Australian Boulder opals are the second most valuable type of opal after black opals. Boulder opals have a layer os solid brown ironstone left on the back of the stone. Boulder opals are mined from huge ironstone boulders that have a thin vein of opal. Because it’s so thin, gem cutters leave the ironstone at the back. Though it look like a doublet, this is a completely natural formation.
Top quality boulder opal may fetch prices of up to $3,500 per carat for a gem quality stone. A clean faced stone with no ironstone spots on the front is generally more valuable than a spotted stone.
Care for Opals:Please keep opals out of liquids and away from detergents. Do not put them into ultrasonic cleaners. Just polish with a soft clean cloth.IMAGESPlease note that my items are photographed under LED lighting or outside on my back deck, so this is what the item looks like in natural light. I do not adjust color or "photoshop" the images. Please keep in mind that not all monitors show color the same way so there may be some slight difference in color.