If you are a lover vibrant opals and their myriad of coloured tones that change depending on the light, then you may assume that the natural opal is the only choice you have.
However, lab created opals, also known and created opals, have many advantages over their natural counterparts, yet without any compromise on that stunning end result look.
We live in an era where our natural resources are diminishing, so by choosing a lab created opals, you are actually actively avoiding depletion of naturally derived opal stocks. Not only is there no need to physically mine opal, but you’re also avoiding unnecessary use of mechanical equipment and the associated travel and pollution that comes with it. Created in a laboratory using processes mimic nature, lab opals have all the beauty that you expect from the natural opal yet it would take a highly-trained professional eye to definitely distinguish the difference between the two.
These cultured gemstones are chemically and almost visually the same as naturally created opal and offer a way smaller impact on the environment with no risk for human endangerment. Cultured opals also offer fewer flaws and way smaller carbon footprint than traditionally mined opals. Gilson opals are made by mimicking the process of nature, but instead of taking over millions of years, they can grow an opal in less than a 1 year.
With synthetic opals effectively cutting out many middlemen 
when they are made in the lab, this means they can be brought to you at a much lesser cost than a natural gemstone and bring you that iconic opal look yet at a much lower price point.And with the same blend of aquatic blue or milky tones that you know and love, there is still that exact same iconic look. This also means that while your lab Opal pieces have that precious jewellery aesthetic, if it is lost then it is replaceable, freeing you of any worries on occasions such as travelling when baggage can go missing through no fault of your own.
One of the advantages of creating opals and gemstones in a 
laboratory environment is that you can ensure that they are perfect in their look. If you’re asking yourself the question “are lab created opals stronger?”, then the answer is yes as the manufacturing process enables this to occur. This means that when you are buying a synthetic opal, that you have assured longevity, making it the perfect item to gift to somebody as a keepsake or sentimental gesture.
So next time you go looking for a stunning piece of opal jewellery, whether it be earrings, necklace, bracelet or other, it is worth considering just where your opal is from. And instead of dismissing it if it is a synthetic lab manufactured gemstone, treasure it instead as it is just as precious as the natural product itself.
