14 DAY TRIAL // The amazing stone featured in the photo above is not a piece of glass with a thick nebula trapped inside it, as you might think, but a very fine American contra luz opal.
According to Bonhams, the auction house that sold the incredibly beautiful stone last May for about $20,000 (€14,600), the piece is suitable for “mounting as a stunning and unique pendant, as the clear, transparent crystal body has a fine, firey play-of-color that is gem quality.”
“The piece has a botryoidal jasper formation which forms a unique inclusion,” the description of the stone adds.
Opal is a very common material that is found throughout the world, but there are some pieces that flash iridescent colors when they are viewed from different angles, when the stones are moved or when the light source is moved.
Contra luz opals are similar to crystal opals, which means they are transparent, but have this ability to also create color flash when light passes through from the opposite side.
The stone pictured above weighs approximately 119.0 carats and measures 46.0 x 44.0 x 10.1mm (1.81 x 1.73 x 0.39 in) and was found in Opal Butte, Oregon. Despite the beautiful swirling colors, what makes this piece really unique is the brown nebula-like cluster formed inside it.
Although contra luz opals are rarely precious, this one is definitely more beautiful than any diamond or gem.