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Opal has ignited man's imagination
for more than 2,000 years with the flashes of fire that
magically burn within its depths. Opal's multicolored
flame makes it unique in the world of gemstones - giving
it more variety of color and versatility of wear than
perhaps any gemstone.
Opals symbolized hope, innocence and purity to the Greeks
and Romans and were mined in what is now Czechoslovakia
and Hungary. Today's supplies of Opal come primarily from
Australia, Mexico and the United States. Most Opals are
not faceted but cut into rounded or free form cabochons
that enhance their play of color.
Opal is found in several different colors including black
Opal, whose blue, gray or black body color enhances the
play of fire; white Opal with a lightish or white body
color; and crystal Opal, a transparent version with bright
color flashes. Boulder Opal has color flashes intertwined
with rock matrix. Different in appearance is Fire Opal,
a transparent or transluscent gemstone of brilliant yellow,
orange or red, often cut with facets.
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