The spaces between the spheres were then filled with a binding medium that would harden, hold the structure together, and allow the diffraction of light. The first synthetic opals were made by precipitating tiny silica spheres of uniform size, and allowing them to settle into a close packing arrangement. This discovery revealed how opal’s fabulous play-of-color is produced and provided the blueprint for making a synthetic precious opal. An array of tiny silica spheres, with a uniform size of less than ½ micron in diameter, in a close packing arrangement, serves as a natural diffraction grating to separate visible light into the colors of the spectrum. The cause of opal’s play-of-color was discovered in 1964 using an electron microscope. Why? Most people who love opal are glad to pay a higher price to own a gemstone that formed within the Earth - and, in their opinion, no synthetic material will ever compete with that! These people insist on the real thing! Synthetic opal certainly wins some buyers away from natural opal, but it is not likely to displace natural opal from the gem and jewelry market. Even the very best synthetic opal can be cut into cabochons and sold for just a small fraction of the price of natural opal cabochons of similar size and appearance. Many types of synthetic opal are now cut into beautiful ring-size cabochons that sell for just a few dollars each. The main reason that people produce synthetic opal is a hope of being able to manufacture it at scale and at a price that is lower than natural opal.
Manufacturers in countries where labor costs are low have become so efficient that the cost of a cabochon is minimal. That price would be much lower if they were being purchased in large quantities. A Few Dollars Each: Attractive synthetic opal cabochons like the ones shown in the photo above can be purchased at retail for a few dollars each.
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