Purple Opals?

[rparker1998]

Has anyone heard of such a thing? Know anything about them? Are they rare?

http://www.thegemtrader.com/Feb%2010%20POpal%20Page.htm

 

[Richard M.]

Yes, non-precious "common opal" (no play of colors) occurs in a very wide range of hues. The Zacatecas material is quite interesting and I''ve seen large pieces of it. It resembles the purplish fluorite-influenced opal known as "Tiffany Stone," "Bertrandite" and several other popular names from a large beryllium mine near Delta, Utah.

Richard M.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

The important thing to remember is that these opals don''t have the play of light (flashes of colours) that precious opal has. They can be nice cabs, but very disappointing if someone is expecting precious opal.

 

[Kim Bruun]

There is, however, violetish precious opal with purple and blue colour play. I have one, and I consider it a spectacular stone, even though it is in matrix.

 

[blithesome71]

Though you might interested on this one instead. It''s cheaper than the one in TGT. It''s a satin flash opal in lapis lazuli. Accdg. to the ebay seller: "It does not have colorplay like other opal, instead the light rolls off the internal bubble structure and flashes back at the onlooker."

26.76 cts. 22 X 34 X 4 (thick) mm

 

[VapidLapid]

It seems that "opal" is an extremely variable term. I have seen it used many times to classify just about any silicate with water molecules bound up in it''s matrix. Lightening Ridge it aint!
This "tiffany Stone" beryllium ore makes a fantastic mineral specimen but a flat looking cab. It can have many distinct color areas, dendrites and jelly-agate veins. still the purply areas undercut and never reach a high polish in contrast to the jelly-agate.
pictured is a cab I tried to make with this material with a jelly vein.