Opals?

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K

Kleio

O.G.
Mar 30, 2011
308
2
#1
My mother loves opals, and I'd like to get her a pair of opal earrings set in yellow gold. Any suggestions or advice? (I'm not very familiar with opals, honestly.) Thanks in advance! :smile1:
 
#3
Definitely shop for opals in person. The play of color is everything in opals and you just won't be able to tell on-line.
They are fairly soft, but they will be fine in earrings as long as they are not subjected to sudden temperature change.
 
#4
Kitsunegrl said:
Definitely shop for opals in person. The play of color is everything in opals and you just won't be able to tell on-line.
They are fairly soft, but they will be fine in earrings as long as they are not subjected to sudden temperature change.
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Oh dear, I was planning on purchasing opals online, as the in-store ones that I have seen have all been outrageously priced (in my opinion).
 
#6
Good opals can be expensive, it is true. But they are worth it IMO.

I have two lovely black opals my father purchased in Australia in the 1960s. So glad to have them as prices have gone up so high.
 
#7
Question: What differences, if any, are there between "created" opals and "regular" opals? I assume the former were created in labs, and the latter were mined, but aesthetically speaking, are they really all that different?
 
#8
^Yes,created opals have a more even fire and to ME are soulless. However, I find all created gemstones to be lackluster and not special.

The last time I was at the jewelry store, I tried on a black opal ring that was $9000 US. Very expensive, but truly a beauty.

Any good gemstone is going to cost. I'd figure out your budget and then let your jeweler show you what is available in that price range.
 
#10
Candice0985 said:
try looking into loose opals like ethiopian opals or wello opals, both can be found loose for a decent price. then just buy semi mount earrings on ebay or a local jeweller. trust me you can save lots of money doing it this way!
http://stores.ebay.com/MicksWorldOfOpals?_trksid=p4340.l2563
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I totally agree with this. Good post!:ps:

The lab created opals are awful, tbh. They've got some funky pattern going on, I can't describe it. They're plain horrible, at least that's my opinion.
 
#11
#12
Kleio, AFAIK, Ethiopian Wello opals are light or chocolate opals. If you want a good opal with that wonderful opal kick of colour, then I think Australian black opals are the only way to go. But like Candice said, you can buy them loose and get them set. (The ones the link she posted are nice.) I'm considering doing that myself as I want a bigger pair of earrings than the ones I currently have.
 
#13
I'm obsessed with Opals. Even wanted to have one as my engagement ring, until everyone told me there was some superstition about it being bad luck.:shucks:

I have a black opal ring set in silver and it's amazing. BUT it has cracked. Which only I can notice, (and actually it gives it even more fire) but it just shows you how delicate the stone is, as I only wear it on special occasions. It's not as if I was doing the garden with it on!

Manufactured opals don't have the same pattern at all. They have a pattern like you'd see if you looked into a kaleidescope - all very regular and even.

Whereas real opals have random flashes and streaks and there's no pattern to it at all.
 
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