Surely you’ll find the exact piece of australian black opal jewelry you’re seeking on 1stDibs — we’ve got a vast assortment for sale. Frequently made of
Gold,
18k Gold and
Platinum, this item was constructed with great care. Our collection of these items for sale includes 41 vintage editions and 85 modern creations to choose from as well. If you’re looking for an item from our selection of australian black opal jewelry from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 20th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. For this particular accessory, there are many different carat weights to choose from, but
1 Carat and
1.5 Carat versions are of considerable interest. Finding an appealing choice in our collection of australian black opal jewelry — no matter the origin — is easy, but
Renata Bernard,
Cynthia Scott and
Jiedy Jewels each produced a popular version that is worth a look. See these pages for a
cabochon iteration of this accessory, while there are also
oval cut cut and
mixed cut cut versions available here, too. There aren’t many items for
men if you’re seeking an object in our assortment of australian black opal jewelry, as most of the options available are for
women and unisex.
Opals were discovered in 400 BC, and since then five types have been found throughout the world. Before you start shopping for mysteriously beautiful vintage opal rings and other opal jewelry, learn about the different varieties of the gem — and find out which historical figure was reportedly willing to trade his kingdom for a single stone.
Here is a little riddle for you: the month of October has two birthstones, but only one of them encompasses the colors of other birthstones. If you guessed opal, you’re right! (The other gemstone associated with the month of October is tourmaline.)
Opals are such unusual gemstones that there are too many old-wives tales associated with them, like if you’re a blond, wearing an opal necklace will protect your locks from losing color. Opals were also very fashionable in the early 19th century, up until the publication of Sir Walter Scott’s novel Anne of Geierstein in 1829. The title heroine wears an opal and succumbs to an untimely death. However, the British monarchy, and in particular Queen Victoria, did not let this story get in their way, and they frequently gifted opals to friends and family members. October babies should disregard the noise and proudly wear their opals!
There are five types of precious opals: boulder opal, fire opal, crystal/water opal, black opal, and white/light opal. Each variety is distinguished by its color.
So, where does the name come from? The word opal is thought to originate from the Roman opalus or from the Sanskrit úpala (“precious stone”) or from the Greek opallios (“to see a color change”). So while there have been many names for the stones, opals were first discovered in 400 BC in Ethiopia. But the early reference that comes up most often in history books is from the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder, who wrote about it in 75 AD. In his text he refers to it as opali. The Romans were big fans of opal, Mark Antony was so enamored by it that, as the story goes, he was willing to trade a portion of his kingdom for a single opal.
There's a wide variety of antique and vintage opal jewelry on 1stDibs (and you won't have to trade your kingdom for it).