Precious opals on view at Swakop

ONE of the most exquisite opal exhibitions ever to come to Namibia is currently being displayed at Engelhard Jewellers and Arts at Swakopmund until tonight.

The collection belongs to Attila Pereghy, who’s been trading with these precious stones for decade. Fifty years ago, Pereghy’s brother started mining for white opal in Queensland, Australia.”Ground” opals are now also mined there.Pereghy told The Namibian that his collection of about a thousand stones includes mostly black and ground opals, although the most valuable one, which is on show in Swakopmund, is a white opal.He explained that the colour of an opal depends upon the colour of the matrix, or mother rock, in which the opal is found.Opals are found in rock veins formed through a sedimentary process.The sediment’s compound is apparently silicium-oxide.Although Australia is the leading opal exporter, opals can be found all over the world, and some countries, such as Mexico, have unique stones like the fire opal, which is more orange in colour.Opals can be described as crystallised rainbows, or fireworks of stone, since it is the opal’s iridescent colours that make it a unique stone, drawing the eye and captivating the imagination.It has been said that the opal is the composite of every gem on earth.”The opal is an emotional stone.When you look into it, it conjures all the emotions that you have experienced all you life.From every angle, the light, colour and shape of the stone changes, drawing a familiar emotion,” Pereghy says.”It can also reflect one’s imagination.One stone may look like an ocean where the ocean floor can be seen in the deep.Another would look like earth as seen from the moon.”Fifty years ago, Pereghy’s brother started mining for white opal in Queensland, Australia.”Ground” opals are now also mined there.Pereghy told The Namibian that his collection of about a thousand stones includes mostly black and ground opals, although the most valuable one, which is on show in Swakopmund, is a white opal.He explained that the colour of an opal depends upon the colour of the matrix, or mother rock, in which the opal is found.Opals are found in rock veins formed through a sedimentary process.The sediment’s compound is apparently silicium-oxide.Although Australia is the leading opal exporter, opals can be found all over the world, and some countries, such as Mexico, have unique stones like the fire opal, which is more orange in colour.Opals can be described as crystallised rainbows, or fireworks of stone, since it is the opal’s iridescent colours that make it a unique stone, drawing the eye and captivating the imagination.It has been said that the opal is the composite of every gem on earth.”The opal is an emotional stone.When you look into it, it conjures all the emotions that you have experienced all you life.From every angle, the light, colour and shape of the stone changes, drawing a familiar emotion,” Pereghy says.”It can also reflect one’s imagination.One stone may look like an ocean where the ocean floor can be seen in the deep.Another would look like earth as seen from the moon.”