Aurora Borealis caught in the stone, colors of the rainbow spectacularly flashing or the fire of love burning within the gem – that’s what an opal is. People have adored opals for thousands of years now, but they became really popular in the first half of the previous century, with the discovery of opal fields around Coober Pedy, Andamooka, and Mintabie in South Australia. The most common type of opal found here is white – a precious white gem, gentle and beautiful.

Indeed, what is so special about this gemstone? Here is a list of five things that are unique about white opals.

1. The fact that it is most often found doesn’t make white opal less attractive. The play of color within this gem looks amazing against its white background. There are two types of this stone – milky and crystal opal. The white or very light body tone of milky opals makes them somewhat opaque so their shine may be bright and visible only on the surface of the stone. However, it’s not the case with the valuable white crystal opal whose transparency allows its fire to be visible throughout this clear gem, looking crispy, vibrant and fresh.
2. Unlike black or boulder opals, the play of color in the white variety extends from surface to base. The base of white opal is also light or white, which makes them different from black and boulder opals whose dark background is in contrast to the colors in the surface. The white opals have a body tone of N9 category and are cloudy to some extent, so their colors are more diffuse.
3. Some people believe that white opals have special powers and that they can help children express their feelings or people with eating disorders. Some claim that these gemstones can increase pleasure in life, inspire creativity and harmonize sexual desire. Whether you believe in this or not, no one can deny that the beauty of white opal whose colors and delicacy resemble to those of orchid or water lily can do good for your ego and self-confidence.
4. White opal can be easily combined with other precious stones such as diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds. Due to its unpretentious still sophisticated look, it can be easily set in yellow gold or sterling silver and look fantastic and classy. Rolling flash patterns in a ring or pendant will look stunning from every angle, but a few surrounding diamonds will bring the best out of it.
5. And in the end, white opals are more affordable than the black ones. White opals can display all the colors of the spectrum, and they will rarely cost as much as their darker cousins for the simple reason – they are much more common. Although opals with milky body tone can show less vibrant colors, there are high quality white opals of incredible beauty and brightness. So, if you want a perfect engagement ring, think of white opal.