Published at 14th Jul 2019
Modified at 4th Jan 2023
Investment Opal
The trick to getting the most effective portfolio possible is all about having a diversified portfolio. This is the exact reason why some top financial advisors suggest adding items like gold and other precious metals into their portfolios. What you may not have heard before is the idea of adding other commodities like precious gems into your stock portfolio. It is recommended that you have somewhere between 5% and 10% of your portfolio to have collectibles, which includes precious metals, gemstones, and art. Now here is a look at adding opals to your investment portfolios.
What Is An Investment?
A purchase of an asset or item whose value will grow over time rewarding the owner. People invest in mutual funds, property and direct shares. Many financial planners will also suggest having some ownership of silver or gold bullion.
We believe rare Opals and gemstones can also help diversify your investment portfolio. Gemstones prices are not correlated to share and property prices so they should be able to reduce the volatility of returns in a superannuation fund.
However due to tax rules they are not allowed to be worn by the owner, must be kept in storage and be insured like an investment not personal jewellery.
For 25 years I have suggested people invest in opals and a few years ago I wrote an online eBook. If you would like a copy of the ebook please click here.
Several years ago, I stated that opals doublets will double in 5 years. Well I was wrong! They have tripled in price and I think will continue to do so, it is simple supply and demand that governs prices. Obviously, they are not as rare as solid opal, but due to increases in opal mining cost, the carat price has increased more as a % with demand for opal doublets increasing.
Are Ethiopian Opals a Good Investment?
We have been selling Ethiopian opals for over 10 years and have sold over 72,000 Ethiopian opals. As a result, we have great visibility on consumer trends. Our opal reports contain the latest Ethiopian opal information released every month and quarter.
Production has varied greatly over the past few years and government regulations have affected supply and prices. A pattern developing is that buyers are investing $1,000 to $5,000 for an Ethiopian opal. But these are large opals with strong colour patterns. Honeycomb, Snakeskin and fish scale patterns are in high demand. Broad flash crystal opal’s have not increased in price but are considered a good introduction opal to new buyers as the price is economical.
We believe the best Investment strategy is to purchase large cabochon opals with unique patterns, there is strong demand so they should be able to be resold. As with all investment’s gemstones should be held as long as possible to benefit from price appreciation and selling costs, auction selling fees can be 10-15% reducing the return.
Investing In Black Opal
Black opals, which are opals that come from the Lightning Ridge area and have a signature fiery red color, is widely considered by most financial advisors to be the best opal investment. There are a few reasons for this. One reason for this is because these are incredibly rare varieties of opals. This is also because it has an incredible rare pattern, which is highly desirable. Boulder opals are also gemstones that are highly sought after by investors. These are opals that have distinct and spectacular colors that make them so desirable. They are affordable and are able to be collected by anyone.
Black Opal Scarcity
When you purchase opals for investments, these will come with a certificate of authenticity. Because these gems are rare, they are excellent items for a long-term investment. These are also stunning gemstones that you will want to admire frequently. Gemstones like these are not just for your portfolio but something that you pass along to the next generations of your family. As the regulations of the Lightning Ridge mining get stricter, there is a lot of uncertainty when it comes to mining and production of these gemstones. What this creates is a market where there is a high demand for these opals with a decreased supply. This is what creates value in your portfolio. Black opals are also becoming increasingly popular as well.
There is even a steady increase when it comes to the Ethiopian opal. This is an opal that you may not yet be familiar with but they are appearing in trade shows where Australian opals may not be. These opals have very unique patterns to them and these interesting patterns are what make these gems an increasingly popular choice for investors.
Opal Investment Tips
If you are going to get into investing in opals, there is a lot that you need to know. You will not just want to buy the rarer opals in order to maximize your portfolio but you also want to make sure that you are investing in top quality opals that have minimal flaws to them. These are the more valuable opals. Opals, for the most part, are investments that are to last between 3 and 5 years though there are some people that like to keep them for longer. It is highly recommended that you get insurance on these investments and that you keep them in a safe and secure place. You spent a lot on this investment so you want to make sure that you keep it protected.
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