An opal featuring a rare six-rayed star is examined in GIA's Bangkok lab.

Observing a water drop’s interaction with opal, as well as refractive index, can confirm a specimen’s hydrophane nature with less risk of breakage than total immersion.

A compilation of gem news from around the world, covering topics such as localities, unusual gem materials, market news, new products, discoveries, jewelry manufacturing techniques, and industry trends.

A compilation of gem news from around the world, covering topics such as localities, unusual gem materials, market news, new products, discoveries, jewelry manufacturing techniques, and industry trends.

Opals with an unusual purple bodycolor and strong play-of-color have recently appeared in the market.

A new opal deposit was discovered in 2008 near the village of Wegel Tena, in volcanic rocks of Ethiopia’s Wollo Province.

A compilation of gem news from around the world, covering topics such as localities, unusual gem materials, market news, new products, discoveries, jewelry manufacturing techniques, and industry trends.

A compilation of gem news from around the world, covering topics such as localities, unusual gem materials, market news, new products, discoveries, jewelry manufacturing techniques, and industry trends.

An investigation of the difference between synthetic opal and opal simulant.

Opal occurs as nodules in volcanic rocks at a new gem opal locality in the Menz Gishe district of Shewa Province, Ethiopia.

After almost 75 years of inactivity, the deposits of boulder opal in Queensland, Australia, began to attract new interest in the 1960s and 1970s.

A plastic imitation opal that shows true play-of-color was advertised as