati probleme s plućima pod nazivom silikoza .

Caveat emptor Kupac Čuvajte se!