Opal Jewelry

Each piece is crafted by hand to account for each individual opal so we don’t create using CAD or mass production techniques. Everything is done the old-fashioned way, slowly, skillfully and with care.

Purchasing a piece of Black Opal Direct opal jewelry is synonymous with quality to last beyond a lifetime. We design with longevity in mind and hope that your opal jewelry piece brings you, and your family, much joy.
This attention to detail and considered process extends to the gold we use. All our pieces are crafted in either sterling silver or 18kt gold. We mix our gold from scratch in small batches to ensure purity and consistency of color. We source our gold from Australian gold recyclers and also use newly mined New Zealand gold, which has the highest environmental certifications of all globally mined gold.

If you add diamonds or other colored gemstones to the design, be confident in knowing that all our gemstones are sourced from traceable and ethical sources, just as our opals are. We use only the finest cut diamonds with a color grade of E-F. Our colored gems, in most cases, are purchased from dealers close to the mine, or directly from miners.

How to purchase opal jewelry

1. There are three ways to purchase opal jewelry from Black Opal Direct. You can select directly from our range of jewels available for shipping today. Each piece has been designed with the opal in mid to show off its best attributes. Opal rings can be resized within two numerical sizes of the original piece. Resizing is complimentary, however there may be a small additional cost of gold if added. This process takes approximately one week.
2. We recognize that opal is a very unique gem for a unique person. Your choice of opal, metal and design can be realized with our Create Your Own process. Simply choose an opal, select a design and metal – based on the parameters of your opal and we will create it for you. The benefit of this process is that you will know upfront what the design and the opal will cost. This process takes 3-4 weeks.
3. Found an opal that doesn’t fit the parameters of our Create Your Own range, or perhaps you are looking for something else? Our designer can custom design something special for you. Simply select your opal and contact us to discuss. We estimate 4-6 weeks to create your custom piece. Prices vary according to your specifications. Please note that this truly bespoke process takes time.

Opal Jewelry History

Opal is truly a magnificent gem to create jewelry from. Opal jewelry has been worn for millennia and it’s had some rather special moments throughout history.

It is rumored that Cleopatra had an opal in her tiara from her lover Mark Antony. Pliny, the Roman philosopher, called it the Queen of Gems for its multitude of colors.

Considered throughout the centuries to be enormously lucky, knights took opal into battle believing it protected them. Women also used opal as a strengthening talisman in childbirth.

It was Queen Victoria however who really revived the passion for opal jewelry in the late nineteenth century when she wore it regularly and gave suites of opal jewelry to her daughters.

Australian black opal was discovered early in the 20th century and exhibited in the London Exhibition of 1905 to great wonderment and acclaim.

Opal jewelry has never looked back since then.