How to value opals!!!
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The price of opals varies greatly with a lot of different factors: origin, color, play of color, pattern, body tone, brightness, shape, inclusions (flaws), which opal field it came from, natural or treated and origin.
Origin plays a huge role in determining the worth of an opal. An opal from Australia can be 100x the value of an opal from Ethiopia. The value origin in descending order:
1. Australia
1. Australia
2. Mexico
3. Honduras
4. Ethiopia
Other factors play into the worth of opals which is why some opals with different origins may be worth more than an opal from Australia.
Australia has 7 different kinds of opals: white, semi crystal, black, crystal, dark crystal, and grey. Australian opals have a grading system for color that goes from N1 (black) through N9 (white). Black Australian opals are the most precocious and expensive opals in the world.
Australian opals also have a large variety of patterns, colors, and brightness. The most valuable opals are N1 darkness with a brightness of 5 (brightness scale from 1-5), unique pattern, and a lot of red.
If you have any questions about the worth of your opal you can contact us at: https://www.facebook.com/TheOpalOutlet