How much is a pineapple opal worth?
These precious finds can fetch up to $US500,000 ($A700,000) in the premier US market.
Truth be known, there is no standardised or set method for valuing opals, as each opal is extremely unique in terms of pattern, brightness, and colouring (unlike diamonds, which can be more accurately valued according to a set chart of colours, clarity, faults, etc.)
Opal Pineapple
Opal is an amorphous mineral, meaning they have no crystal form. Opal pineapples are Pseudomorphs, which occur when one mineral replaces another making a cast of the original mineral. Opal has replaced the original mineral Ikaite, which only crystallises in near freezing conditions.
Diamonds, on the other hand, fetch a high price even for the most low-quality diamonds. Why is value important? Because the value of most diamonds will be higher than opals, while high-quality opals are rarer than diamonds.
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. Their dark body tone makes the colours on the face of the opal appear rich and intense.
| Units | Opal Value |
|---|---|
| per carat | $10 – 6,000 Black opals weighing 5-10 carats can cost up to $50,000. |
| per gram | $50 – 30,000 |
| per ounce | $1,400 – 840,000 |
| per pound*rough opal | $1,000 – 52,200 |
- Get your opal appraised by a jeweler. ...
- Take pictures of your opal at different angles. ...
- Sell your opals on eBay. ...
- List your opal for free on craigslist. ...
- Sell your opal to a jeweler in your area.
- Take your opal to a pawn shop if you need immediate cash and are having problems selling your item.
Most genuine solid opals have an irregularity in this area – curved or bumpy due to their natural formation – whereas a man-made stone will be perfectly flat because the two sections are flattened so they can be glued together. Be especially wary if the opal is set in jewellery and you cannot see its back or side.
The cut of a fine opal should be symmetrical. If it's a cabochon, the dome should be well rounded. Domed surfaces give the best play-of-color, and make the stone appear vivid from most viewing angles. If the cabochon is flat, it might be vulnerable to breakage, especially during setting into jewelry.
Opal is formed from a solution of silicon dioxide and water. As water runs down through the earth, it picks up silica from sandstone, and carries this silica-rich solution into cracks and voids , caused by natural faults or decomposing fossils. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind a silica deposit.
Do opals glow in the dark?
"That opal actually glows in the dark - the darker the light, the more colour comes out of it, it's unbelievable." John Dunstan told ABC. Opals are a form of amorphous hydrated silica with up to 20% water locked within the silica structure.
The “Olympic Australis” is reported to be the largest and most valuable gem opal ever found. It was found in 1956 at the famous “Eight Mile” opal field in Coober Pedy, South Australia. A miner working his claim found the opal at a depth of 30 feet.
Painite : Not just the rarest gemstone, but also the rarest mineral on earth, Painite holds the Guinness World Record for it. After its discovery in the year 1951, there existed only 2 specimens of Painite for the next many decades. By the year 2004, there were less than 2 dozens known gemstones.
It might seem a tad bit odd, but Ethiopian opals are cheap because they don't control the market. Sure, they are a bit rarer than Australian, but they have to compete with opal royalty. The only way Ethiopian opal sellers can turn a profit is if they offer their gems at a lower price point.
