If you’re looking for the best Black Opal necklace you can find, look no further. The pendant may be unassuming, but the Opal is top-of-the-line. The finest Black Opals were mined in Lightning Ridge, Australia in the early 1900’s, thus we often find them in antique jewelry. This particular pendant started its life as a stick pin circa 1915, and we converted it to it’s current pendant form. The frame is a simple 14k yellow gold bezel, but the bezel is doubled up with a concave center area, which captures the light and keeps it focused on the Opal- a brilliant setting trick which keeps this Opal looking fantastic even in low lighting conditions. The star of the show here is the pear shape solid Black Opal center gem, which is just over 1ct but appears larger due to the low dome of the cabochon cut. This Opal looks like confetti or glitter trapped within a gem, with the most intense red, orange, green, and blue dancing across the surface. This Opal has no bad sides- the viewer sees intense color from every direction! At a distance, the red is most noticeable, and since this is the rarest Black Opal color, this makes this an even more coveted gemstone. The color pattern seen here is larger and more distinct than pinfire, and appears like a patchwork of small prisms- not quite harlequin, but certainly flagstone- and its stunning in person.

Details: vintage 14k yellow gold pendant set with 1.20ct pear shape solid Black Opal (N1 B5 flagstone), from stickpin circa 1915, with NAGL lab report.