Opal is a colorful, soft gemstone. Treat it with care, and it will give you many, many years of rewarding beauty. Opals are best worn frequently, rinsed occasionally, and stored in a soft place- velvet compartment or silk bag, for instance, and kept away from other gemstones so that they don't get scratched. Opal comes in many beautiful colors: orange, yellow, red, white, and blue. There are many varieties besides the Australian white and black opals. The most brilliant opals are the Mexican fire opals, which range from brilliant orange-red to white. Peruvian blue opal is another favorite, coming in every shade of blue from nearly white to sky to brilliant. And if your designs are crying out for yellows, try the exciting African yellow opal. To add to the gem's unique interest, opals sometimes have pretty little dendrites that mark the stones as total individuals.
