
2.5-3.5mm White & Beige Dendritic Opal plain round beads 15 inch 123 pieces
2.5mm to 3.5mm approximate size for these White & Beige Dendritic Opal plain round beads 15 inch 123 pieces per strand.
Ancient and mysterious Opal Beads are prized for the colors that flicker and flow inside them. Common opals are also beautiful and come in many colors. These inspirational stones are found in different places around the world.
2.5mm to 3.5mm approximate size for these White & Beige Dendritic Opal plain round beads 15 inch 123 pieces per strand.
6.5mm up to 7mm White Opal faceted round beads 8 inches 28 pieces approximate measure.
approximate 7x7-9x9mm 6.5 inch 46 pcs
Approx. Length 14 inch strand; Approx. Bead Size 9mm
13x10-21x12mm Green Opal straight drill plain pears 18 inch 26 beads
approximate 6 inch strand of 6 beads measuring from 10x9mm to 14x11mm in size
8.5mm up to 9mm White Opal faceted round beads 8 inches 23 pieces approximate measure.
Sizes range greatly from 6x3-5x4mm rondelles and 6x5mm to 6x7mm barrels for these White & Purple Morado Opals and Orange Fire Opals.
Size ranges from 15x12mm up to 21x12mm on the 16 inch strand.
8x8-11x11mm Owyhee Denim Blue Opal plain heart beads. 8 inch strands with 50 pieces.
9x7-13x11mm White Opal plain oval beads. 18.25 inch strands with 41 pieces.
9x10-17x10mm Brown "Wood" Opal straight drill plain nuggets 76 inch 33 beads
10x8mm measure for these Australian Opal faceted oval beads hand wrapped onto Black Gold plated Rosary Chain sold by the foot with approximately 18...
View full detailsOwyhee Denim Blue Opal with banded characteristics on the faceted ovals 8 inch length, 16x12mm to 19x14mm approximate size range, & 9 approxima...
View full detailsOwyhee Denim Blue Opal with banded characteristics on the plain ovals 8 inch length, 16x13mm to 17x13mm approximate size range, & 10 approximat...
View full detailsOwyhee Denim Blue Opal with banded characteristics on the plain ovals 7 inch length, 15x12mm to 19x14mm approximate size range, & 9 approximate...
View full detailsOwyhee Denim Blue Opal with banded characteristics on the plain coins with approximate measure of 7 inch length, 13mm to 16mm bead size range, and ...
View full detailsBeige & Grey Australian Opal micro faceted rondelles 12.5 inches in length with145 beads measuring 2.5mm average diameter. AAA
Matte Australian Opal plain nuggets measure approximately 13 inch on the strand of 32 beads with size ranging from 8x6-12x9mm
Synthetic Jelly Opal plain nuggets 17 inch 62 beads 4x6-4x8mm
Synthetic Jelly Opal plain nuggets 17 inch 85 beads 4x4-4x6mm
6mm Dendritic Opal faceted rondelle Silver Chain which is hand crafted and sold by the foot. 30 pieces per length.
Australian Opal Natural Crystal Chips have a dull & waxy luster showing visible matrix in their varied hues of beige, off white, brown, and san...
View full details8mm White Opal Plain Round Beads 16 inches 54 pieces
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Play of Fire
The thing that differentiates precious opals from common opals is the play of fire. This is an effect seen in precious opals that looks like colors dancing under the surface of the stone. Opals are made of silica and up to 20% water, with an internal structure made up of silica “bubbles” pushed together. When light enters the stone, it is reflected off of the bubbles, creating a fantastic light show. Common opals do not show the play of fire, but they come in many beautiful colors, such as orange, gold, green, blue, pink, white and tan. Some opal beads also have dark inclusions that create tree-shaped designs in the cut and polished stones.
Opal Areas
Australia produces over 90% of the precious opals in the world. Mines near the town of Coober Pedy in southern Australia are the biggest producers. Other types of opals come from different parts of the world. Welo opals were found in Ethiopia about ten years ago and these are of as high quality or higher than Australian opals. Fire opals feature a bright orange color reminiscent of flames and are usually found in Mexico. Honey opals are another variety that come from Mexico and the American southwest. Peruvian opals are found in the Andes Mountains and come in shades of pink, blue and green.
What’s in a Name
There is some debate over the origin of the word “opal.” Some say that It comes from the Roman word opalus, the name of a part of a yearly fertility festival. Others say it comes from the Greek word opallios, which means both “to see,” and “to change or alter.” However, most scholars believe that the stone got its name from Sanskrit (upala). Many ancient opals came from India, so this is probably true.
Fallen Reputation
For centuries people believed that opal jewelry was very lucky. They thought that the stones possessed the attributes of all the gems whose colors flashed inside the opal. The opal’s reputation began to slide in the nineteenth century when it became connected with bad luck. Opal is the recognized birthstone for people who were born in October, but unlike the other birthstones, some people consider it bad luck to wear opals if they are not born in October. No such superstition is attached to the practice of giving opal beads as gifts for the fourteenth wedding anniversary.
Stone of Inspiration
Opal is a stone of inspiration and creativity. Wearing opal jewelry is said to help a person think more clearly and remember things better. Opals have a high water content and water is tied to emotion, so opal beads can help with emotional transitions. In traditional crystal healing, opal is used to treat headaches, eye problems, Parkinson's disease and problems of the vascular and immune systems.
Guaranteed Value
the Bead Traders is your site for opal beads and more. With our Three-Part Value Pledge, we promise to sell you the best quality beads at the best price we can find. We buy our gemstones in bulk and this lets us keep prices low for these top quality beads. All of our merchandise is quality inspected and we never substitute lower quality items for higher if we are out of what you ordered. Explore your creativity with some colorful opals from the Bead Traders!