Australian black opal fromLightning
Ridge in New SouthWales is the most
revered variety, often priced by the piece
rather than the carat, explains Stuart
Robertson, research director at trade
publication
GemGuide
. “I have seen pieces
at the Tucson gem shows [in Arizona] with
wholesale prices well above
,
per
carat. Top black and semi-black material
can see prices that exceed those of better
grades of emerald and sapphire, especially
when the latter are of the more commonly
traded sizes of to carats.”
The most commonly seen sizes of fine-
quality black opal — under carats —
range from just below ,
up to ,
per carat. “Prices get higher for larger sizes
and exceptional pieces,” notes Robertson.
ABOUT THE SHAPE OF IT
Cabochons are the most desirable shape
for most of the market, says Damien Cody
of Australian supplier Cody Opals. “There
is also strong demand for free-shape stones
[among] the bespoke designer segment.
Boulder opal, which is fashioned from the
host rock and follows the natural contours
of the opal vein, can provide a tactile and
sculptural element for designers.”
Boghossian has capitalized on this
natural shaping feature in his new high-
jewelry collection, which includes a pair of
heart-shaped diamonds — one white, one
yellow— atop two heart-shaped opals.
“We love to set precious opals in earrings
because each is distinctively individual,
and this allows us to be more creative and
give light to mismatched beauties,” he
explains. “It is quite exciting to go beyond
the realm of classical jewelry into more
audacious territories.”
Cartier, which created a stunning matrix
opal cuff last year, highlights the stone’s
pebble-like irregular shapes in a necklace
from its new Sur-Naturel line. The design
“plays with round shapes as an evocation
of a panther pattern illustrated by
opals,” explains Pierre Rainero, Cartier’s
head of heritage and style. “The daring
composition of the necklace is a milestone
in the evolution of Cartier design today.”
DAZZLING BY DE SIGN
Beautiful black-opal specimens appear in
high-jewelry collections fromChaumet,
Tiffany &Co. and DavidMorris, and in
many of Piaget’s hardstone dial watches.
RIGHT TO THE SOURCE
O
pal is a hardened silica gel, a
non-crystalline material that
usually contains 5% to 10%
water. Mined in Australia for 130 years,
it formed in cavities of sedimentary
rock in what 65 million years ago was
the Eromanga Sea before it dried
to desert. Australia is the largest
source of opal, although output has
declined. Mexican fire opals were
discovered around the same time
as those deposits, and additional
finds emerged in Peru in the 1970s
and Ethiopia in the ’90s. Ethiopian
specimens are attractively priced,
notes
GemGuide
’s Stuart Robertson.
However, one notable issue with
opal is durability. Because of its water
content, the stone can dry out and
crack. Material from some areas in
Ethiopia is less stable than from other
deposits, warns Robertson. Australian
opal is admired for its quality and
stability, and also has a good track
record for safety and sustainability.
“In this climate, where consumers
are looking for gemstones which
are natural, untreated and ethically
sourced, Australian opal shines
strongly and is clearly one of the
most responsibly sourced gemstones
available,” says Damien Cody of Cody
Opals. “The finite Australian opal
resource, which has been mined now
for more than 100 years, has forced
opal miners to be more efficient
with their prospecting, mining and
processing.”
Black opal, he continues, “is very
rare, as a lot of what comes out of the
ground is grey or white, so body tone
adds richness and value to the stone.”
Transparency in white opal adds value,
and red flashes in a black opal are
highly sought after.
It’s not just the rainbow of colors
that makes opal fascinating, but also
the patterning. Pinfire is the most
common, with sparkling pinpoints
throughout; other patterns include
harlequin, peacock, feather and
brushstroke. Thickness and shape
add to the opal’s desirability. But,
Cody declares, “brilliance is the most
important thing.”
California-based designer Irene
Neuwirth uses Lightning Ridge, boulder,
crystal and fire opals — another popular
type — in her jewelry, while New York-
based Deirdre Featherstone’s fascination
with the gemstone has led her to use
Koroit opal fromQueensland (blackish
with red flecks) as well as matrix, fire
and black opal in her works. Temple St.
Clair highlights Lightning Ridge and
translucent water opal in her designs.
Light opal from the Australian town of
Coober Pedy sits alongside white clam
pearls in Cartier’s high-jewelry repertoire,
and New York-based brand Le Vian
works with opals from the Yawehmine
in Ethiopia —where deposits were found
in the
s — because of their high
iridescence. McKinney, meanwhile, a
winner of the International Opal Jewellery
Design Award, has dedicated herself to
finding the most interesting gems so she
can emphasize their beauty.
“Living in Australia, I have incredible
access to some of the finest opals in the
world,” she says. “I am a fan of jewels the
wearer has the chance to admire as well.
This means cuffs and rings are favorites.
[However,] a fabulous pair of boulder opal
earrings canmake such a statement.”
3
SEPTEMBER
DIAMONDS.NET
