Australia supplies about 95% of the world's precious opal from large deposits in New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland (around the edges of the Great Artesian Basin).
Opal artifacts dating back several thousand years have been discovered in East Africa.
As early as 250 BC, the Romans prized opals, which were thought to have come from mines in Eastern Europe, the ancient world's main source of opals.
Australian opal pendant discovered during the late 19th century (they found little favor in European markets, but their commercial value increased in the 19th century).
In Australia, the rare opal wedding band occurs in the Cretaceous period, and it is also the only part of the world where opalized animal and plant fossils have been found.
Like the one pictured above, this is a "Lightning Ridge Black Opal" set in a 9k yellow gold ring I made for a client.
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