Indonesian Opal

Buy Indonesian Opal

The Indonesian Opal market presents a complex landscape where authenticity is often blurred. In regions like Kalimaya and Banten, volcanic opals and petrified wood are prized. Opalite opal, known for its softness and pastel green hues, is commonly sold as rough slabs, requiring careful polishing to minimize cracks and inclusions. Banten's petrified wood, naturally dark in color, sometimes undergoes treatments involving sand and oils to enhance opal colors, a practice that may obscure its natural state. These fossils retain their cellular structures, visible in their dense, carbon bitumen black form, often benefiting from heating in sand for optimal opalized color display. Despite widespread availability of petrified wood globally, true opalized variants are rare, predominantly found in volcanic-rich regions due to high silica content in volcanic ash over millennia. However, challenges persist as local and international markets sometimes mislabel opals, including treating Ethiopian opals as indigenous Kalimaya Black Opal. Thus, navigating authenticity remains crucial amid the diverse terminologies and treatments applied to these unique gemstones.

• Indonesian Opal - A Field Report By Paul Sedawie