Synthetic Opal

Synthetic opal, also called created or lab-grown opal, is opal made in a laboratory with the same basic structure as natural precious opal: tiny spheres of silica arranged in an orderly grid that produce play-of-colour. It was first produced commercially by Pierre Gilson in France in 1974, and is now made by several companies, notably in Japan (Kyocera) and China. Many synthetic opals are impregnated with resin or polymer to make them more stable, and these may contain little water.

Synthetic opal is made in white, black, crystal and fire opal colours, as well as blue, green, pink and purple shades not found in nature. Under magnification its play-of-colour often shows a regular, repeating "lizard skin", "chicken wire" or columnar pattern, unlike the irregular patches of colour in natural opal. It is often lighter in weight than natural opal.

"Opalite" is a different material: a man-made glass with a milky blue-white sheen and orange glow when held against a dark background. It is not opal at all and has no play-of-colour, but it is a popular and inexpensive bead material. Other opal imitations include resin and plastic.

Synthetic opal is attractive, affordable and durable, and is widely used for beads, cabochons and inlay. It should always be sold as synthetic, created or lab-grown.

Synthetic Opal at a glance

Caring for synthetic opal

Synthetic opal is relatively soft (4.5 – 6 on the Mohs scale) and can scratch easily. Clean it with lukewarm soapy water and a soft cloth. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners, solvents and high heat, which can damage resin-impregnated material. Store it separately in a soft pouch, away from harder stones.

In folklore

The beliefs below are traditional folklore, included for interest. They are not scientifically proven, and nothing here is medical advice.

As a modern material, synthetic opal has no traditional folklore of its own. Opalite glass, sometimes sold as "sea opal" or "opal moonstone", has gained a modern reputation as a stone of calm and transition, though these names are misleading as it is neither opal nor moonstone.

Within crystal healing traditions, created opal is often said to share some of the uplifting qualities of natural opal, such as creativity and optimism, though many practitioners prefer natural stones. Opalite glass, despite being man-made, is popular in crystal circles and is said to aid communication, ease transitions and bring calm.

Related stones

Precious opal, fire opal, common opal, opal doublets and triplets, opalite (man-made glass), and other lab-created gemstones. Imitations of opal include resin, plastic and glass.

For the technically minded

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