Pipe Boulder Opal Bead #42

A Bit About The Piece: A hand-cut, drilled Australian boulder opal bead. Details, details... The Stone: Pipe Boulder Opal, solid Stone Origin: Queensland, Australia Stone Measurements: 42.54mm x 17.94mm x 8.60mm Stone Shape: Marquise Cabochon Brightness of Color: 2 of 5  Approximate Surface Opal Content: 44% Predominant Colors: Green and Purple Bead Weight: 6.63 grams Drill Hole Size: 3.15mm *All photos are of the front of the stone.    About Opal:   While many believe opal to come only in a traditional white hue, this common misconception cannot be more inaccurate.  With over 200 varieties of natural opal discovered so far, the historically referred "Queen of Gems" can come in a wide variety of colors- before the stone's famous "play of color" rainbow effect is even taken into consideration.  Over 90% of the world's opal is produced in Australia with other well-known deposits located in Mexico, Ethiopia, Brazil, and the United States. Chemically, opal is an integrated combination of