Synthetic opals?

[Fabio]

Hi!
I need a help in understanding if the two opals I bought are synthetic or not.

I have red that synthetic ones present a "snakeskin" pattern and I think that the one I bought have it.

I tried also to leave the two opals in water for two hours and they become transparent and after drying they returned opalescent.

Do you think are synthetic or natural?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Marlow]

Looking at the second stone it could be a Welo Opal from Ethopia.

It shows a structure called honeycomp pattern - you see ( very weak!) it in the center - it is natural and could produce a "harlekin" like look course you see only one color in the comp. The pattern is very beautyful when spread all over the stone.

First stone I don't know - but the snake skin is normally stronger. Synthetis opal shows often columnar structures viewed from the side.

 

[Fabio]

Thanks a lot Marlow!

I am not sure I understand which is a columnar structure, can you post a picture as an example, please?

Can I also ask you if synthetic opals become transparent if you put them in the water or it is a characteristic of natural ones?

Thanks again,

Fabio

 

[bobsiv]

That's a feature of natural Ethiopian opals, they're 'hydrophane' (they absorb moisture). Both of those stones look to me like natural Ethiopian opals, although the first one looks like it's been dyed.

 

[Marlow]

Fabio,

please google synthetic opal and look at the pictures - you will see it clearly.
Yes, maybe the first is dyed.

 

[lambskin]

I've seen synthetic opals that imitate Australian crystal opals. The are white with pinpoint colors. I have seen these at department store jewelry departments and are typically set in sterling silver. I have not seen synthetic Ethiopian opals. I am assuming that a opal is dyed blue to imitate a black opal?

 

[Fabio]

Thanks a lot to you all!

Actually the first opal it looks like blue just in the picture where I tried to show the "snake skin" pattern.

It is actually transparent, maybe slightly light blue.

Can natural opals have this color?

I would like to add another picture, but I haven't been successful so far, sorry.

Thanks again,

Fabio

 

[bobsiv]

Some Ethiopian opals have a natural light blue tint that will make the stone look blue when it's on a dark background.

 

[Fabio]

Thanks again for the comments!

I have a bigger problem now!

I didn't realized that there is a possible crack on the stone, and I didn't see it before!!! I know, I should be more careful...damn it!

It's like 3 mm and in a very side so when you look at it, even with a light, from the top or bottom is really ok, transparent and perfect, but in a very edge there is this little crack (is it a crack?).

Maybe, I still can ask the seller to change it, but the problem is that the other similar opals that he has are not nice as this one (less transparent, less opalescent), and it is also a quite long drive to go there again.

Should I try to change it or it is still ok because is maybe a small crack and actually difficult to see.

Here I show you a picture.

Ps the stone is 2.4 ct and I payed 65$