Whirlpool opal

Whirlpool opals were a type of semi-precious gemstone that could be found within caves on the moon of the Inner Rim planet Pijal. During the Republic Era, jewel thieves Pax Maripher and Rahara Wick became acquainted with the properties of the opals and their limited value. In 40 BBY, Maripher discovered some of the gemstones on Pijal's moon and suggested to Wick that they harvest them for a small amount of profit.

When the pair began assisting Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, with their search for the Opposition performance troupe, Maripher reflected that the performers' choice to reside within the caves of Pijal's moon made little sense because the area only contained whirlpool opals and similarly useless kohlen crystals. Later, the thief bemoaned the time he and Wick spent waiting for the Jedi to conclude their search, pointing out that the time could have been spent harvesting opals.

Text and facts from the “Whirlpool opal” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.