The Olympic Australis opal is the largest and most valuable
opal
Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO2·''n''H2O); its water content may range from 3 to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6 and 10%. Due to its amorphous property, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms ...
yet found () and was valued at in 1997. It was found in 1956 at the 'Eight Mile' opal field near the town of
Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy () is a town in northern South Australia, north of Adelaide on the Stuart Highway. The town is sometimes referred to as the "opal capital of the world" because of the quantity of precious opals that are mined there. Coober Pedy is ...
in
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
.
The opal was found at a depth of . The Olympic Australis opal was named in honor of the
Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
, which were being
held
Held may refer to:
Places
* Held Glacier
People Arts and media
* Adolph Held (1885–1969), U.S. newspaper editor, banker, labor activist
*Al Held (1928–2005), U.S. abstract expressionist painter.
*Alexander Held (born 1958), German television ...
in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
in the year of the opal's discovery. It consists of 99% gem opal with an even colour throughout the stone, and has been left in a natural state, unpolished and uncut with blemishes. Olympic Australis is 280 mm long, 120 mm thick, and 115 mm wide (11 in long, 4.75 in thick, and 4.5 in wide). It weighs 17,000 carats (3450 g/121.7 oz/7.6 lbs). , the opal is kept in Sydney, at the offices of Altmann & Cherny Ltd.
[Allan W. Eckert; ''The world of opals'' John Wiley and Sons, 1997 p100]
See also
*
List of individual gemstones
A number of gemstones have gained fame, either because of their size and beauty or because of the people who owned or wore them.
A list of famous gemstones follows.
Alexandrites
* Smithsonian museums' Alexandrite, the largest cut alexandrite ...
Other notable individual opals:
*
Andamooka Opal The Andamooka Opal is a famous opal which was presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 on the occasion of her first visit to South Australia. The opal was mined in Andamooka in 1949. The opal was cut and polished by John Altmann to a weight of . I ...
*
Galaxy Opal The Galaxy Opal is the world's largest polished opal, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1992."The Guinness book of records, 1993" October 1992, p.22/ref> It was found at the Boi Morto Mine in Brazil in 1976. The finished opal weig ...
* Glorious Jubilee
*
Flame Queen Opal
The Flame Queen Opal is perhaps the most famous of all opals. It is the best-known example of “eye-of-opal”, an eye-like effect created when opal in-fills a cavity.
The Flame Queen's flat central raised dome flashes red or gold depending on t ...
*
Halley's Comet Opal
The Halley's Comet Opal is the largest uncut black opal in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It is so named because it was unearthed in 1986, a year when Halley's Comet could be seen from Earth. It is the third largest ge ...
References
Individual opals
1956 in Australia
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