The most colorful gemstones on Earth Jeff Dekofsky

What gives opals their signature shimmering colors Dig into the science of the gemstones formation, millions of years in the making. In November 1986, Australian miners climbed Lunatic Hill and bored 20 meters into the Earth. They were rewarded with a fistsized, record breaking gemstone, which they named the Haileys Comet opal. Thanks to a characteristic called play of color, no two opals look the same. So what causes these vibrant displays Jeff Dekofsky digs into the rocks shimmering, dancing