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Popular General Tips | Miscellaneous General Tips Tips | All Tips (2) Opal is said to cure depression - and to help the wearer find true and real love!
Black opal is reputed to further enhance positive characteristics of those born under the sign of Cancer. Opal is recommended for people born under Scorpio and boulder opal (found at Quilpie in Queensland) is said to be lucky for Arians!
The vivid colours within the precious opal is reported to reflect the changing emotions and moods of people - the diversity of fire and water - and the rapid changes, with just a subtle shift in perspective!
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There's a bit to know about buying opal - following is a summary of the range of goodies available:
The Doublet - is a slice of previous opal glued onto a backing of non-precious opal variety called "potch", or sometimes glass or ceramic are used as the backing. Tf the slice of precious opal is very thin, the face of the doublet will be flat. If the slice of precious opal is thick enough, the top will be domed, and these are obviously more valuable.
The Triplet - is simply a flat doublet with a domed clear quartz top glued to it. The colour of the thin slice of precious opal is dispersed through the domed face. Its easy to pick a triplet from a doublet - turn it on the side, and you can see the cleanness of the quartz top over the opal.
The Solid Crystal - the connoisseur of opal always purchases a "solid" - and high quality solids are often referred to as "stones". One type is known as the "crystal" opal. These may be light, semi-black or black, depending on the density of the colour. Good crystals may vary in price between $200 and $1800 a carat.
The Solid - is the REAL DEAL - and what "The Ridge" is famous for worldwide. The best ones have a precious opal face and a natural potch backing. Those with light coloured backs are called light opal, with darkish backs as semi-black opal, and those with jet black backs are the famous Lightning Ridge blacks. The blacker the back, the greater the amount of projected colour from within the precious opal. "Stone" of top gem quality can get $3000 per carat.
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on November 10, 2006
