Cultured Opal FINE – Krakatoa (light gray with red and green fire)

Description

Our new Krakatoa Fine grains are 2 mm / 30 mesh, light gray with red and green fire, a perfect size for smaller voids or channels, or to fill in between larger grains. This color compliments all of our other opal colors.

Easy Inlay’s jewelry-grade cultured opals contain the fire typically seen in rare opals and are optically, physically, and chemically identical to those found in nature. Also, unlike natural stones, the color, luminosity, and brightness of these opals will not fade over time. They’re contained in easy-to-store  2 gram jars. Perfect for pens; blade handles; wine stoppers; boxes; vessels; and other inlay projects. 2 grams fill 30-inches by 1/8″ wide.

In the lab, these opal can take about a year to grow. Made from approximately 80 percent silica, scientists arrange spheres in a lattice pattern to imitate the structure of a jewelry-quality opal. Then they stabilize the pores of the structure with silica gel; the result is an opal that exhibits the fire and iridescence of their natural, more expensive counterparts.

Easy Inlay’s opals add a flash of color that catches the eye; professionals and crafters alike can create designs; insert grains into a small crack or knot; or include in resin to add visual depth and dimension to any project.

On the Mohs Hardness Scale, our opals have a hardness of 4 and are easily sanded using silicon carbide (carborundum) or aluminum oxide (corundum) sand paper, which has a hardness of 9.0. They are durable and provide an excellent surface to polish and/or finish.