W015 / Nevada

Virgin Valley opal

Regional opal group; some wood-associated material

Photograph both body appearance and any play-of-color. A single still image may conceal optical behavior and condition.

← Western Lapidary Materials
Verified reference photograph pending

What it is

Regional opal group; some wood-associated material

What to look for

Photograph both body appearance and any play-of-color. A single still image may conceal optical behavior and condition.

At the cutting bench

Inspect the actual piece for fractures, voids and cutting orientation. Deposit-specific yield and polish data are UNKNOWN.

Under the loupe

Do not infer long-term stability, drying treatment or a mine attribution from color alone.

Source & collecting access

Royal Peacock announces a 2026 season from May 1 through October 18, weather permitting. That establishes one operation’s advertised availability, not all Virgin Valley access.

Status checked 2026-10-01

The market notebook

UNKNOWN — no verified completed-sales sample sufficient for a range

Market researched 2026-10-01

Open the field notes

Color comparison tags

Multicolor, Black, Brown/Tan, White/Cream/Clear

Geology & evidence limits

Keep the regional record separate from mine-specific examples and their individual preservation histories. The 1995 USGS industry account is historical evidence only.

Collecting & trade history

Royal Peacock announces a 2026 season from May 1 through October 18, weather permitting. That establishes one operation’s advertised availability, not all Virgin Valley access.

Reading old-stock material

Preserve the estate label, wrapping, purchase record and associated pieces. Old-stock status alone does not authenticate origin or imply a premium.

What we know—and what we don’t

Visual resemblance is a comparison clue, not proof of material identity, locality or documented provenance. Keep source labels and estate records separate from your visual assessment.

C&C Reference Collection

Reference photograph pending. Do not substitute an unlicensed dealer image or a similar-looking specimen of uncertain identity.

Sources & Further Reading
  1. Royal Peacock Opal Mine

    Operator 2026 season announcement; applies to this operation only

  2. Royal Peacock digging

    Digging service price, not gemstone valuation

  3. USGS historical opal industry account

    1995; historical production only

Cut and polish with appropriate wet methods and silica-dust controls. Historic directions and mine names are not current permission to collect.