WHAT IS AN OPAL?

CHARACTERISTICS OF OKANAGAN OPAL

Prior to October 1991 there were no documented precious opal deposits in Canada. The discovery of the “Klinker Opal Deposit” has changed that.

The opal from this deposit occurs as late stage, postorogenic, fracture fillings and vesicle fillings in inter layered Tertiary aged lahar volcanic debris flows and lapilli ash-tuff beds.

The base color of the opal ranges from white to dark brown opaque, to clear to amber translucent and transparent material. The better grade precious opal from the deposit displays a brilliant array of multicolored flash to broad flash patterned “play of color”. The property yields both solid and boulder opal.

"Okanagan Opal" exhibits a good to very brilliant, flash to broad flash play of colors, often covering the full rainbow spectrum and the opal occurs in broad range of both opaque and transparent base colors. Much of the precious opal exhibits rolling flash fire (colour moves across the stone)

Both solid and boulder opal material is found at this deposit and is cut into finished gemstones. Smaller solid boulder opal material is generally utilized in the manufacture of calibrated doublets.

Opal chips are being used in inlay or channel jewellery. At present all cuttable rough opal material is being reserved for "in-house" use.

Good quality gemstones are being cut from the material mined from the Klinker Opal deposit site and precious opal jewellery is being made and sold by Okanagan Opal Inc.

What is an Opal? | Opal Value | The Six Cuts | Okanagan Opal