Everything To Know About Dendritic Opal

Everything To Know About Dendritic Opal

Gemstones have been sources of fascination and delight due to their beauty, and like the Dendritic Opal, each has unique characteristics that bless them with charm and attractiveness. Dendritic Opals belong to the Common Opal variety, which, though they lack the play of colors of Precious Opals, possess an intriguing appearance that is extremely rare to be found in the gemstone world.

What is Dendritic Opal?

Simply put, Dendritic Opal is a Common Milky-White or Yellowish-Brown Opal variety with interesting inclusions that look like trees, ferns, or moss, depending upon the viewer's interpretation. For these reasons, it's also known as Moss Opal. These inclusions are made of "Psilomelane," a fancy scientific term for Barium Magnesium Hydroxide compound. These inclusions are so clear in appearance that they appear as if an artist etched them on the top of the white gemstone, giving it a moody, exotic look and an undeniable charm.

Other Names: Moss Opal, Dendritic Dudhiya Patthar.

A translucent natural Dendritic Opal stone having ethereal tree formations inside the gemstone.

Where is Dendritic Opal found?

Moss Opals are primarily found in Australia, Brazil, the United States, Mexico, and Madagascar. The Australian Dendritic Opal variety is considered the best due to its rich color and surface quality, followed by Mexico and the United States. Dendritic Opal can often be confused with a similar-looking gemstone known as "Dendritic Agate," which, as the name suggests, essentially belongs to the Agate gemstone family. Brazil and the United States are producers of both Dendritic Opal and Agate.

Properties of Dendritic Opal Gemstone

The various properties of this moody gemstone are described ahead:

Color

Dendritic Opal stone comes in Mikly white, Gray, Yellow, Brown, or Yellowish-Brown hues. At times, a single specimen may carry more than one color that can add to the moodiness and charm of the gemstone. The fern-like dendritic inclusions can be black, brown, or green, covering the gemstone's surface in contrasting visuals, paying an ode to nature's artistry.

A beautiful Yellow Dendritic Opal Specimen

Transparency

Moss Opals can be translucent or completely opaque depending on their source geographical locations. The milky white or yellow variety can be translucent or opaque, while the darker shades are completely opaque. A high density of the dendritic inclusions also makes the gemstone more and more opaque.

Hardness

Dendritic Opals have a Moh's scale rating of 5.5 to 6.5, which would rate them as relatively soft to somewhat soft gemstones. Therefore, they are prone to getting scratched or chipped and should be taken due care of to ensure a long life.

Cut

Being translucent to opaque in clarity, these gemstones are mostly cut in cabochon style to maximize their visual appeal. A Cabochon cut makes the gemstone appear fuller and proudly displays the beautiful dendritic patterns created by nature. In the case of the Green Dendritic Opal variety, Cabochon cut can bring out the cat's eye or chatoyancy effect.

A milky white Dendritic Opal with timeless tree patterns

Benefits of Dendritic Opal Gemstone

The beauty of Dendritic Opals isn't merely visual; it's loaded with numerous metaphysical properties that can benefit the wearer and improve the quality of life. Moss Opals are said to be essentially healing and calming gemstones, cutting down anxiety and increasing the happiness quotient of life. Gemstone healers, Reiki, and crystal experts use this gemstone to relieve various physical and emotional health ailments.

Physical Healing

Moss Opal is a calming agent that can alleviate various imbalances within the body. It balances hormones, reduces adrenal fatigue and other stress symptoms, detoxifies various tissues, and allows one to feel relaxed within one's physical self. This cozy-white gemstone can boost immune strength to help against the seasonal flu. Those constantly troubled by headaches and body aches can also get relief from this gemstone's pacifying energies, which alleviate pain.

Emotional Healing

Dendritic Opals also help to soothe and treat emotional turmoils and create great internal clarity in challenging times. These artsy gemstones stabilize and center the mind and allow the wearer to go through and feel all they have to without getting overwhelmed and losing their internal ground. It instills inner balance and harmony, which further reflects in the external world, allowing the individual to navigate various life situations.

