Synthetic opals

[robo2.0]

Kyocera is actually the only current place manufacturing synthetic opals of this type. Any gilson on the market is either backstock or relabeled kyocera opals.

[clutch419]

there are two other makers of gilson opals also. if i remember right it was moran company. also manning international. makes them.
I have order Kyocera . and if you look up there web site it states that they contain plastic, Kyocera adds plastic resin to speed up time and increase production. If you have Kyocera opals that dont have plastic resin in them they have to be atleast 13 years old.
plastic resins burn and turn black. there is also a small russain maker of them but very hard to get them but they are the super nice. red and oranges mostly but have seen a blue from there.
I think that profound glass gets there opals threw manning international.

[istandalone24/7]

no shit? THAT is why i have a green opal chunk (that the seller swears was a gilson) that turns the tube black and smells of plastic.

clutch, you just answered a year old question for me...i've been wondering about that.

[yoloswag420]

I looked into a jewelers catalog and found cheap opals, company started with an M, could've been manning or moran, pretty sure its Manning, didn't try thinking only Gilson worked.

[clutch419]

i spent about 600 bucks and found out the hard way about Kyocera opals.
if you look up gillson opals gerry manning does a really good report about them and how in the jem world let them fall to plastic.
you can order from both places i said above they are both great compainies to work with. they are about the same price as profound glass.
i would love to get ahold of some russian made opals they wear they best you could put huge chunks in glass with out problems, but very hard to get, i am trying to talk my german pal into getting me some more of them but he is a kinda drunk most of the time and forgets. lol
a gilson opal can have plastic in it and still be called a opal, if your like me and got stuck with the crappy plastic type, i super glue it to the peice i want it on and then put it threw the elctor former. sorry for spelling.
the moran company will work with you and give a better price ween bought in bulk
there is also a guy in cali who is working on blsck gilsons and some white ones his first samples he sent me wear hit and miss, second batch lived but looked crappy, he is working on fine tunning his process.

[istandalone24/7]

lol i gave the plasticy chunk to a friend who does wire wrapping....she loved it.

[clutch419]

http://opalsbymanning.com/Synthetic or Lab Created
These types of gemstone are created in controlled laboratory conditions. They have the same chemical composition and physical properties to that of the natural gemstones. Various methods are used to create synthetic gemstones. Some of these processes can be
very expensive. Sometimes a Lab Created gemstone can even cost more than the natural stone. For the most part these processes provide us with excellent looking gems. At a more affordable price.

Simulant or Imitation
These are a look alike to real gemstones. The chemical composition and physical properties are not the same. These stones only look the same as their natural counterpart. For instance when a material like glass is cut to look like ruby, sapphire or emerald.

Another typical example is Cubic Zirconium. Totally man made with no natural counterpart. But when cut, it looks remarkably like Diamond . In most cases these types of stone can be identified very easily.

What is opal?
Technically, opal is SIO2 and a minute trace of h20, bound together in a latticework that resembles marbles in a fish tank all settled in nice, orderly little rows. Because the silica is generally spherical, each tiny particle adjoins its neighbors, but never flat surface to flat surface.

Light passes amongst these particles, speeding up and slowing down as the size of the spheres and spaces between them changes with the angle of view. Thus, longer light waves produce RED color hues and the shorter waves produce the BLUE color hues.

Remind you of the prism you saw in grade school? In fact in simple terms, opal may be thought of in this same way. These little silicon balls all lined up in their little rows. Touching side to side, have a kind of triangle shape between them. Which throws out light much the same as that prism did.

Gilson Created Opal:
The laboratory opal producing process, was first invented by Pierre Gilson, Sr. of France in 1974. This process produces a kaleidoscope of colors. From the rare and precious black opal,
to crystal and white opaque opal.

The Gilson formula is considered the truest gemological process in the world today. Considered by many gemologists to by the world's finest laboratory grown Opal. This process takes from 14 to 18 months,and the colors are natural with no treatment or enhancements.

Unlike its natural counterpart, this created opal is much tougher and not prone to breaking.
It gets it's hardness because it contains no water. Unlike natural opal which does contain water. The lack of water in Gilson opal has currently brought about debates and differences of opinion. Concerning the final classification of Gilson Opal.

In any event. Natural Black Opal is exceedingly rare and expensive. With Created Black Opal cabochons, you can have all the sizes you need at an affordable price! The Gilson White opals are very nice too.

These stones whether they are finally classed as Imitation or Synthetic. Are the best mimic to real opal we have seen. They are grown in similar conditions as to what might be found in nature and do have all of the elements but water. We think their beauty, toughness and heat resistance is a plus.

Thanks to Gerry Manning and his family For this information.

They are Gilson worldwide and bring us this fine product. The picture above is some of their high grade blue green inlay opal. They have many more colors and varieties. At present we don't stock loose stones or rough. We do occasionally have finished jewelry like the set in the above photo. But You can find out much more about this opal at their website http://opalsbymanning.com
E-Mail: gri@gemresources.com

www. morioncompany.com
MANNINGINTERNATIONAL.COM.
i hope this helps

[Greymatter Glass]

My understanding is that "Gilson" is a term that is in flux, much like "Xerox" and "Aspirin" it initially referred to a patented and trademarked product, in this case lab created opals made by Pierre Gilson, and is quickly becoming a common term to define any opals manufactured by the Gilson process.

I personally feel that as long as the original process is followed anyone making lab created opals and calling them "Gilson" opals isn't so much being dishonest about the origin, as they're opening themselves to the liability of a lawsuit on behalf of Gilson's estate who still maintains ownership of the original (expired?) patents. In any case, as long as the original "Gilson process" is followed, they should be compatible opals. From what I've seen the original Gilson process does NOT allow for the use of resins or other polymers to bind or stabilize the final product, so any inferior grade of synthetic/imitation opal that does contain resins or plastics cannot be considered "Gilson opal" regardless of source.

[Jon Doh]

Rough cut, chips, or cabochons? what everyones preference? I have only used a few and they were polished chips from Profound, getting ready to order some more and was thinking about rough cut but I heard it is tougher to avoid bubbles.