Synthetic opals are man-made opals that have the same chemical composition, internal structure, physical properties, and appearance as natural opals. They are often called lab-created opals, lab-grown opals, or cultured opals to indicate their man-made origin.
Synthetic opals can exhibit a spectacular play-of-color appearance that often exceeds the beauty of many natural precious opals. They are produced in a wide range of colors and patterns that many people enjoy.
Many synthetic opals look so much like natural opal that trained gemologists can have difficulty separating them from natural opals. This is why whenever synthetic opals are advertised or presented for sale, sellers are required by law to clearly communicate that they are manufactured by people and they are not natural opals.