Opal is the product of seasonal rains that drenched dry ground in regions such as Australia’s semi-desert “outback.” The showers soaked deep into ancient underground rock, carrying dissolved silica (a compound of silicon and oxygen) downward.
During dry periods, much of the water evaporated, leaving solid deposits of silica in the cracks and between the layers of underground sedimentary rock. The silica deposits formed opal.
How Opal Forms
Opal is known for its unique display of flashing rainbow colors called play-of-color. There are two broad classes of opal: precious and common. Precious opal displays play-of-color, common opal does not.
Play-of-color occurs in precious opal because it’s made up of sub-microscopic spheres stacked in a grid-like pattern—like layers of Ping-Pong balls in a box. As the lightwaves travel between the spheres, the waves diffract, or bend. As they bend, they break up into the colors of the rainbow, called spectral colors. Play-of-color is the result.
- Formation
When opal formed, silica gel filled crevices in rock. As water evaporates, the silica is deposited in the form of tiny spheres. - Interaction with Light
Opal’s flashing play-of-color is caused by diffraction of light by silica spheres stacked like tiny Ping-Pong balls in a box. - Unique
Opal’s arrays of silica spheres form a fantastic variety of patterns and colors. No two opals are exactly alike.
