Opalite is the synthetic version of Opals.
Most of us know about the Opals but are unaware of the Opalites.
Most sellers do not market opalites due to many reasons.
We will compare Opal vs. Opalite to help you learn more about these stones.
Opal vs. Opalite
Opal is an amorphous silica gem. It is famous for its fiery appearance.
This stone can cause light diffraction to give peculiar colors inside the crystals.
Opalite is a synthetic version of Opal.
People make it with silicon dioxide by turning the material into spheres.
The Cat eye effect is the most prominent feature of the Opalite.
People also call it moonstone falsely because it resembles the moon and its white color.
You will find it in the cabochon shape on the market.
What Is Opalite?
Opalite consists of plastic or glass material because they do not form naturally.
These are the synthetic alternatives of the Opals.
Some sellers sell them under the name tag of Opals.
People buy them because they want a stone appearing similar to an opal at a low price.
Opals form when silica centers the crevasses of the stones.
Opalite manufacturers try to mimic this process in the lab to make a stone.
Opalite has a specific set of healing properties.
It is different from the naturally occurring Opals.
You can get Opalites in different colors.
Yellow, white, and brown Opalites are common.
You will not see a color play or fire appearance in the Opalite.
It is due to a lack of extensive light diffraction.
Opals and Opalites have different hardness scores and light diffraction.
What Is Opal?
Opals are one of the high-demand stones.
It can give you the healing benefits of diamonds at a low price.
Some opals can have the price of diamonds also.
Opal quality, color diffraction pattern, and rarity determine its price.
Some can have the same price per carat as the diamonds.
You can find opals in most places in the world.
Three of these Opals are more famous.
Fire Opals are popular for their fiery appearance as they divide light into specific wavelengths to give peculiar color.
It has a mixture of red, yellow, and orange colors to provide an excellent appearance.
Boulder Opals are also famous because they have a stone with them.
Water molecules in the crystal structure are a unique feature of the Opals.
You cannot call Opal a mineral because it has an amorphous shape.
You can classify it in the mineraloid class.
What’s the Difference Between a Mineral and a Mineraloid?
It is hard to tell the difference between minerals and mineraloids without the help of a magnifying device.
People may tell the difference with their experience when they are dealing with low-price stones.
When dealing with the high price gemstones, you cannot decide without proof.
You can take the stone to a gem lab.
Gemologists can use two types of tests to confirm the identity of minerals or mineraloids.
- You will get a specific hardness score and crystal structure in the minerals. You can also identify them with their luster and cleavage.
- It is easy to identify the mineraloid because you will not observe any crystal structure in the stone.
Is Opal a Mineraloid or Mineral?
Opal is a mineraloid because it does not have any crystalline structure.
You can find some parts of the Opals with a definitive spherical structure.
These structures are clean when you see the stone under the electron microscope.
The excellent color pattern of the Opals is due to the mineraloid spheres.
When the light changes its direction and produces different wavelengths due to the spherical arrangement of the atoms, it is known as the play of color.
You can get a spherical atom arrangement in arranged or unarranged form.
There is no perfect arrangement of atoms in the Opal.
The spheres can arrange themselves in different forms.
You cannot classify this shape in the crystalline class because it does not have a repeating structure.
Mineraloid Opal: An Eye-Catching Gemstone
Opals do not have a perfect crystalline shape.
This property makes it unique, as no other opal has the same structure as your Opal.
These are perfect stones because of this feature.
As there is no crystalline structure, Opals are opaque and non-vitreous.
Stones have a high transparency level when they have a crystalline structure.
Diamonds and sapphires are in this class.
Water and silicon dioxide combine to make mineraloids.
Geothermal baths are responsible for producing Opals.
It forces silica to deposit in its crevasses.
You can amaze everyone with the Opals by making rings or pendants from them.
Most crystals have color due to metal impurities.
It is not the case with Opals.
Opals get their striking color from bending the light inside the stone.
Is Opalite a Suitable Substitute for Natural Opal in Jewelry?
Opalite is a popular choice for opal and diamond substitutes in jewelry. Its iridescent glow makes it a suitable alternative to natural opal.
Since opalite is man-made, it is more affordable while still providing a similar aesthetic. Its versatility and durability make it a great option for stunning jewelry pieces.
Opal vs. Opalite: What Are the Differences?
There are several differences between opals and opalites.
The first difference is their origin.
Opals come from geothermal baths.
Opalites are synthetic and come from a factory producing these stones.
Opals do not have a crystalline structure as it has spheres in irregular arrangement to make the stone.
Opalite can have structures similar to glass because companies make them from silica material.
There is a huge price difference between these stones.
Opals are more expensive than Opalites because it is hard o find Opals.
Is There a Difference Between Opalite and Opal?
Opalite is a brand name.
Companies give this name to many stones they manufacture in the factory with silica material.
There is no natural element in the production of this stone.
You can easily find Opalites from the market because companies produce them in bulk.
You can get a cat eye effect in the Opalite.
It will enhance the Opalite beauty.
Opals are more beautiful because they give a unique color-changing effect in the sunlight.
Can Opalite be Considered a Genuine Gem?
Some sellers falsely call Opalite by the name Moonstone because it also appears like the moonstone with its cat eye effect.
Sellers may try to sell you Opalite by labeling it with the name Opal to gain more profits.
Opalite is not a genuine gem because it is similar to glass.
Companies are making them with the same method as glass manufacturing.
You can also find it in the market by the name Tiffany stone.
We can conclude that Opalite is not a gemstone after looking at its physical and chemical features.
You can get it in all types of colors.
Does Opalite Have Healing Properties?
Most people think synthetic items do not have healing properties.
It is not valid in the case of Opalite.
Opalite has a wide range of healing properties.
It is due to the appearance and belief of people in this stone.
It is due to its dynamic properties.
You can keep this stone with you to heal your body or meditate with it to heal your soul.
It has health benefits also.
You can prevent heart and kidney diseases by keeping this stone with you.
People who always feel tired can wear Opalite because it will give them the energy to complete more tasks.
Who Can Wear White Opal?
People with problems related to sexual health can get benefits from the Opals.
Women can wear it when they are not conceiving.
Men with low sperm count can keep Opal with them to increase their sperm count.
It is more suitable for people with the zodiac sign Libra and Taurus.
Venus is the leading star of the Opal stones.
If Venus is your leading star, you can use Opal to get healing benefits.
Everyone can wear Opals and get healing benefits.
It does not produce harmful effects on anyone wearing it.
What Does a White Opal Represent?
White Opal represents luck and prosperity.
You can get this Opal from India.
It is one of the rarest opals on the market.
You will feel lucky all the time when you keep Opal with you.
It will also convert negative energy to positive energy to improve your life.
People have been using it since ancient times for its protective features.
Some believe keeping a White Opal with you gives you protection from the angles.
It is due to the divine protective abilities of the Opals.
To Summarize: Opal vs. Opalite
You can look for the physical feature and healing properties when comparing Opal vs. Opalite.
You can learn to distinguish between these stones to get maximum healing properties.
These points will help you with your goal.
- Opal is a natural stone that consists of amorphous silica material.
- Opalite is a synthetic product to mimic the appearance of Opals.
- Opals and Opalites are different because they have separate physical properties.
- Opals do not have a crystalline structure. It consists of irregularly arranged spheres.
- Everyone can wear Opals to enjoy their healing properties.
- White Opals represent luck and prosperity.
- Opalite is not a genuine gem because it does not occur naturally. You can get it in bulk quantities from the market.
- Opalite has healing properties as it prevents kidney diseases.