A. Opal is hydrated silica. Its chemical formula is Si02.nH20. The intensity of colour and combinations of colours occur with such variety that each gem has an individual character. Opal is composed of minute particles of silica in closely packed spherical aggregates. It is the varying arrangement of these minute particles (and, of course, cavities) that causes the reflected light to be split into the full range of colours of the spectrum. There are some synthetic opals now on the market, but we are proud to offer only solid, natural Australian opals at Flame Opals.

A. Select a colour that appeals to you. Red on black is the most valuable, but there are numerous other colour combinations to choose from. It is the wide variety of colour and pattern that makes an Australian opal so unique. Always make sure you purchase a solid opal. Doublets and triplets only have a thin veneer of opal and are often a tourist trap. Although at times attractive in appearance, triplets and doublets have no investment value. As a matter of policy, in order to protect our clients, Flame Opals does not stock doublets and triplets. You can usually pick a triplet by its "glassy" look which is caused by the quartz dome magnifying the opal veneer. A doublet is like a triplet with a thin veneer of opal, but without the quartz top.

A. Flame Opals does not pay any secret commission to tour guides or tour companies. We prefer our clients to get the benefit of lower prices. When shopping for opals, be careful of stores that offer big discounts. Often they first inflate the price so they can appear to be offering attractive discounts, but you could end up paying more.