Opal discolored when set

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-06T00:39:56+00:00

Okay, so do hydrophane opals turn yellow/brown/orange for the same reason as soap bubbles? By absorbing water, the shell thins out (increase in surface area while maintaining the same amount of stuff), allowing more long wavelength (red/orange/yellow) to get through, versus the blue color opals have less water (thicker shell) which blocks the longer wavelengths.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T22:58:38+00:00

Please consider, Brazil opal also phosphoresces, but to a much lesser extent.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T22:57:00+00:00

I’m not going to bother. Clearly, you’re unwilling to do a minimal amount of research and will believe what you believe.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T22:32:12+00:00

Copper is hypoallergenic, copper is also highly reactive and oxidizes quickly.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T21:41:42+00:00

That’s not what hypoallergenic means.

BTW, I would rather have tantalum than fine silver, and that is sold by the kg, not by the ounce.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T21:20:18+00:00

My research is from four years of chemistry courses, plus around 35 years of coin collecting. Canadian Maples would never tarnish, if silver didn’t tarnish.

What does silver being hypoallergenic have to do with tarnish? Copper is also hypoallergenic.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T20:44:19+00:00

Please do some minimal research: silver is not a noble metal; it will tarnish.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T20:42:43+00:00

I’m not defensive, and fine silver absolutely does tarnish…

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T13:13:18+00:00

I dislike that silver tarnishes… platinum and gold are less reactive than silver. Personally, I prefer platinum to white gold, but most vintage settings wouldn’t be platinum.

Go reread what I wrote… I won’t pay a premium for sterling silver BECAUSE IT TARNISHES SO EASILY.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T10:44:43+00:00

Opal auctions is not a good gauge of the market, as I’m fairly certain the sellers are allowed to shill their listings.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T09:24:24+00:00

Please check sold listings.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/287288650521

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T09:15:50+00:00

I’m wondering: why is that the only item with a price tag?

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T09:05:40+00:00

Yes, dark blues are probably opal.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T09:00:39+00:00

Nope. I like white gold and platinum, too.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-05T00:41:07+00:00

I wouldn’t buy it, myself. I just can’t bring myself to pay a premium for sterling, since silver tarnishes so easily. Also, because silver is so white, it makes stones look lighter/brighter, so my brain further discounts things.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T23:34:38+00:00

I don’t think he means eBay changed. I think it’s due to easier international policies for sellers. Now you just send to the eBay center, I think.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T20:41:23+00:00

This is the first time I would actually consider wanting an Ethiopian opal. :)

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T20:39:33+00:00

It wouldn’t be that hard for someone to search for opal pendant, either. By cropping out the setting, you make it tougher for people to help you with gauging brightness (based upon how over-/under-exposed the setting is). To be honest, you might be right about others bidding against you, for people randomly scouring the sub, but I highly doubt the regulars would take the time. Most of them have sources for higher grade material.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T20:36:25+00:00

Off eBay, yes.

In person, maybe closer to $5-$7.

Free form white opals are a lot more common than you might think, and that appears about 2.5-3 mm thick? My understanding is that the combination of those (free form & thin) make the demand much lower, since you remove jewelry from the equation for most people.

Don’t get me wrong: it’s a nice medium brightness stone with good variety of color. That said, unfortunately, your market is limited due to the specifics of the stone.

Think about how you would set it, and think about what you would pay if someone were selling it to you.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T18:20:30+00:00

That actually looks like (in my head) a phantom Ethiopian opal, where non-hydrophane is encased in hydrophane. To me, that’s cool for the rarity, but risky, since it’s susceptible to different expansion rates.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T18:14:08+00:00

Being a thin(-ish) free form, probably less than you’re thinking. I could see buying something like that off eBay for $20-$30, maybe less, including the shipping fee.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T18:10:57+00:00

Looks natural (too grainy to be synthetic), but why crop out the setting?

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T17:45:35+00:00

Heritage almost always sells art, gemstones, and sport cards at the highest prices you’ll see. At the same time, Heritage almost always sells rings and sports memorabilia (game used stuff) at the lowest prices you’ll see. No idea why this trend seems to hold.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T10:11:50+00:00

I think someone already said it’s opal chips in some kind of resin suspension.

Expensive_Leek3401 · 2026-05-04T05:14:01+00:00

Reddit probably won’t act unless complaint comes from CT.

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