These sixteen famous opals include some of the largest and most beautiful in the world. Learn their fascinating backstories in this article.
9 Minute Read
With Australia producing most of the world’s opal, it’s no wonder that so many famous opal specimens come from Down Under. Here are the stories behind these famous opals.
An impressive stone, the “Aurora Australis” shows a harlequin pattern in blue, green, and red. At 180 carats and with this coveted, rare pattern, this opal is currently valued at an estimated AU$1,000,000.
Miner Charlie Dunstan unearthed this opal in Lightning Ridge in 1938. At the time, there was little demand for large black opals, but Altman and Cherney acquired the stone in a pre-formed state and polished it. If you want to see the “Aurora Australis,” it’s on display at their Sydney showroom.
An earlier Charlie Dunstan discovery, the “Fire Queen” or “Dunstan’s Stone” is another find from Lightning Ridge. This opal was described as “beautiful beyond description” and a “living ball of fire.” According to legend, Dunstan received only £100 for this 900-carat heavyweight. The stone passed through many hands before J. D. Rockefeller added it to his collection in 1949 for a sum of £75,000.
Not to be confused with the “Fire Queen,”…
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With Australia producing most of the world’s opal, it’s no wonder that so many famous opal specimens come from Down Under. Here are the stories behind these famous opals.
An impressive stone, the “Aurora Australis” shows a harlequin pattern in blue, green, and red. At 180 carats and with this coveted, rare pattern, this opal is currently valued at an estimated AU$1,000,000.
Miner Charlie Dunstan unearthed this opal in Lightning Ridge in 1938. At the time, there was little demand for large black opals, but Altman and Cherney acquired the stone in a pre-formed state and polished it. If you want to see the “Aurora Australis,” it’s on display at their Sydney showroom.
An earlier Charlie Dunstan discovery, the “Fire Queen” or “Dunstan’s Stone” is another find from Lightning Ridge. This opal was described as “beautiful beyond description” and a “living ball of fire.” According to legend, Dunstan received only £100 for this 900-carat heavyweight. The stone passed through many hands before J. D. Rockefeller added it to his collection in 1949 for a sum of £75,000.
Not to be confused with the “Fire Queen,”…
These sixteen famous opals include some of the largest and most beautiful in the world. Learn their fascinating backstories in this article.
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