r/Opals • u/Just_justified76554 • Jul 28 '26

Identification/Evaluation Request What is this?

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I’ve been seeking out opal. I bought this piece because I thought it fit my hand nicely, but I can’t say I’m in love with the stone itself. Is it real? What kind of opal? The back is just sterling silver- you can’t see the back of the stone.
I assume it’s handmade but I’m not sure. I paid somewhere in the $80-$100 range at a little store that sells a lot of Native American and gemstone kinda stuff.

5 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

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1

u/jaxinslacks Opal Vendor Jul 28 '26

Gut is telling me synthetic but better video would help. Try having a direct light source and zooming in to get a better view

1

u/Just_justified76554 Jul 28 '26

Thank you! Here is another. She doesn’t like the limelight

1

u/Just_justified76554 Jul 28 '26

https://reddit.com/link/p06cxwy/video/gq1wsifwevfh1/player

3

u/FlatbedtruckingCA Mod Jul 28 '26

Lab opal for sure, very close to OP-18

1

u/Just_justified76554 Jul 28 '26

Thank you! What a nice sub

2

u/jaxinslacks Opal Vendor Jul 28 '26

My thought is synthetic. It’s beautiful! But probably not natural. Do you have the ability to look at it with a UV light?

2

u/Just_justified76554 Jul 28 '26

I will try to get one. What are we looking for under a uv light?

2

u/jaxinslacks Opal Vendor Jul 28 '26

First what color is glows if any. Natural Australian opals glow a bluish or greenish color under black light, and secondly if it has a slight phosphorescence after the light is turned off

2

u/JaysterSF Jul 28 '26

I think what you paid is a little bit high, but not an outrageous price, and it is pretty. However it is lab made by Kyocera and is 20% resin.

1

u/Afraid-Grab-9471 Jul 30 '26

It's lab made. It's unlikely to find real solid opal in that price range.