Opal Specimen

On 1stDibs, there are many options to choose from in our inventory of opal specimen. Frequently made of gold, 18k gold and platinum, these items were constructed with great care. Find a collection of 6 vintage versions or 15 modern creations for a more contemporary example of these cherished accessories. Our collection, which features older pieces for sale from the 19th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 21st Century, has proven very popular over the years. contemporary and modern are consistently popular styles when it comes to opal specimen. There have been many well-made iterations of these items over the years, but those made by Celine Roelens, Five Star Jewelry and Elaine Silverstein are often thought to be among the most beautiful. Any of these pieces can lend versatility to your look, but opal versions, from our inventory of 14, are particularly popular. A selection of cabochon, oval cut and mixed cut can be found today on these pages. Most of our opal specimen for sale are for women, but there are 11 pieces available to browse for men.

Prices for opal specimen start at $99 and top out at $88,500 with these necklaces, on average, selling for $4,900.

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).