Rare Australian Fossil Opal “Opalized Snail” Pendant

Calling all gem collectors and fossil collectors! This amazing yellow gold pendant is set with a natural Australian Opal. But this is not just any Opal; this is a natural fossil Opal of an ancient gastropod! All Opals form when silica and water harden over time. In Australia, what was once a giant seabed is now rich with Opals, where organic material, sand, and water merged over millions of years. Here the Opal replaced the snail rendering a perfect fossil specimen of this ancient seasnail nautilus type creature. One can see the whorl of the shell, which is presented here in its natural state- unpolished and untouched. Radiating from the fossilized snail are every color of the rainbow- red, green, blue and more, just like a top quality Opal should do- this makes this in the top 1% of all fossil Opals. A single Diamond accents the fossil. Note- this is a signed piece by a retired jeweler and Opal importer, and this is its first time on the market since it was made in the 1980s.