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Opal

op·​al | ˈō-pəl

noun

A semi-precious stone known for its iridescent, luminous qualities

Opal is a semi-precious stone that is best known for its luminous nature, iridescent even before it is cut. However, because of the water content within an opal, they are considered fairly sensitive to handling and can crack relatively easily. The color of an opal ranges substantially, sometimes with multiple colors in a single stone that give it a fire-like effect. There are two types of opals found naturally - common and precious opals. Common opal does not convey the play of color effect for which precious opals are most known, but are relatively similar in composition and the conditions in which they are found. Opals can be transparent, translucent or opaque depending on the conditions in which they are formed.