An advertisement on eBay earlier this month screamed the news: “WOW RARE FIND…TRUE NEVADA BLACK PRECIOUS OPAL…THE ONE YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR…YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” The bidding started at ...

Few realize that the world’s most famous black fire opal – the official Nevada State Gem – was discovered in Nevada’s remote Virgin Valley in 1918. Col. W.A. Roebling, a civil engineer who helped ...

Ten years ago, opal dealer Mark Tremonti heard that an exceedingly rare black opal had been unearthed in Lightning Ridge, the remote mining region in the Australian Outback. He quickly flew to the ...

The world’s finest uncut opal, a 998-gram gem called the Fire of Australia, has gone on permanent public display for the first time since its discovery more than 60 years ago. Valued at more than $675 ...