Opals are an attractive option for a number of reasons. They add depth and beauty to any jewelry collection and can be found at affordable prices. While popular and commonly found in personal collections, opals still deliver a unique look thanks to how they are formed. This trait makes them versatile and opal jewelry can compliment absolutely any style or look.

Since opals are so popular and have unique appearances, they have become the target of knock off artists. These companies produce manmade opals but market them as natural. There isn’t anything wrong with a manufactured opal. In fact, some are used to create stunning pieces. Manufactured opals are often less expensive as well, making it easier for more people to incorporate opals into their jewelry collection.

The problem is when unscrupulous companies attempt to market and sell these opals as being naturally made. For people looking for natural opals is a preference. Others believe natural opals have an inherent power or spiritual properties that make them more desirable. We’ve put together some simple ways to spot manufactured opals so you can be a more informed and confident shopper.

1.  Look for Layers

Manufactured opals use slices of real opal - opr an opal like synthetic - sandwiched between a piece of backing and a glass dome. View the opal from to check for defined layers to the opal. If you see a dark base and a light or clear color along the top, it is likely a manufactured opal. 

2.  Check That Pattern

Opals are formed through a natural process.  Deposits of silt and sediment create the natural and unique beauty of each opal. As a result, their patterns are always beautiful and rarely replicated. Manufactured opals, on the other hand, often have a subtle pattern.  Sometimes you 

can see the repeating pattern and other times the overall look is simply “too perfect”. 

3.  Too Smooth

Opals do go through a process of being mined, cut, shaped, and polished. Even so, natural opals will have some irregularities in their finish. Just as a pattern that is ‘too perfect’ is the hallmark of a fake opal, so too is an opal that is super smooth or completely without blemish.

4.  Check the Back

Manufactured opals are placed on dark backing in order to bring out the colors inserted into the stone design. Check the back to see if it is opaque and dark. A genuine opal may be dark but will look like the rest of the stone. A manufactured opal will have an almost painted or papered look to the back.

5.  Look for Clouds

This is the one hallmark of a fake opal that, sadly, takes time to reveal itself. As we’ve learned, manufactured opals are often composed of individual layers which are glued together. While this can result in a brilliant opal display, it also lends itself to separation. Over time, that separation of layers allows water and atmospheric moisture to get in between the layers.  The final result is a cloudiness that develops over the face of the opal. Many people won’t see this hallmark of manufactured opals until they have had the stone for several years.