Chakra Therapy

Though Dendritic Opal is said to work upon all chakras, the specific action center for this gemstone is on the Crown (Sahasra) Chakra, which allows the individual to gain access to higher wisdom and intelligence. A balanced Sahasra Chakra brings clarity on all levels and easily regularises psychological and physical health. Since it also activates other chakras, it is a master balancer of energy all over the body.

Manifestation

Dendritic Opal is a stone of manifestation. The immense clarity it bestows on the mind, activating all chakras and balancing the Crown Chakra with deep emotional and physical balance, helps the wearer "know" what they need. Manifesting a thought or a desire requires one to visualize it clearly, as only then can one decide and plan what one needs to do to materialize that desire. The clarity and balance given by Dendritic Opal make one understand and act with such enthusiasm, synchronizing all the energy, thoughts, and will in the given direction, which makes this gemstone a worthy manifesting tool.

How Dendritic Opal is Different From Other Types of Opal

Dendritic Opals are significantly different from other opals- one look at this gemstone, and you will realize the considerable peculiarity of this variety. But that's where all the differences end. Apart from the visual differences, Dendritic Opals may or may not share their metaphysical properties with other opal varieties. The chemical composition of the host gemstone is the same as other Opals; they all are hydrated silicates with uncrystallized structures. The presence of the Psilomelane causes chemical and visual distinctiveness.

Factors To Consider Before Buying Dendritic Opal

Moss Opal patterns that look like a history lesson.

Since the beauty and oomph of a Dendritic Opal are primarily based on the fern dendritic inclusions, one should carefully look at the patterns formed by these inclusions. Finely formed lines and patterns are considered to be high-quality. Apart from the clarity and beauty of these patterns, one should also look at the color, transparency, and luster/texture of the gemstone's surface. One more factor to consider is the age of the Opal specimen. Freshly mined and cut Opals are less stable and gain stability as they age, so it's advised to go for an Opal specimen that has aged more than three years. Checking the authenticity of Moss Opals at home is risky as the sample can be hurt or damaged, and these tests don't provide assured answers. The best way is to get the gemstone tested by a reputed laboratory or to buy this beautiful gemstone from a respectable dealer who provides the certificate of authenticity at the time of purchase. Those looking to benefit from Dendritic Opal Metaphysical properties should look for an authentic, natural specimen free from any artificial treatment. Let's check out the Opal stone properties.

Dendritic Opal with unique yellowish-red inclusions.

FAQs

Where is Dendritic Opal found?

Gem-quality Dendritic Opal is primarily mined in Australia, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Madagascar. Of these, the best Dendritic Opals are from Australia, The United States, and Mexico.

How can I tell if my Dendritic Opal is real?

There are few do-it-yourself methods to test the authenticity of a Dendritic Opal sample. One should look at the front and back surfaces of the sample to see if a film coats it or see it from the sides in bright light to see any layers. This is done to check if it's an Opal doublet or triplet. Apart from this, the best and only conclusive way to check Opal's authenticity is by getting it tested from a reputed lab.

Can Dendritic Opal be used in jewelry?

Dendritic Opal is often used in contemporary jewerly because of its apparent beauty. The tree inclusions on the surface of this gemstone are artistically beautiful, too, made by a human hand, which gives it a great appeal that is perfect for artsy jewelry pieces. Dendritic Green Opal can exhibit a cat’s eye effect, making it a good jewelry choice.

Is Dendritic Opal expensive?

Dendritic Opals are affordable gemstones that are within easy reach of most people.

Does Dendritic Opal come in different colors?

The main body of a Dendritic Opal can be milky white, yellow, gray, or brownish-yellow, while the dendritic fern-like inclusions can be green, black, or blue.

Also Read: How to wear Opal Stone? and Astrological benefits of Opal.