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 form ...
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 vari ...
, 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 alexandrit ...
Other notable individual opals:
*
Andamooka Opal
*
Galaxy Opal
* Glorious Jubilee
*
Flame Queen Opal
*
Halley's Comet Opal
References
Individual opals
1956 in Australia
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