Opal Brightness Guide

A simple guide to understanding how bright an opal really is

Opals are famous for their colour play - those flashes of red, green, blue and everything in between. But something buyers often don’t realise is that brightness is just as important as colour. A vivid opal can look electric even in low light, while a dim one may only show its colours when the light hits just right.

To keep things clear and consistent, we use the Australian industry‑standard brightness scale: B1–B5, where B1 is the dimmest and B5 is the brightest.

Why brightness matters

Brightness affects:

• How visible the colours are in everyday lighting
• How much the colours “pop” from a distance
• How much the stone is worth (brighter = rarer = more valuable)
• How the opal looks in jewellery - some people prefer soft, subtle stones; others want fireworks

Brightness isn’t about the colour itself - it’s about how strongly the colours appear.

The 1–5 Brightness Scale

Below is the standard scale used by miners, cutters and valuers in Australia. 

1 - Very Dim

Colours are present but only show in strong light or at certain angles. Soft, subtle, and often more affordable.

2 - Low Brightness

Colours are visible but still gentle. Good for people who like understated stones.

3 - Moderate Brightness

A nice middle ground. Colours are clearly visible in normal lighting and show decent movement.

4 - Bright

Colours are strong, lively and easy to see from multiple angles. These stones look great in jewellery and catch the eye quickly.

5 - Vivid / Exceptional Brightness

The highest brightness grade. Colours are intense, bold and visible even in low light. These stones look like they’re lit from within.

Brightness & Body Tone

Brightness doesn't tell the whole story - the opal's body tone (its background colour, from black to white to crystal) affects how that brightness appears to the eye. 

How we grade brightness

Every opal in our shop is examined under:

• Natural daylight
• Indoor lighting
• Low light
• Different viewing angles

We then assign a 1–5 rating based on how strongly the colours appear across all conditions. We also try to take photos in different lights.

Brightness is always listed in the product description.