Doublet Opals
Doublet opals come in two basic forms, a doublet of two pieces to imitate a black opal, or a doublet of two pieces to imitate a boulder opal. In the case of a doublet imitating “Black opal” the doublet usually consists of a thin laminate of “opal” glued or adhered to a black substrate of some material (the substrate can be be anything that is black, a few examples may be black potch opal, or black glass, or something painted black), anything black will do!
The addition of the black background and the chase of opal for the opal laminate is made to imitate natural black opal. The black background “enhances” the reflection of the opal colours.
In the case of a doublet opal imitating “boulder” opal then the doublet usually consists of a thin laminate of “opal” glued or adhered to a brown coloured substrate of some material (the substrate again can be anything brown coloured), however usually the brown substrate is similar ironstone that the ironstone found with naturally occurring opal.
It should also be noted that the “opal” laminate or layer used in a doublet opal might be either natural or mined precious opal, or an artificial material (synthetic or imitation).
Opal doublets manufactured to imitate light opal varieties are know to have been made, however these are rarely seen.
Note that this photo is of a cross section of a doublet opal constructed from two parts, in this case a domed layer of natural opal cemented to a layer of black potch.
Doublet opals are also manufactured to imitate natural black precious opal.
An opal doublet under construction.
Note that in this photo again a natural piece of precious opal is used as a laminate. In this case the laminate will not be “domed” as in the photo above, but will remain flat.
The next stage in the manufacture of this doublet opal will be to “shape” the doublet into a gemstone to fit the design of its use in jewellery, it may be a decision to make an oval or a “free- shape”.
Note that the black substrate in this doublet opal is black or darkened glass.
A photo of three doublet opals partially preformed in to “free-shapes” before finishing.
In these doublets the black substrate is natural black potch opal
