3.16 Ct carved flower opal

A beautiful small 3.16 Ct flower opal carving. 

What are crystal opals?

Opal formation commences when silica dissolves in water. At our Russell's opal mine we have found that this silica solution occupies a void most probably left by decaying tree roots or branches. When it solidifies it creates an opalized replica of the original object. These are also known as 'jelly mould' fossils.

In some rare cases we have found large and rare opal fossil specimens with beautifully preserved external features and pure crystal opal ‘branches' or 'roots’ within.

The smaller and more fragmented pieces yield thick "crystal opal" that we carve into transparent and translucent opal gemstones.