As far as we know this new colour only appears in two sets, both within the Disney theme. [Edit: there's also a pink version too.] Our thanks to Ryan Howerter for the heads-up. We thought would take a look at this sparkly, iridescent hue.
Thus far, Transparent Blue Opal is used for two different elements:
Thus far, Transparent Blue Opal is used for two different elements:
- Cockpit 2 x 5 x 2 with Shaft (6290571| 35375) in 43176 Ariel's Storybook Adventures
- Satellite Dish 6X6 (6299252|35327) in 43183 Moana's Island Home
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| Detail from 43183 Moana's Island Home showing Satellite Dish 6X6 in Transparent Blue Opal. ©The LEGO Group 2020 |
Above, we see the Cockpit element from set 43176 for comparison with 43 Transparent Blue/ Trans-Dark Blue, 143 Transparent Fluorescent Blue/ Trans-Medium Blue and 42 Transparent Light Blue/ Trans-Light Blue. The new colour seems to be a variant of 42 Transparent Light Blue, with an iridescent, slightly glittery appearance – an effect known as opalescence, hence the word 'Opal' in the colour's official name. Hopefully BrickLink will avoid confusion and stick with the same colour name as TLG this time – although 'Transparent Light Blue Opal' may have been a better choice of name on the part of LEGO, given that there is perhaps the possibility they will apply the Opal process to other colours in future.
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| Detail from 43176 Ariel's Storybook Adventures showing Cockpit 2 x 5 x 2 with Shaft in Transparent Blue Opal. ©The LEGO Group 2020 |
After their crash in the 2000s, The LEGO Group set a rule that if a new colour was introduced into the LEGO palette, another would have to leave. Will that be the case this time, or will Transparent Blue Opal simply be considered a process applied to an existing colour rather than a whole new colour? It seems likely, as 'glitter' colours get added to the palette without anything being removed. Indeed, 351 Transparent Bright Green with Glitter and 341 Transparent Bright Orange with Glitter are also relatively new, having appeared in 'Multicombination' coloured parts in 2019.
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| Rock Crystal, No. 1002 (6264268|49656) and 71026 Stargirl CMF. © 2019, 2020 The LEGO Group |
Consider buying your sets with Transparent Blue Opal (or anything) from Amazon via New Elementary's links; as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases which goes back into funding set reviews.
Amazon USA: Amazon.com Canada: Amazon.ca UK: Amazon.co.uk Deutschland: Amazon.de
READ MORE: There's also a pink version of Opal!
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You can also help us by doing what you perhaps do already - buying from Amazon.
Thanks to our 'Vibrant Coral' patrons: Iain Adams, Ryan Welles, Chris Cook, London AFOLs, Gerald Lasser, Big B Bricks, Dave Schefcik, David and Breda Fennell, Huw Millington, Neil Crosby, Antonio Serra, Beyond the Brick, Sue Ann Barber & Trevor Clark, and Kevin Gascoigne. You're all awesome!
You can also help us by doing what you perhaps do already - buying from Amazon.
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So I have the Ariel Storybook, and I didn't notice it... Does that make me a bad AFOL? I thought it was a variant of Glitter Trans-Light Blue.
ReplyDeleteWe basically missed it too :)
DeleteIn your (and my) defence tobymac, I suspect the Opal version of parts was not actually ready in time for many of the product pics. We're seeing several that just look like regular trans or trans-glitter that are turning out to be trans-opal. Also, the element ID for the trans-pink-opal 1x4 panel discussed in comments below is incorrect, suggesting it was at one point intended to just be trans-pink.
DeleteI wonder if the re-released Frozen Ice Palace might have been meant to include opal parts? That might explain it getting a different set number…
DeleteNice idea Skye... That would have been thrilling! I guess the cost factor may have been prohibitive... it is notable that these sets with Opal to date only have one element in the colour. I assume that's more to do with cost than novelty.
DeleteThere's also a weirdly colored piece 6294242 in the Aurora's Carriage set (43173). You can't really see it in the pictures (it only looks pink) but in rl it has the same opalescent effect.
ReplyDeleteI can't find any info on the part on LEGO.com or my rebrickable tools. There are multiple parts like that in this wave of sets. Please keep me posted if toy have more information.
DeleteSounds likely, thanks for raising! Would love to see pics.
DeleteOK I have now seen pics, and have also received info that it is called 364 Transparent Medium Reddish Violet with Opalescence.
DeleteThe hairpiece in Trolls Techno Reef Dance is 364, which is not obvious from product shots (might just be glitter in those) but can clearly be seen from this video review
Delete341 Transparent Bright Orange with Glitter and 351 Transparent Bright Green with Glitter have been on the palette since at least 2017... it just took them a while to show up in sets :D
ReplyDeleteDid a color leave the palette when teal was reintroduced or when vibrant coral was added? Or have they maybe relaxed that rule and decided that judicious expansion of the palette is ok, and the existing number of colors isn't/wasn't some perfect divine number?
ReplyDeleteI recall someone mentioning something about how 143 Transparent Fluorescent Blue/ Trans-Medium Blue already had been, or seemed likely to be discontinued.
DeleteHåkan thought exactly what I thought. And indeed it seems to be true. According to Brickset DB the number of new elements cast in 143 decreased from 5 in 2016 to 1 in 2018, and none are recorded in 2019. BrickLink backs this up with actual set information: it records the final sets containing parts in this colour being released in 2018. (Minecraft and Super Heroes.)
DeleteApparently, I read it from Skye Barnick.
Deletehttps://www.newelementary.com/2018/12/new-lego-colour-353-vibrant-coral.html
Ha, I should read that site more often
DeleteHow does the new "Trans-Light Blue Bar 4L (Lightsaber Blade / Wand)" fit in these colors? When I first saw it I assumed it was just the new material they're using for transparent parts, but now that I think of it, it's too opaque to be only that.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw those in pick-a-brick last year, I thought they were the same material as the old ones, just with a frosted surface texture. It's the same color as far as I can tell.
DeleteI hadn't thought of that, thanks!
DeleteI really don't see the need for so many similar colours.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, it looks *very* different in person. It's hard to capture in a photo the way it plays with the light as you turn it. It's really kind of stunning. Plus, it's sort of a freebie color since it's just an additive to an existing color.
Delete