Stone of Potential
Generally speaking, there are two kinds of people who end up in a jewelry store: those with a premeditated purpose and know exactly what they want, and those who are looking for any piece that really rocks their world. For that first group of people the traditional stones; rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, faceted stones that can fit nicely into any piece, work great. For the latter group, the eye catching opal is an excellent choice for a variety of reasons. Just one look at the gemstone will tell you everything you need to know about it, but let’s dive deeper into why opals will never disappoint you.
Black Gold
Let’s start with the obvious: black opals are absolutely beautiful. Opal forms naturally on the surface of rocks and when they are cut, it’s not in the usual oval or symmetrical shapes because the shape of the rock and the contour is what creates a natural beauty. Older opals are typically asymmetrical based on how the surface of the stone was formed. This formation can lead to a couple kinds of opals: black opals and boulder opals. Boulder opals are dark in nature and are very close to the appearance of a black opal, however they don’t quite have the full depth a true black opal does. Because of its depth, intensity, and the fact that it’s thoroughly dark all the way through, it’s considered to be black gold… at least in the world of gemstones. Both kinds of opals can have a variety of colors within them: from deep blues, to the entire fire red spectrum being frozen inside. Black opal has what is known as pin fire inside of it, that’s the little speckles of color you can see – the more of this pin fire there is on a stone, the more beautiful and valuable it is.
Connections Around the World
Most of the black opal that’s found in our store comes from the Lightning Ridge mine out of Australia. Our store has had good global connections with miners and people that are actually in Australia that we don’t often have to rely on gem shows to find fantastic black opals; they tend to share them with us. This trust has been built because we can make the kind of things that are interesting and completely unique, and afterward they get to see how their stones are presented. It’s a win-win for both parties because we often get first dibs on materials, and they get to know their stones are going to be put into amazing products.
Opals are Snowflakes
The hardest thing to do with an opal is to match it. Each opal is going to be a little different than the one next to it, so unless they were cut from the exact same stone, there are going to be distinct differences. This fact is something that excites us as designers and creators: we get the opportunity to make something that is different than anything we’ve ever made before. Making something unique makes for the best day ever for us, and in a world of mass production, black opals are truly one of a kind. If you’re looking for the stone no one else has, the black opal will be that for you.
