Opals, once revered by Romans and holding a prestigious position just shy of emeralds, continue to captivate with their mesmerizing play-of-color, showcasing a kaleidoscopic array of hues. Renowned designers from around the globe shed light on their preferences and insights into these cherished gemstones.
Dr. Renata Bernard, the founder of Opal Minded in Australia, wears multiple hats as an opal-hunter, gemmologist, and designer. Precious opals are discovered in various locations, including Australia, Ethiopia, Mexico, Indonesia, and Honduras, with Australian opals standing out for their robustness due to low porosity. According to Dr. Bernard, Australian opals, whether black, dark, or light/white, excel in terms of color play, durability, and overall beauty. She emphasizes the distinction of Australian boulder opals, technically categorized into black boulder opals, dark boulder opals, and light/white boulder opals.
The value of an opal is determined by the brightness of its play-of-color, contributing to its rarity. Australian opals boast a unique color combination, intensity, and pattern, setting them apart. While precious opals are renowned for their vibrant play-of-color, common opals lack this distinctive feature. Dr. Bernard notes that opals from other regions are often treated to emulate the sought-after characteristics of Australian precious opals.
Victoria Lampley Berens, founder of The Stax, a global tastemaker collective, describes opals as “emotional stones” that reflect the wearer’s mood, intensifying emotions and promoting freedom and independence. She encourages enthusiasts to seek rare colors and unique settings that enhance the brilliance of opals, emphasizing their magical qualities and ever-changing hues in the sunlight.
Designers Brooke Gregson and Katherine Jetter share their perspectives on opals. Gregson sees opals as an antidote to traditional gemstone jewelry, appreciating the unique journey of their formation. Her goal is to design timeless pieces that showcase the beauty of these stones. Jetter, expressing pride as an Australian, loves the magical qualities of opals and strives to present them in a modern light, making opals relevant and appreciated again.
Opals, often referred to as the Gamblers Stone, form randomly in small pockets of the Australian outback desert soil. The intricate process involves rainfall, water deposits transforming into silica over millions of years due to iron exchange, resulting in opals displaying an array of colors such as greens, blues, oranges, reds, purples, and pinks. As these timeless treasures continue to enchant, their legacy lives on through the hands of passionate designers and the stories embedded within each unique gemstone.
