Natural Stones And Slab
Natural gemstones i.e tourmaline, aquamarine, topaz, peridot, ruby, emerald, lapis lazuli, kunzite sapphire
Rough Sapphires & Black Opals
Synthetic Gemstones, Cubic Zirconia, Cz, Zircon Gemstone, Zircon Stone, Glass Gemstones, Glass Stone, Jewelry
Pyrite, Pink Opal, Blue Opal, Chalcedony, Lead, Mix Minerals
Rough sapphires & black opals
Cubic zirconia, ruby, corundum, opal, spinel, glass gemstones and natural gemstone
Spinel gemstones
Cubic zirconia, moissanite, nano, spinel, opal, topaz, natural stone
Rough Sapphires & Black Opals
Synthetic Gemstones Like Cubic Zirconia, Spinel, Ruby, Nano, Glass, Lab Grown Emerald, Ruby Sapphire
Spinel Gemstones
Synthetic Gemstones Like Cubic Zirconia, Spinel, Ruby, Nano, Glass, Lab Grown Emerald, Ruby Sapphire
Precious And Semi Precious Gemstones
Zircon Loose Gemstones
Precious stones like emerald, ruby stones, emerald, precious stones, ruby, topaz, turquoise
Fine quality Rough and cut precious gems, panjshir emerald, sapphire, ruby, spinel,
Blue sapphire, ruby, tsavourite, pink saphires, yellow, violet, spinel, garnet, patparaja
Natural precious, semi precious gemstones rough or cut including: sapphires, royal blue sapphires, spinel, tourmaline, garnet, and any other gemstone
Cut and polished precious stone & semi precious like ruby, yellow sapphire, blue sapphire, blue zircon
Made of hydrated silica, opals are known for their beauty and mystical charm that radiates through their unique "play of color" (flashes of color that change with the stone's movement). Opals contain water (ranging from 3% to 21%) and are considered mineraloids rather than minerals because, unlike most other gemstones, they are not crystalline. The word 'opal' stems from the ancient Sanskrit word upala (meaning 'stone' or 'precious stone'). It is also believed to have derived from the Latin 'opalus' (meaning 'precious stone') and the Greek 'opallios' (meaning 'to see a change in color'). Archaeological evidence shows that opals were discovered over 10,000 years ago in North America and around 6,000 years ago in Kenya. Opal gemstones have played a role in the history of many cultures and regions.
Many artifacts found in ancient civilizations prove that opals have been traded as a commodity for thousands of years. But it became a vital part of international trade in the 19th century, with Australia emerging as the primary source, producing 95% of the world's opals. The discovery of the black opals in the early 20th century made these gemstones even more popular. Found in Lightning Ridge (New South Wales), black opal soon became the most sought-after variety among opal buyers worldwide. However, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the opal market crashed, and it took many decades for the market to get back on track. After the discovery of Ethiopian opal in the 1960s, the value of opals grew notably in the international market. And today, opal gemstones are traded globally, with Australia, Ethiopia, and the United States being key market players.
Just like their iridescent radiance, the global demand for opal gemstones never fades. There are a variety of cultural, aesthetic, and commercial factors responsible for it. We already know that opals are valued for their play-of-color and one-of-a-kind appearance. But do you know that in several regions (like India, Thailand, and China), opals are also associated with emotional healing, creativity, and spiritual grounding? The allure of opals extends beyond their visual charm to their intriguing symbolism. Many people believe that they instill a sense of calm and balance in the wearer and possess energy-enhancing properties.
Opal gemstones are the birthstone for October, and they are linked to the planet Venus in Vedic astrology. Thus, they are said to enhance love, beauty, and creativity. Besides the spiritual, astrological, and metaphysical beliefs, opal stones have carved their own niche in the era of personalized jewellery and sustainable luxury. When it comes to fashion and custom jewellery, the admiration for opal gemstone pieces (such as opal earrings and opal stone rings) continues to grow. Recent years have seen a drastic increase in cross-border trade among opal gem buyers and suppliers. If you are an exporter or supplier of natural opal gemstones, you should be aware of their major sources and the regional variations in opal deposits, which often affect their value and market positioning.
Different Sources of Opal Gemstones:
Essentially, there are two major opal types, and these are precious opal and common opal. Precious opals show the iridescent effect (known as play-of-color) and include many subtypes such as white opal, black opal, boulder opal, fire opal, and crystal opal. On the other hand, common opals lack this optical phenomenon but also come in many varieties, including jelly opal, Mexican opal, Peruvian opal, blue opal, and matrix opal. In addition, there are also other classifications (like synthetic opals, opal doublets and triplets, etc.), which are usually man-made or assembled forms. Here are some of the commonly traded and most sought-after opal varieties among gemstone buyers.
To attract a larger buyer base and increase profitability, opal gemstone exporters often diversify their offerings by trading in other related categories, such as:
Learning about key market insights and trends can help exporters discover global opportunities and make data-backed decisions for their business. From market size and top opal gemstone importers to price trends, here’s everything you need to know.
While specific market size data for opal gemstones is currently unavailable, here is the market size for gemstones as a broader category.
Global Gemstone Market Size:
Source: Future Market Insights
Top Opal Gemstones Importing Countries:
Source: Volza
Average Price Range for Popular Opal Stone Types
Source: GemsRoot
Whether you are looking for opal gemstone buyers online globally or near you, here are the most effective methods:
1. How to get opal gemstone buyers?
You can get opal gem buyers through:
2. Does opal have resale value?
Yes, precious opals, especially varieties like black opals, boulder opals, and fire opals, have good resale value. However, it depends on quality, rarity, and market demand. However, common opals may have limited resale value.
3. What determines an opal's value?
The value of opal is determined by:
4. How can I tell if an opal is real?
You can follow these steps to identify a real opal:
5. Where is opal commonly found?
Opals are commonly found in:
6. What are the major opal importing countries?
Top opal gem importers are:
7. What are the key factors to consider when exporting opal?
When exporting opal gemstones, consider:
8. What challenges exist in the opal mining and export industry?
Some key challenges in the opal mining and export industry include market volatility, price fluctuations, risk of synthetic and treated stones (which reduces buyer trust), environmental impact of mining, regulatory barriers, export documentation, limited access to international buyers for small-scale miners, and ethical sourcing concerns.
9. What is the opal gemstones HSN code?
7103 is the opal gemstones HSN code.
10. What is the Indian Customs Duty on opal under HSN 71031090?
The Indian Customs Duty on opal under HSN 71031090 is:
The global colored-gemstone market is set for strong growth in 2025, with steady retail demand, especially for rare, high-quality stones (like black opals), now gaining attention alongside sapphires and spinels. (Full Story: RAPAPORT).
