How Lab-Grown Opal is Made

How Lab-Grown Opal is Made

Our lab-grown opal, also known as synthetic opal or man-made opal, is a marvel of science, capturing the dazzling beauty of natural opal in a controlled environment. The result is a gemstone material with spectacular, consistent color and fire. While created in a lab, it shares the same fundamental composition as its natural counterpart: silica.

Lab-grown opal provides a brilliant and ethical alternative to mined opal. It offers not only affordability but also enhanced durability for creative projects. Unlike natural opal, which can be prone to cracking or crazing, our opal is stabilized with a polymer. This special impregnation process makes the material much stronger and easier to work with, perfect for jewelry, ring making, and other crafts. Please note, because of this polymer stabilization, the material cannot be exposed to the high heat of activities like glassblowing.

The Creation Process

Growing opal is a slow and precise art that mimics nature's own method, refined by science. The entire process, from start to finish, can take over a year to complete.

Step 1: Forming the Foundation

The journey begins with a solution of microscopic silica spheres suspended in water. This solution is the basic building block of opal. Nothing can be rushed here; the silica must be allowed to settle naturally.

Step 2: The Long Wait for Color

Over several months, these tiny silica spheres gradually sink and stack themselves into a highly ordered, tightly packed lattice. It is this perfectly uniform structure that gives opal its unique magic. As light passes through, the structure acts like a prism, diffracting the light and splitting it into a vibrant, dancing spectrum of color. This phenomenon is known as "play-of-color."

Step 3: Stabilization and Hardening

Once the silica structure is perfectly formed, the water is slowly and carefully removed. The material is then infused with a polymer to add strength and stability. This crucial step enhances the opal's durability, making it resistant to impact and cracking. The block is then allowed to fully harden into a solid mass.

Step 4: Revealing the Beauty

The rough block of lab-grown opal is now ready to be transformed. Just like a natural gemstone, it is skillfully cut, shaped, and polished to reveal the breathtaking patterns and colors locked inside. This process results in a stunning material ready for endless creative applications.

Explore Our Lab-Grown Opal Supplies

This beautiful and versatile material can be cut, crushed, and shaped for jewelry, woodworking, resin art, nail art, and so much more. Find the perfect form for your next project!

Crushed Opal

Our crushed lab-grown opal is a versatile inlay material, ideal for ring making and filling small voids in woodworking or resin art. It is one of our most popular materials because it can be used in nearly any type of craft project.

The Black Fire Crushed Opal is a consistent fan favorite!

Crushed Black Fire Opal with vibrant red and green flashes.

Opal Beads

Lab-created opal beads feature a brilliant play-of-color that makes them a stunning choice for jewelry and wire wrapping projects. Their vibrant fire is sure to make any piece stand out.

Pearl White Opal Beads have gained immense popularity for their unique rainbow sparkle.

Strand of Pearl White Opal Beads with rainbow shimmer.

Faceted Stones

The diamond cut of our faceted lab opal stones enhances their natural fire, creating an unmatched sparkle. These stones are cut to sit perfectly within a prong or bezel setting for earrings, rings, and pendants.

Pacific Sapphire Faceted Stones capture the beauty of the ocean with their rich blue and green hues.

A faceted Pacific Sapphire opal stone showing blue and green colors.

Opal Cabochons

With a flat back and a domed top, our lab-grown opal cabochons are excellent for inlay work in both jewelry and woodworking. They offer vibrant color and are easy for makers of all skill levels to work with.

Black Fire Opal Cabochons are a true classic, offering dramatic color for any project.

Round Black Fire Opal cabochon with a flat back.

Let's Create Together

We are always working to bring you new and exciting opal products for your creations. What do you want to see next? Let us know!

Contact Us or follow us @theopaldealer on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to be the first to see our newest products.

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