This rare beauty is from a remote part of Queensland Australia Unique shape custom cut by Lou Pizzo Weight: 7.73ct Size: 28x 17.7mm Origin: Australia Enhancement: None
RARE AUSTRALIAN OPALS YOWAH NUTS UNLIKE ANY OTHER OPAL ON THE MARKET
A form of boulder opal. Yowah Nuts are only found in a 3km square area of SW Queensland where opal occurs in rare formation similar to geodes. The hollow concretions Occur in close packed horizontal beds within overlaying sandstone. A very small percentage contains kernels of the finest gem-quality opal in Australia. Typical boulder consist of thin seam of opal material appearing on the face of ironstone matrix. The matrix density causes Yowah Nuts to resist cracking and be more durable then other opals.
Most Yowah Nuts exhibit an unusual mosaic patterning where flecks of flashing colors are scattered throughout the ironstone matrix. The color spectrum ranges from purple through blue, green, yellow, orange and red.
Some Yowah Nuts are composed of fossilized wood rather then ironstone. These stones contain Pockets of crystal where opal has filled in fissures once occupied by wood sap.
Each Yowah Nut opal has a distinctively different appearance. Value is determined by
1) Number of visible color 2) Brilliance of flash 3) Density of color distribution 4) Size of color flecks and crystal pockets 5) Carat weight
Carat weight id determined by the composition of the host matrix. Ironstone matrix is Matrix is heaviest. Fossilized wood matrix is lighter. Pure crystal Yowah Nuts are the lightest. Therefore, three Yowah Nuts, all the same size, can vary greatly in carat weight.
Occasionally when a raw Yowah Nut is cut, a small whorl of color or kernel of crystal is found Surrounded by opalized matrix. This rare pattern is called The Eye of Yowah
Emerald-Direct
