✅ SOLVED Opal?

[HAPPYCAMPER]

Found today at a site dating back to 1700s,we didnt find any modern debris or items.House still there being renovated at this time...gent who owns very generous on letting people detect this house and seemed fairly picked clean.A couple tombac buttons and a half cent found.Just looking for input on whether this is an opal.

 

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[unclemac]

if the setting is cheap junk, then i would say no

 

[bzbadger]

Looks to be what's called fire opal. Its a semi precious stone. They pull opal out by the tons. In Australia which used to be the worlds leading opal mining areas you could dig in the sand and pull opal out. They have miners there still that actually live in the mines as a home and go mine opals daily.
Back to your stone, it looks to be real as I said opal is common but there are different grades of it and they put opals in cheap settings all the time, don't believe me then go to WalMart.

 

[sutphin]

Hell cheap or not sure is a pretty stone and setting to go with it,vanzutphin

 

[unclemac]

a lot of the cheap stuff in opal is called "doublets" and "triplets" ...basically thin slices of opal built up with other materials. Or of course "lab created". Yours is not that for sure.

bzbadger is right about Australia, i have been there and picked them right up off the ground myself.

 

[masterjedi]

It is Opal. It is low grade crushed Opal pieces. Low value, but pretty.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

It's definitely opal. Nobody is going to be able to tell quality by a picture. It's pretty - I love opal.

Mrs. O

 

[trdking]

1) It is definitely opal
2) You need to make sure its not fractured from being in the dirt
3) Put it in mineral oil or at least water to keep it from drying out and cracking. It is dry
4) it does not look like ground up opal from the back. Have it looked at. A lot of people find opal and set it themselves in gold or crap.

Cheers

 

[unclemac]

take it to a jeweler, quick trip will solve it. The back of it bothers me, doesn't look right. An opal of that size and quality just would not be in that setting. There are plenty of other things it could be that were made to mimic precious opal.

 

[Ant]

Everything points to it being very low quality opal:

Opal - Gemstone - DesertUSA

Opal Hill Mine - DesertUSA

Opal Mountain

 

[HAPPYCAMPER]

Guess when I get out of town next time will see if I can find Jeweler to take a peek,nearest one 20 miles away...still a nice looking rock....thanks everyone for input and seems consensus does points to an opal.Will update posting when I get someone to look at it.

 

[bzbadger]

Please whatever you do be careful how you clean it as opal is a very brittle stone. NO sonic cleaners it will turn it to dust. The back bothers me too but that could be where it wasn't polished like the front. Many reasons why this is in the setting its in. Personally I like it, I think you found a pretty piece and if it turns out to be fire opal you did well, you did well either way unless its glue.

 

[RustyGold]

Looks right on the back side. What I'm seeing is the host rock it may of been located in.
It appears to be a Mexican Opal. I've used several back when I was a jeweler.

 

[bzbadger]

Looks right on the back side. What I'm seeing is the host rock it may of been located in.
It appears to be a Mexican Opal. I've used several back when I was a jeweler.

You really think Mexican opal? I'm thinking fire opal because of the less milky appearance and more color but if Mexican it would explain the cheap setting.

 

[bzbadger]

Ok did some checking this is more fire opal, not Mexican as its more white than clear and having the more white in it and being more of a fire opal its leaning towards Australian fire opal. I don't know why im spending so much time researching this, maybe because it's my birthstone I don't know..i just like opals I think they're cool looking but not a manly stone ehh who cares I like it.

 

[Hitndahed]

Looks to be what's called fire opal. Its a semi precious stone. They pull opal out by the tons. In Australia which used to be the worlds leading opal mining areas you could dig in the sand and pull opal out. They have miners there still that actually live in the mines as a home and go mine opals daily.
Back to your stone, it looks to be real as I said opal is common but there are different grades of it and they put opals in cheap settings all the time, don't believe me then go to WalMart.

============================================================
Coober Pedy,,,Is where you are talking about.
Pretty desolate place from what I have seen and read about it.
And from other sources the pickins there are pretty slim although there are some decent finds regularly found.

I would love to go and see some of the homes cut out of the rock there. I see some images of "homes" that are simply beautiful.

Hit

 

[unclemac]

imagine living in a cave...but the cave has hand dug rooms...but then you want to go to a different part of your house...so you walk through a cave like tunnel...to more rooms.... these "houses" can be very very large, each "room" is a dug out claim....and when you "go to work"...you just start digging in your latest section. Being that Australia can be so hot in the desert, these "houses" are very comfortable too. You can actually stay at ones that are bed and breakfast type places.

 

[HAPPYCAMPER]

Took to 2 different places today...both said a nice looking piece,but not real...might still take stone out,straighten setting and solder new clasp on...thanks again for all your input!

 

[bzbadger]

Got to love the ppl who take time to make fakes. I'm sorry it was but that back had me worried. Was shiny like it had some polishing done but didn't show like the front. Would have been a really nice fire opal if real. Win some lose some.

 

[HAPPYCAMPER]

Hate to do this as I marked as solved but now have a concern,woman today stated all that I see is flat on on bottom and doesnt come to top of stone.Took out of setting as setting bent and looks to me all comes to top of stone...please take a peek at these pics and hopefully put to rest if fake or not.I tap this on my tooth and its just like glass would feel and sound