Opal earrings, or jewelry as the British call it, such as opal wedding rings, pendants, necklaces, make ideal fashion accessories for any occasion. Opals are found in the inland regions of Australia. Opals are part of the cultural history of these regions. Many of the old opal mines are no longer producing. Fields like White Cliffs and Andamooka are still coming out of the ground, but they are not extensive. Lightning Ridge hasn't been producing like they used to lately either.
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There is a lot of experimentation with different metals, and opals set in rhodium-plated silver (to prevent tarnishing) are gaining popularity every day. The high price of gold stimulates this trend because silver is much more economical.
Please note that the spelling of the word 'jewels' differs between the US and the UK, where it is spelled 'jewels'. This site has a lot of interesting information about the history of opals and ancient jewelry. Please check out the blogs section to see what has been written, ask any questions and post some comments if you feel like it.
Other articles in the Opal Mine series have focused on how to tell if the opal itself is genuine, so this article will look at the metal itself. Keep in mind that karat is a measure of the purity of gold. 24 karat is pure gold. So each carat is one 24. So 18 carats means the metal is 18 parts pure gold and 6 parts copper. You can calculate the same percentages when referring to 9, 10, 12 or 14 karat gold.
You'll need glasses to examine the small stamp, usually on the inside of an opal ring shank or elsewhere in the case of pendants, bracelets, and earrings.
· If '925' is stamped on the metal, it means it is sterling silver
· If 325 is stamped, it means 9k gold, either white or yellow
· If the grade is 585, it means 14k gold either white or yellow
· If the grade is 750, it means 18k gold either white or yellow
Here are the full details of the gold and silver standards in carats and 1000 percent
· 24 carats (999)
· 22 carats (916)
· 20 carats (833)
· 18 carats (750)
· 16 carats (625)
· 14 carats (585)
· 10 carats (417)
· 9 carats (375)
Opal rings
Historically and in the world of fashion, rings are by far the most popular form of jewelry, and the opal industry is no exception. Design tastes vary from person to person and country to country. Some people like intricate designs that incorporate metal with the stone, and some prefer a very simple presentation that makes the opal stone itself stand out.
Opal pendants are another contender
It's easier to buy someone a pendant than a ring because you don't have to worry about finger size.
Opal necklaces are just variations of pendants
They are often larger and more complex than pendants, often featuring many stones strung along the necklace in the form of beads or hangers, or sometimes in clusters that hang almost as much as the pendant. Opal necklaces and pendants are the most popular lines of opal wedding band sold online as gifts because, unlike rings, they don't have to fit on a specific finger.
Opal jewelry is now available online, but how do you know it's genuine and how can you find something as a gift that isn't too expensive.
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