PERTH OPAL COLLECTION

Perth Opal Collection hosts one of the largest and exclusive collections of Australian Black Opal and Australian Opal jewellery from Lightning Ridge.

Our family opal cutting, opal polishing and opal jewellery manufacturing business brings the finest quality and handcrafted Australian Black Opal jewellery direct from the Australian opal mines of Lightning Ridge to Perth Western Australia.

With unique designs available from souvenirs to exquisite gifts and investment Opals, you’re  sure to find that special piece of precious Australian Black Opal for your collection or special  loved one, in Perth Opal Collection's friendly and relaxed opal showroom.

Where to find Australian Opals in Perth

Our Australian Opal showroom is located at Perth Opal Collection Shop H10a within the Carillon City – Perth City, Western Australia. Centrally located and just a short walk from Perth’s public transport system, you can find us by catching a bus, train, ferry or taxi. Our fully air-conditioned Australian Opal showroom allows you to relax and choose that special piece of Australian Opal in comfort.

 

Home of the Australian Black Opal LIGHTNING RIDGE Australia

Australian Black Opal, famous for its magnificent rainbow of colours and dark appearance was first discovered at Lightning Ridge, Australia in 1880.

Located 770km from Sydney in New South Wales, Lightning Ridge has become a name for quality Australian Black Opals, which are recognized as the  “most valuable” of Opal by the  Australian Opal and Gem Industry Association.

Opal Geology

With the chemical formula Si02.nH20 and the name deriving from the Ancient word ”opalus”, meaning to see a play of colours, opal's unique precious gemstone consists of Hydrated amorphous Silica.  The unique ‘play of colours’, characteristics of Opal, are caused by a myriad of minute silica spheres cemented together by silica gel.

Australian opals are found in irregular nodules or “nobbies” or in steams, the ‘Australian Black ‘Opal gets its name from the background colour which maybe a dark grey known as a semi-black to an intense black  background which is the most desirable.  Visual colours or ‘face up display’ which is term to indicate colour directly to the viewer, range through blue, green, orange and red. The finest  and rarest of gems occurs when ”red on black” combines to show a full array of spectral colours.

 

Choosing a Quality and Valuable Solid Black Opal

The quality and value of a solid Black Opal is governed by a number of factors:

• Brilliance or Lustre
• Colour Background
• Spectral Colour Range
• Colour Pattern
• Face Up Display
• Character
• Shape
• Stone Size

Opal Doublets and Triplets

Whilst solid opal in its natural form is simply cut and polished, doublet and triplets are composites that have been enhanced and contain less precious Opal.

• Doublets are made from a thin layer of translucent Opal, which is adhered to a black base.  
• Triplets are also a thin layer of Opal that has been enhanced on the base and has a glass or crystal dome on the top