January 24 Through February 4—TUCSON, ARIZONA: Annual show
Welcome to the GemologyOnline.com Forum
A non-profit Forum for the exchange of gemological ideas
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 2:24 am

All times are UTC - 4 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Synthetic Opal Questions
PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 2:54 am 
Offline
Established Member

Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:35 am
Posts: 18
Hi all,

I was given some samples of the synthetic opals by a generous gentleman at one of the Denver Gem Shows. He gave me four kinds of synthetic opals, Gibson, Stellar, Aurora, and GMM. I tried to look for the snake skin of the unpolished Gibson rough but I don't have a microscope. I don't see any snakeskin on any of the synthetic opals. How do I identify each kind of synthetic opals? What are the indications?

I also bought some Brazilian opals from the same vendor. The Brazilian opals I have are semi-transparent. They have the play of colour that look more like aurora or big flashes, not patchy nor pinfire. I took one Brazilian opal to the free Gem ID at the show. The RI was right for opal. They tried to see if the stone can float in the saturated salt water which I think it is not a test for the opal. They have a microscope. They though it was a synthetic. I believe the opal is genuine since the vendor has his own opal mine. What are the characteristics for a Brazilian opal?

Thank you.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Synthetic Opal Questions
PostPosted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:46 am 
Offline
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:31 pm
Posts: 4015
Location: North Carolina
Saturated salt water is a test for amber, which is just a bit less dense than salt water. Opal will never get anywhere close to that low, and putting it in salt water is a bad idea in general, so I would not take their opinions too seriously if they thought that was a reasonable test to try.

_________________
Rough and cut classic and exotic synthetic gems:https://store.turtleshoard.com


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Synthetic Opal Questions
PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 2:32 am 
Offline
Established Member

Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:35 am
Posts: 18
Thanks Stephen. I only know the saturated salt test is for amber. That's why I suspect their conclusion.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Synthetic Opal Questions
PostPosted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 12:00 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2005 12:22 pm
Posts: 21602
Location: San Francisco
Here is a little more information on Brazillian opal:
https://www.opalauctions.com/learn/a-z- ... nformation

Can you post pictures of the stones you received from the vendor?

The snakeskin appearance of a "synthetic" opal is directional. When viewed perpendicular to the snakeskin direction the color pattern looks linear.
Courtesy of geminterest.com:
Snakeskin:
Image

Linear cross view.
Image

A looming question remains. Are synthtic opals actually synthetic, or are they imitation?



Also, Nathan Renfro has recently compiled an article on opal, including an opal chart:
https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summe ... opal-chart


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Synthetic Opal Questions
PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2019 3:26 am 
Offline
Established Member

Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:35 am
Posts: 18
Thanks Barbra. The information is really helpful and detailed. Here is my Brazilian opal shot under natural light and indoor lighting


Attachments:
File comment: Brazilian opal indoor
FF5BA7C5-0D8C-4253-A07F-5C07FA9AEDE0.jpeg
FF5BA7C5-0D8C-4253-A07F-5C07FA9AEDE0.jpeg [ 2.18 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: Brazilian opal indoor
9518E170-6ED3-4F00-940B-FF4EAE298514.jpeg
9518E170-6ED3-4F00-940B-FF4EAE298514.jpeg [ 2.41 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: Brazilian opal sunlight
F583E1E3-B481-4680-935A-1FE8F30C2393.jpeg
F583E1E3-B481-4680-935A-1FE8F30C2393.jpeg [ 1.7 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: Brazilian opal sunlight
4B01A2B0-B01A-4CEC-A7A4-CE61846F5FA8.jpeg
4B01A2B0-B01A-4CEC-A7A4-CE61846F5FA8.jpeg [ 1.7 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: Brazilian opal sunlight
D79C6DF6-9498-4866-A5CC-8FC6916CCEE9.jpeg
D79C6DF6-9498-4866-A5CC-8FC6916CCEE9.jpeg [ 1.38 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]


Last edited by VanGem on Fri Oct 18, 2019 3:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Synthetic Opal Questions
PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2019 3:33 am 
Offline
Established Member

Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:35 am
Posts: 18
The vendor mentioned that Aurora has 80% plastic. Stellar has 15% plastic and it can be worked with glass


Attachments:
File comment: Aurora
6B63078B-365E-4393-A32A-2A4FB6AFF452.jpeg
6B63078B-365E-4393-A32A-2A4FB6AFF452.jpeg [ 1.7 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: Stellar
FCCDFBE0-71AB-4F43-8DFB-F96CACB21D26.jpeg
FCCDFBE0-71AB-4F43-8DFB-F96CACB21D26.jpeg [ 2.34 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: Stellar
2AAD87E3-2D9C-4604-84D6-E8420150A20E.jpeg
2AAD87E3-2D9C-4604-84D6-E8420150A20E.jpeg [ 1.52 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: Stellar
7B0D0249-A596-46C3-B932-662BA7AB071D.jpeg
7B0D0249-A596-46C3-B932-662BA7AB071D.jpeg [ 2.05 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: Stellar
9D869377-AEDA-4B1B-AE8F-2733CF37F3F7.jpeg
9D869377-AEDA-4B1B-AE8F-2733CF37F3F7.jpeg [ 2.25 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Synthetic Opal Questions
PostPosted: Fri Oct 18, 2019 3:35 am 
Offline
Established Member

Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:35 am
Posts: 18
GMM has 80% plastic


Attachments:
File comment: Gibson
D4A054F5-A3FD-4248-8306-AAB3BFC3B50E.jpeg
D4A054F5-A3FD-4248-8306-AAB3BFC3B50E.jpeg [ 2.2 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: Gibson
F5A3F45D-E2A6-4CC4-B7A3-E4B6996DD334.jpeg
F5A3F45D-E2A6-4CC4-B7A3-E4B6996DD334.jpeg [ 2.25 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
File comment: GMM
8EC8B431-FBB1-4902-8831-9CE9A0F25889.jpeg
8EC8B431-FBB1-4902-8831-9CE9A0F25889.jpeg [ 2.23 MiB | Viewed 14084 times ]
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Synthetic Opal Questions
PostPosted: Sun Oct 20, 2019 2:53 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:29 pm
Posts: 1047
Location: Paris
Brazilian or not brazilian, I think your opal looks quite nice.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Synthetic Opal Questions
PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:49 pm 
Offline
Established Member

Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:35 am
Posts: 18
Isi wrote:
Brazilian or not brazilian, I think your opal looks quite nice.


Thank you.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 4 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Gemology Style ported to phpBB3 by Christian Bullock