Questions & Answers

Opal Minded offers opals from all major opal fields in Australia including; Lightning Ridge, Coober Pedy, Mintabie, Andamooka, Winton and Quilpie. We also have an extensive selection of exquisite opals from our own mines in Jundah-Opalville.

Read more about our ethical mining practices.

Solid opal is a gemstone that is mined, cut and polished.

An opal doublet or opal triplet is a composite stone. Opal doublets are made with a thin layer of opal that is sliced and glued onto a darker material. This could be the host rock in which the opal is found (referred to as “potch”), ironstone, or in some cases, plastic.
Opal triplets contain a very thin slice of opal, which is sandwiched between a dark backing and a quartz, crystal or plastic dome.
Both can offer the wonderful play-of-colour unique to Australian opals, for a price significantly lower than that of a comparable solid opal. While some exceptional doublets may also be valuable, opal triplets are appreciated mostly for their aesthetic rather than gem quality or value.

At Opal Minded, we offer genuine Australian solid opal and premium quality opal doublets.

Read our guide to buying opal online.

Each jewellery piece is individually crafted and we do not use pre-made settings or pre-calibrated opals. Our jewellers make all settings using manufacturing techniques best-suited to each individual piece. Every design produces a different result depending on the size and appearance of the opal it will hold.

Read more about our process here.

Yes, we offer a bespoke jewellery design service. Our award-winning Creative Director, Renata Bernard, can work with you to create the opal piece of your dreams. Book your bespoke opal jewellery consultation session at consultation@opalminded.com.

Our Creative Director can redesign and reset opal pieces and give them an up-to-date look. We also offer opal jewellery repairs, restorations, opal recutting, ring resizing and opal cleaning and repolishing services.

Find out more about our opal services.

All opals are unique, which makes finding a perfect match a difficult and time-consuming task. At Opal Minded, we will not rest until we find a suitable match regardless of how long it takes.

Yes, we have a beautiful selection of unset opals at various price points from different parts of Australia. Send us an email with your specifications and our opal specialist will respond within 48 hours with a selection of opals for your consideration.

It depends. Any hydrophane opal variety, such as that found in Ethiopia, may dehydrate in dry environments and its quality of colour may suffer. Australian solid opals do not need to be stored in water as their water content and porosity are significantly lower. After all, they’re mined in the harsh low humidity conditions of the Australian outback.

Continuous exposure to water may have a detrimental effect on doublet (composite) opals as their binding agent may not be made to withstand it for prolonged periods and may dissolve or crumble.

Solid natural opals will not lose their colour. If worn frequently in a ring, an opal’s surface may need repolishing to make it shiny again, but its colour and intensity will not change.

Some composite opals may be damaged by continuous exposure to water because the layers separate, giving the impression of the colour fading. This is an optical illusion caused by the slice of opal separating from the (usually dark) backing that’s used to intensify the colour of the opal slice in the composite.

Opals have a similar hardness to emeralds, tanzanites and can be worn for generations to come. Like all jewellery, opals should match your lifestyle.

At Opal Minded, we take care to determine the best opal gem shape and setting for your needs. For example, if you prefer not to worry about having to treat your rings with care, we’ll ensure your ring opal can withstand whatever you throw its way.

Of course you can! Why would you have it if not to wear it? Just remember to keep composite opals away from water and take all your jewellery – opal and other – to a trusted jeweller to have it looked over every couple of years.

Absolutely not! Historically, the opal is a gemstone of happiness, loyalty and love. Connotations to “bad luck” go back to a marketing myth that took hold when Australian opals were introduced to Europe at the end of the 19th century in direct competition with other gems (and the companies that owned them).

The Romans believed opals to be one of the luckiest gemstones and the Caesars gifted them to their wives as a token of hope and good fortune. These days, opal engagement rings and opal jewellery are once again tokens of love and a desirable alternative to diamonds.

Customers from all over the world have been choosing our opal jewellery to celebrate their birthdays, anniversaries, and other special moments, since we first opened our doors back in 1989.

Read more about the symbolism of opals.

An opal’s value is determined by its rarity and beauty. Tonnes of earth must be moved to discover just a handful of opals, with only a small portion being of premium quality. It’s a labour of love- a lifelong treasure hunt with a lot of digging in between.

Find out more about opals with our guide.

Opals are cut and polished to bring out each gem’s most beautiful play-of-colour. Faceting an opal adds nothing to its beauty and diminishes the very quality that makes it unique.

Rarity and beauty determine an opal’s value. Opals with a darker body tone and strong play-of-colour found in Lightning Ridge or Queensland are usually more valuable than their easier to find and lighter counterparts from other parts of Australia.

However, some light body-tone opals may be significantly rarer and more valuable than some darker ones. Valuing opals is a complicated business and to get an insight into the multiple factors involved, book a visit with one of our gemmologists and valuers who will gladly explain the basics of opal valuation.

