Pink opal is a common opal from Peru, a soft, milky pink stone with no play of color. It is not the flashing opal of rings, and it should be called pink opal, not plain opal.
Opal (hydrated silica) · common opal
Pink Opal
Ópalo rosa
- Palette
- Pink White
- Mined in
- Peru
- Hardness
- Mohs 5.5–6.0 ?
- See-through
- opaque
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- Latin opalus, likely from Sanskrit upala, precious stone
- Also sold as
- Peruvian pink opal, Andean opal, pink common opal
- Intention
- Love New Beginnings
- Looking for
- Forgiveness Love Compassion and empathy
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Pink opal is usually common opal from Peru and sold natural, but dyed or lab-made pink beads exist. The name may also be used for other pink stones.
Not in our pieces now
95% COMMON
About 95 percent of opal mined today is common opal, the kind with no flashing play of color.
3% TO 21% WATER
Opal can hold anywhere from 3 to 21 percent water by weight, though most is between 6 and 10 percent.
2,585 CARATS
The Smithsonian's Roebling Opal, the largest unpolished black opal there, weighs 2,585 carats.
What it is
Pink opal is a common opal, a soft, opaque, milky pink stone from Peru. It has no play of color, so it will not flash like precious opal. It is sold for its even pastel body color.
What gives it its color
Pink opal is common opal with no play of color, and its soft pink comes from trace pigments trapped in the silica, either manganese and iron compounds or organic molecules.
Where it comes from
Pink opal comes mainly from the Andes of Peru, especially the Acari area of the Arequipa region, with smaller amounts from Mexico and the United States.
In history
Pliny the Elder tells of a Roman senator, Nonius, who was outlawed by Mark Antony over an opal ring worth 2,000,000 sesterces and fled with nothing but the ring. For centuries Europe's only known source was Cervenica, in what is now Slovakia, and the great Australian deposits were not opened until the 1800s.
What's said about it
In crystal lore, pink opal is a gentle heart stone. It's said to be kept by people working on forgiveness and a softer feeling toward others.
Old Roman writers prized opal highly, and medieval Europe thought of it as a lucky stone. People wear pink opal as a ring or pendant, or keep it in a meditation space.
How people wear or keep it: As a ring or pendant, in a meditation space, or in a creative workspace.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, pink opal is paired with the crown chakra, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: as a ring or pendant, in a meditation space, in a creative workspace. People reach for it when they want forgiveness, love, compassion and empathy, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraCrown
ZodiacLibra, Sagittarius, Virgo
ElementEarth
Also calledPeruvian pink opal, Andean opal, pink common opal
Care
- Soft for a gemstone and holds water, so keep it away from knocks, heat and long soaking.
- Wipe with a soft damp cloth and dry it; no ultrasonic cleaners or hot salt water.
- Avoid strong sunlight or heat for long, which can dry opal out.
- Store it wrapped, apart from harder stones.
How to tell what you have
- Pink opal is a trade name that may mean Peruvian common opal, or pink stones such as rose quartz, rhodonite, or pink aragonite, and it varies by lot.
- Opal is soft (5.5 to 6.5), lighter than quartz and has no play of color when common. Look for dye at the drill hole and glass bubbles.
What sets the price
Pink opal is common opal without rainbow flash, so price follows how rich the pink is, how opaque or translucent the beads are, whether they are natural stone or an imitation, and bead size and cut.
Rules and sourcing
Dyed or lab-made pink beads exist, and the name is also used for other pink stones. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose dye and to say what the bead actually is.
Questions people ask at our table
What is pink opal?
Pink opal is a common opal from Peru, a form of hydrated silica with no play of color. It is opaque and milky, sold for its soft pink body color.
Is it the same as precious opal?
No. Precious opal shows flashes of rainbow color, and common opal does not. Because plain "opal" suggests color play, pink opal should be sold under its full name.
Is the pink natural or dyed?
Peruvian pink opal is naturally pink, though the cause of the color is debated. Pale material can be dyed, and an even, bright pink with no variation is worth questioning.
Is it fragile?
Fairly. It is 5.5 to 6 on the Mohs scale and holds several percent water, so it can scratch or dry out. Wear it gently.
Do you carry pink opal?
Not at the moment. Rose quartz and pink aventurine give a similar soft pink in harder beads.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
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