Opal Pendants

The value of an Opal Pendant and Opal Necklace is difficult to assess! The opal's gemstone type, body tone, clarity, pattern, colour bar thickness, colour play, and flaws all play a role in determining its worth. In addition, the quality of the cut, polish, and gemstone size are all crucial factors to consider.

An Opal Necklace is meticulously examined and assigned a price per carat when it is evaluated. The opal's price is determined by the total carat size of the stone.

Generally, opal gemstones with a black or dark body tone showcase a more vibrant play-of-colour, which is considered more valuable than opals with a white, light, or crystal body tone. As the most valuable form of opal, Black Opal Pendant may cost over $10,000 AUD per carat.

The clarity of an opal’s colour is critical when assessing the value of an Opal Pendant. Red fire is the rarest colour, followed by green/orange, green/blue and blue. Therefore, Red Fire Opal is generally more valuable than a predominantly green opal, which is more valuable than a stone showing only blue colour.

However, the brilliance and clarity of an Opal’s proportioned pattern is the main decision-maker. A brilliant blue/green can be more valuable than a dull red; bright twinkling stars of a ‘pin fire’ pattern can be more valuable than a cloudy ‘open’ or ‘mixed’ pattern of similar colouration; or a brilliant, lustrous light opal can sell more than a lack-lustre Black Opal.

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Boulder Opal Pendants are designed around the incredible beauty that occurs within the free-flowing surface of the opal with the Gemstones natural 'Ironstone' often appearing on the surface – which adds character and individuality – Boulder Opal Pendants are an absolutely unique gift. Individual, creative, expressive, they reflect the absolute miracle that is natural opal formation.

Millionaires and Billionaires, Kings and Queens, the Hollywood Rich and Famous have looked at Opal Pendants with a keen fascination, viewing their colours as an almost ‘divine’ creation. These natural wonders were prized among many for their vivid colours and were used throughout history as declarations of wealth, power, and love.

Opal colour creation is unique, and this is the only Gem on earth where you can (literally) ‘Hold a Rainbow in your hand’, and Opal Pendants are extremely rare! There is only one Opal Pendant gemstone found for every 1000 diamond pendants.
 
In the 1970s, opal triplets became popular for use in pendants in base metal, silver and 9-carat gold. The thin slices of opal were also set into low priced tourist items. Koalas, Kangaroos and Opera Houses set with opals and worn as pendants as a fun and inexpensive souvenir of Australia.

At Australian Opal Cutters, we offer an absolutely stunning selection of Boulder Opal Pendants, Opal Triplet Pendants, Black Opal Pendants and much more.

Australian Black Opal Pendants are gorgeous and are the most precious opal variation on the market. Unfortunately, this variety of opal is so rare because Black Opals can only be found in one place on earth, a small 30km square field in North-western NSW called “Lightning Ridge”.

Black Opals appear black but are really not black. Instead, they have a natural backing called "potch," which gives them a dark hue. Against this backdrop, the classic rainbow hues of an opal dance in beautiful patterns on top.

An intense Black Opal Pendant that really mesmerises can be worth many tens of thousands. Black Opal Pendants are in a class of their own for beauty, with their rainbow variety of hues blossoming in fire-like patterns, from oranges, greens, blues and flashes of red, pink and indigo.

However, many online stores stock a form of fake Black Opal Pendants, which are dyed and treated Ethiopian Opal. Whilst still being an authentic type of opal, they are visibly unrecognisable from a Black Opal, but structurally they are extremely prone to cracking and losing colour because the dying treatment can be affected or reversed by household chemicals.

Crystal Opals are popular selections for Opal Necklaces and Opal Pendants. The clear ‘crystal’ appearance reflects a stunning array of colours and can be worn daily with a wide variety of colours and ‘styles. Top-quality Crystal Opal Necklaces and Opal Pendants may cost up to AUD $2,500 per carat. In addition, a crystal opal's purity and transparency typically enhance the opal's colour, giving the stone a higher value than a regular opaque stone.