Find out more about opals with our guide.

Yes, a premium quality doublet opal can make stunning jewellery piece. It’s important to remember that doublet opals should not be exposed to water regularly or for a prolonged period of time. Although many composite opals can withstand water, we prefer not to set them in rings and reserve them for pendants, earrings, brooches, bracelets and cufflinks.

We value our reputation and the trust that our clients have been placing in us for more than 30 years. Opal Minded guarantees the quality of our opals in writing and issues Certificates of Authenticity and/or Certificates of Valuation on request.

Quality opals are never inexpensive, so if something is cheap, there’s probably a reason for it. When buying online, it’s always good to check whether you can visit the retailer in person and ask how they guarantee the quality of their stones.

Opal Minded guarantees the quality of our opals and the accuracy of the information we provide. Our valuers and gemmologists ensure our prices reflect a fair retail market price.

Yes, we can. In most cases our experienced jeweller can resize even the most challenging designs. For more information, contact us directly at consultation@opalminded.com.

Yes, we do. All you need to do is nominate the occasion along with your preferences and we’ll take care of the rest.

The opal is the birthstone for October.

According to an old mining myth, butterflies would appear over areas with significant underground presence of opals. In the vast Australian outback, this became an omen of a successful dig.
Our butterfly is a reminder that the environment we operate in is fragile and it’s our duty to care for it.

Contact us.

If the "why" and "how" matters to you as much as the "what" of the opal world, Opal Minded is the best opal destination for you.

A Certificate of Authenticity validates the origin of the opal, its weight and type and provides a photograph that identifies it. The certificate may or may not include the name of the recipient as well as the piece’s retail price.

This is a wonderful accompaniment to an opal gift and a useful provenance document for future generations. We offer this as a complimentary service to our clients

All our opals and opal jewellery pieces come with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).

A Certificate of Valuation includes additional information about the opal piece and states the retail replacement value at Opal Minded. This document is prepared by valuers specialising in opals, and is a legally binding document and can be used as a reliable assessment for jewellery insurance policies.

All pieces ordered at Opal Minded that have a Certificate of Valuation (COV) should have that noted in the listing description on our website.

Yes, you can. The cost of a certificate starts from $198 (GST included) depending on the piece. Please contact our boutique for more details. Note that a Certificate of Valuation may be only issued if a piece is physically sighted by the valuer. We do not perform valuations online or by correspondence.

A Certificate of Authenticity validates the origin of the opal, its weight and type and provides a photograph that identifies it. It may or may not include the piece’s retail price and the name of the person who will own it.

A Certificate of Valuation includes additional information and states the retail replacement value at Opal Minded. A COV is a legally binding document prepared by specialist opal valuers and may be used as a reliable assessment for jewellery insurance policies.

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We offer opal jewellery design, redesign and repairs, opal recutting, resizing rings, cleaning and polishing opal jewellery and unset opals.

Opal Minded Creative Director, Renata Bernard, PhD GIA GG and NCJV accredited valuer, is available by appointment to advise on your design requirements and work with you to create the opal piece of your dreams. Book your bespoke opal jewellery consultation session at consultation@opalminded.com.

Absolutely! Our Creative Director would be delighted to take your opal and design a spectacular jewellery piece for you. For clients with their own ideas, she has a knack for taking a vision and making it a reality.

We specialise in Australian opals, however, we also design and redesign a myriad of other jewellery pieces with and without gemstones.

All our pieces come with a one-year guarantee against any faults in materials or workmanship. At the same time, Opal Minded offers lifetime service guarantees to all our clients. If you want to know more, email us directly and your personal opal specialist will reply within 48 hours.

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Yes, Opal Minded offers complimentary shipping.

For shipment within Australia we use Australia Post services (Express Post, insured, trackable and with signature on delivery).

For international deliveries, we use Australia Post, FedEx, Brinks and UPS (international standard delivery, insured and trackable). If you prefer a different shipping service, email us at info@opalminded.com.

After your purchase is finalised, domestic delivery could take up to seven business days. International shipments can take up to four weeks (although the majority arrive at their destination within 7-10 days).

It’s important to us that your purchase arrives safely and you will be kept up-to-date by your personal opal specialist. We do not take responsibility for delays or returns caused by packages retained for inspection at customs.

Yes, your purchase comes with complimentary insurance to the value of $75,000. For additional insurance, drop us an email and your personal opal specialist will reply within 48 hours.

Some countries offer import tax exemptions. Please check taxes and duties payable with the relevant authorities in your country.

At the time of writing, Australia has a free trade agreement with 12 countries: Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. The Agreement allows import tax exemption on Australian opals and Australian made opal jewellery. Contact us for more details.

