Is your jewelry collection home to the Pride of Australia? Opal stones wear that title with flare. Also doubling as cupid for whoever possesses the eye-catching gems, fiery opal stones are fabled to lead owners to their one true love. Have you captured the fleeting spark of fire and lightning in a one-of-kind opal jewelry piece? Opals not only can show all the colors of rainbow within their swirling depths, they draw in a loyal fan base from within the jewelry industry. This can mean exponential profit for opal sellers. 

Genuine or Generic

If you reside in Phoenix, Arizona, you are near one of the most experienced jewelers in the industry. Ralph Mueller & Associates provides potential jewelry buyers and sellers with key information and opportunities to make favorable cash transactions through purchasing and selling of jewelry. Genuine opals, like any gemstone, have their synthetic counterparts (also referred to as doublets and triplets). These disarming semi-twins can dismantle any plans you have to receive top dollar for your unique opal jewelry pieces. How can you determine if your opal is the real deal? Below are a few things to look out for when determining if you own a natural or synthetic opal:

1. How does the face or top of the gemstone look? If it appears glassy, that's a sign your genuine gem is generic. Hard clear plastic applied to synthetic opals are to blame for that tell-tale sign. 

2. And... lift. If your gemstone is looking murky or a little dull and cloudy this could be caused by something called lifting. If a triplet or doublet has been worn in water, the adhesive used between each layer deteriorates, and water penetrates the layers. 

3. Complete a "back" check. If the back of the gem looks or feels like plastic or is dark in color then you may have a triplet. For doublet synthetic opal stones legitimacy can be more difficult to determine. They use natural translucent opal stone or ironstone as backing.  That's why the jewelry professionals at Ralph Mueller & Associates are so great at what they do. They know exactly what to look for!

Financial freedom may exist in the smoldering depths of attractive opal stones.Visit Ralph Mueller & Associates today! With potential investment opportunities found in their diverse jewelry selection and professional appraisers to help you lay claim to your own piece of paradise, you won't be disappointed!