• Discover Different Types of Opals

• Determine the Value of Opals

• Maintain Your Opal Jewelry

• Find Opal Jewelry on eBay

• Buy Opal Jewelry with Confidence

Discover Different Types of Opals

Discover Different Types of Opals

Opals can be found in a range of colors, from light or white opals to more rare and valuable black opals. Before you start shopping for opal jewelry, learn a little about the many types of opals, how to identify them, and how they relate to each other in value.

• Black opal: Black opals have a rare body tone that often features an impressive play of color.    

• White opal: More common white, or milky opals, do not reflect color as well as black opals and often cost less.   

• Boulder opal: Boulder opals, mined in Queensland, Australia, are precious opals formed in siliceous ironstone concretions or boulders. 

• Matrix opal: Matrix opals have opal diffused throughout a host rock.

• Crystal opal: Crystal opals, a type of transparent opal that tends to reflect a fair amount of color, rank under the black opal in terms of rarity and value.    

• Fire opal: Rare red-orange fire opals primarily found in the Mexican highlands are popular for their eye-catching color.    

• Synthetic and imitation opals: Synthetic and imitation opals are more affordable man-made substitutes for the real thing. They usually appear glassier than natural opals and have a precise and organized color scheme, typically in a snakeskin pattern.    

• Doublets and triplets: Part natural, part man-made, doublet opals and triplet opals combine natural fine opal with a darker backing made out of materials such as potch or ironstone and are made to resemble black opals. Triplet opals are much like doublets, but have a top layer of quartz covering the fine opal.

Like most gemstones, opals can be set in rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, pins, and brooches. Due to its distinct look and storied past, you can also find vintage opal jewelry and ethnic and tribal opal jewelry on eBay.

Determine the Value of Opals

Determine the Value of Opals

Much like valuing a diamond or other gemstone, several factors help determine the value of an opal.

• Play of color: The range of hues an opal reflects plays an important role in determining value. Opals that flash red hold a higher value than more common stones that have a green or blue hue.    

• Pattern: Evocative terms such as harlequin, fire, and peacock describe the unique interplay of color in an opal.    

• Brilliance: The amount of light an opal reflects and the hue it reflects factor into an opal’s value. The most valuable opals show brilliant flashes of color. Lesser-quality opals have dull or subdued colors.    

• Color bar: The thickness of the opal layer containing color corresponds to value. Opals with a thicker color bar typically hold a higher value.   

• Body tone: The underlying color of an opal determines rarity and factors into its value. Black opals, being very rare, are most valuable. White opals, the most common opals, often hold the least value. Light gray, gray, and semi-black opals fall in the middle in terms of value.

• Faults: Opals with cracks, inclusions, or other faults become less valuable.

Natural opals examined by an expert should come with a certificate of authenticity outlining these qualities.

Maintain Your Opal Jewelry

Maintain Your Opal Jewelry

Relatively fragile, opals require proper care to withstand the tests of time. In addition to advice from your jeweler, consider the following points:

• Opals do not react well to extreme temperatures. When you clean opals with water, do not use hot or boiling water. Also, try not to expose the stone to freezing or very hot temperatures.    

• Assembled opals such as doublets and triplets use adhesive to keep the layers together. Submerging them in water can result in a murky appearance. When cleaning opals, use a damp, soft cloth and mild cleanser—no bleach, harsh chemicals, or abrasive agents that could scratch the stone.     

• Opals should be stored in a soft bag made of cloth to maintain their quality and shine. If you plan to store your opal for an extended time, seal it in a plastic bag with slightly dampened cotton wool to help the stone retain its natural moisture and avoid cracking.

If something happens to your stone, especially cracking or loss of luster, consult a professional to have your opal properly restored.

Find Opal Jewelry on eBay

Find Opal Jewelry on eBay

Once you know what type of opal you want, go to the Jewelry & Watches portal and type opal* into the Search box. The Matching Categories list on the left side of the page will help you narrow your search by item type. For example, you'll find links for Loose Diamonds & Gemstones, Loose Beads, Rings, Necklaces & Pendants, Earrings, Vintage, Antique, Ethnic, Tribal Jewelry, Bracelets, Handcrafted, Artisan Jewelry, Charms & Charm Bracelets, and more when you conduct the search above.

If you know the specific type of jewelry you want, use those words for your keyword search. For example, if you want to find an opal ring, type "opal ring" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Opal Jewelry with Confidence

Buy Opal Jewelry with Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.