Import tax and duty are payable by you on arrival of the goods. If you live in one of the 12 countries that have a free trade agreement with Australia, you will not be liable for these charges. We can assist you with the paperwork to secure applicable exemption. Please check some of these with the relevant authorities in your country to determine the level, if any, at which imports are taxed on arrival.

Your local post office or international couriers like FedEx or DHL can help. For more details email uswith your request and your personal opal specialist will respond within 48 hours and help you prepare your item for shipment.

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You can pay by credit or debit card: Mastercard, Visa, American Express or by Pay Pal, Bank Transfer and Chinese Union Pay. Traditional bank transfer is also available.

All online transactions may be processed in American dollars and euros. If your currency is not available on our website and you would pay in Australian dollars, your bank makes an automatic conversion to your currency depending on the exchange rate that day. All details should be recorded on your bank statement.

While in accordance with Australian Consumer Law, Opal Minded is not obliged to refund for change of mind, we do guarantee your satisfaction. If you are not happy with the opal piece you received, you can send it back to us for a refund within 30 days. A full money refund will be provided if you change your mind.

To be accepted as a return the piece needs to be in its original condition with the original label intact within thirty days from that date that the item is received in the post for a full refund (shipping charges including return shipping fees are nonrefundable). The item must be returned in the condition in which it was received - unworn, unused, with the barcode label still attached and in its original packaging. We will refund your order upon receival of the item. If the opal jewellery item does not have the original tags attached, a store credit (exclusive of the original shipping fee) will be issued.

Refunds include any GST originally paid on the item being returned. It can take up to two billing cycles for refunds to appear on printed credit card statements, although you should be able to verify the credit within 72 business hours from the date the return is processed. We do not refund duties/taxes from other countries, as we do not collect them. For the refund of those, please, contact the appropriate Customs office in your country.

Bespoke and custom orders are hard costs. As such, all opal jewelry which has been custom created, resized and/or adjusted per customer specifications cannot be refunded, exchanged or adjusted after an order has been paid for and processed. All bespoke and custom order sales are final and payments in full must be made prior to the start of production.

In the unlikely event that the item is faulty or different from the piece your ordered, we will repair or replace it free of charge or issue a full refund. Find out more at Shipping, exchange and refunds policy or email us directly and your personal opal specialist will reply within 48 hours.

We want you to be delighted with your purchase. However, if you feel that you have made the wrong selection, you can exchange your item or return it within 30 days of receiving the item(s). An exchange must be initiated in writing via email or our website portal. Your personal opal assistant will respond to the enquiry within 48 hours.

Bespoke and custom orders are hard costs. As such, all opal jewelry which has been custom created, resized and/or adjusted per customer specifications cannot be refunded, exchanged or adjusted after an order has been paid for and processed.

It is your responsibility to pay the shipping costs, including insurance, for returning the products to us for an exchange due to change of mind. In these circumstances, we will not be liable for any products which are damaged or lost in transit. Find out more at Shipping, exchange and refunds policy or email us directly and your personal opal specialist will reply within 48 hours.

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The Opal Minded E-Gift card can be redeemed on the Opal Minded website. If shopping from the Opal Minded website, enter the code in your email at checkout or click the link provided in the email to automatically apply your gift card at checkout. There is no expiry date to redeem your gift card.

Once the sender places an order for an Opal Minded E-Gift Card, the recipient will receive their gift card directly via the nominated email address.

Opal Minded E-Gift Cards cannot be used in conjunction with other discount codes or promotions.

The minimum value to be loaded on an Opal Minded E-Gift Card is $AU500 and the maximum value that can be loaded is $AU5,000

In conjunction with the Australian Consumer Law, Opal Minded is not obliged to refund for a change of mind but we do guarantee your satisfaction. If you are not happy with the opal piece you received, you can send it back to us for a full refund within 30 days. To be accepted as a return the piece needs to be shipped back within 30 days from the date it was received in the post (shipping charges including return shipping fees are non-refundable). The piece must be in its original condition and packaging. We will issue a refund once we receive the item. If the opal jewellery item does not have its original tags attached, store credit (exclusive of the original shipping fee) will be issued. Bespoke and custom orders are hard costs. As such, all opal jewellery which have been custom created, resized and/or adjusted per customer specifications cannot be refunded, exchanged or adjusted after an order has been paid for and processed. All bespoke and custom order sales are final and payments in full must be made prior to the start of production. Refunds will not be given for unused gift cards. In the unlikely event that the item is faulty or different from the piece your ordered, we will repair or replace it free of charge or issue a full refund. Please email us directly and your personal opal specialist will reply within 48 hours.

The Opal Minded E-Gift Card is active upon receiving it via email, there is an unlimited timeframe to redeem the gift card. The value does not expire.

Please contact Opal Minded at: online@opalminded.com