The Different Opal Patterns

Opals are known for their distinctive and array play of colors, which also help portray a wide range of patterns as well. Some of the most common patterns found in opals include:

 

• Harlequin: A pattern of square or diamond-shaped patches of color arranged in a grid-like pattern.

• Pinfire: A pattern of small, individual flashes of color that resemble pinpricks of light.

• Ribbon: A pattern of broad, sweeping bands of color that often curve or twist through the stone.

• Peacock: A pattern of vibrant, iridescent blues and greens that resemble the feathers of a peacock.

• Flame: A pattern of flickering or dancing flames, often in shades of orange, red, and yellow.

• Floral: This pattern looks like a flower or a series of flowers within the opal, often with petals in different colors.

• Chinese Writing: A pattern of small, intricate lines or characters that resemble the brushstrokes of Chinese calligraphy.

• Mackerel: A pattern of thin, wavy lines that resemble the scales of a mackerel fish.

• Water: A pattern that resembles the rippling surface of water, with shimmering bands of color that shift and change as the stone is moved.

• Picture: This is a rare pattern where the opal shows a recognizable image or scene within its colors, such as a face or a landscape.

• Rolling Flash: This pattern has a rolling streak effect where color will follow on the face of the opal as a streak as you move it up, down, left, and right. This rolling effect is spellbinding as it gives the impression of the northern lights.

• Broad Flash: This pattern is similar to the rolling flash pattern but instead of a rolling streak you see a bright flash of color come and go in one position of the opal as it is moved.

• Honeycomb: This is another very rare pattern that portrays the pattern of a honeycomb that can also have different colors throughout the cells of the pattern displaying a wonderful scene to the eye.

• Mosaic: This pattern looks like broken glass as it can also be formed together from smaller pieces of opals that give it a jigsaw puzzle look. 

 

These patterns can occur in all sorts of variations including the size and shapes of the pattern being shown. There are times where even some opals will show off multiple patterns including the front of an opal being one pattern and the back being another. The exact pattern and colors within an opal depend on the type of opal that is being shown, the conditions in which the opal was formed, and the way light interacts with the opal itself.