Museum to display 'world's finest opal'

An Australian museum said on Monday it will exhibit what it believes is the best opal stone ever found - a 6-cm multi-colored gem found in the Outback named the Virgin Rainbow.

The South Australian Museum said the stone, valued at more than US$730,000, will go on public display for the first time in September to mark the centenary of opal mining in the country. "It's of unequaled quality," said museum director Brian Oldman.

"It's almost as if there's a fire in there - you see all different colors. As the light changes, the opal itself changes. It's quite an amazing trick of nature."