Purple Opal

Purple opal is a variety of common opal with a lilac to deep violet body color. The best-known source is Mexico, where it is sold as "morado" opal (morado meaning purple in Spanish), typically opaque to translucent and sometimes mottled with white, grey or pink.

Like other common opals, its appeal lies in its even color rather than fire; most purple opal shows no play-of-color. The violet hue is attributed to trace inclusions, with fluorite-related coloration cited in some Mexican material, and the color can be light-sensitive in certain stones.

Its soft, soothing color has made purple opal popular for bohemian and silver jewelry and for crystal collectors drawn to violet stones.

Purple opal forms by precipitation of hydrated amorphous silica from silica-rich solutions in volcanic terrain, with Mexican morado opal occurring in association with rhyolitic volcanic rocks. Silica-bearing waters filled cavities and fractures, hardening into common opal.

The violet coloration is caused by trace impurities and included minerals rather than the silica itself; in some Mexican material fluorite or other trace components are credited with the purple tone. Because the silica spheres are irregularly sized and packed, the material does not diffract light into play-of-color, remaining a colored common opal. Some purple opal is known to fade with prolonged sun exposure, indicating the coloring agent is light-sensitive in those stones.

Recognize purple opal by its lilac-to-violet, opaque to translucent body with a waxy luster, moderate hardness (5.5-6.5), white streak and conchoidal fracture. It shows no rainbow play-of-color.

Look-alikes include amethyst (harder, about 7, transparent crystalline quartz with no waxy opal look), purple chalcedony, charoite (fibrous, swirled) and dyed howlite or magnesite (which may show color in cracks). Hardness testing separates softer opal from quartz. Be aware some purple opal fades in sunlight, so even strong color is not by itself proof of stability. Even, slightly mottled violet coloring with a waxy opal sheen is characteristic of natural morado opal.

Purple opal is used in jewelry as cabochons, beads and freeforms, often set in silver for a soft violet accent, and is an affordable alternative to amethyst and other purple gems. Its opacity makes it reasonably durable for everyday pieces.

Metaphysically, purple opal is associated with the crown and third-eye chakras, intuition, calm and spiritual insight, reflecting its violet color and opal lineage. Care follows opal guidelines: avoid impacts, heat and chemicals, and because some purple opal is light-sensitive, limit prolonged sun exposure to help preserve the color. Clean only with a soft damp cloth.