The uniquely spectacular opal is the national gemstone of Australia. The internal structure of precious opal makes it diffract light. Depending on the conditions in which it formed, it can take on many colors. Precious opal ranges from clear through white, gray, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, magenta, rose, pink, slate, olive, brown, and black. Opals vary in optical density from opaque to semitransparent and show opalescence, a form of iridescence. Opal is formed from a solution of silicon dioxide and water. As water runs down through the earth, it picks up silica from sandstone, and carries this silica-rich solution into cracks and voids , caused by natural faults or decomposing fossils. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind a silica deposit. This cycle repeats over very long periods of time, and eventually opal is formed. Opals are made up from tiny uniformed spheres of transparent hard silica. It is the order of the spheres that separates the precious opal from the common opal. These tiny spheres also determine colours and patterns of opals. The size of the spheres has a bearing on the colour produced. Smaller spheres bring out the blues, larger spheres produce the reds. And more and more uniform the spheres are placed, the more intense, brilliant and defined the colour will be.
byceciliamok
2710 designs
Featured In
ceciliamok’s design collection
Also available as
Wallpaper you might like
Wallpaper Details
Peel and Stick
Design #7455161Subtle linen textured, DIY-friendly self-adhesive, removable and cleanable wallcovering for smooth, flat, non-textured surfaces
- 12 inch vertical repeat of the design
- 24 inches wide and available in lengths of 1 foot, 3, 6, 9 or 12 feet
- Eco-friendly inks, formaldehyde-, phthalate-, and PVC-free
- Great for upgrading rooms, temporary spaces, bookcases and an array of craft projects
- Matte finish
- Country of Origin: USA
Shipping & Returns
Spoonflower products are made-to-order, meaning we don’t have a warehouse of ready-to-ship items. This enables us to offer a huge library of designs by independent designers, available on over 50 different products. And we back every purchase up with our Happiness Guarantee. Visit our help page for information on returns and exchanges.
About the Design
About ceciliamok
Artist, designer, painter, lover of colour, storytelling and wonder. Please contact me for licensing and collaborations.
Shop ceciliamokAbout Spoonflower
Custom Fabric & Home DecorSpoonflower supports independent designers as the world’s largest Marketplace for these eco-friendly, printed-on-demand products.
Learn moreHappiness Guarantee
Your order is custom printed just for you, and we want you to love it.If you think that your order has a flaw or it is not what you expected, we want to make it right.
Learn more