Description
This is a vintage 1980s 14K yellow gold ring with natural opal and diamond gemstones. All of the stones are excellent condition and not heat treated or radiated. It is marked 14K, jeweler tested and also Guaranteed to be solid 14k yellow gold. See photo #4 for marking.
Actual opal colors are somewhat better than photo could capture. The last 3 photos are taken with no light in a black ring box to try to capture the colors for you. These are milky Australian opals with a lovely mix of light teals, blues, reds, aquas, greens etc…Total carat gemstone weight is 1.34 carats. The center opal is 7mm tall which is surrounded by .24 carat of bright, sparkly, natural diamonds.
Ring size is 6 1/2. Weight is 2.9 grams. Size of top is 5/8 inch by 1/2 inch. The center opal is 7mm. Diamonds are 1.25mm each. Outer opals are 2-2.25mm each. All are well matched in size, cabohon cut and color.
The top is traditional diamond wrap while the sides have a strong late mid century early 1980s modernist design with swirls and open spaces. In addition, overall condition is excellent. There are no cracks or chips or flakes or damage to the stones. No dents or dings or damage to the gold. No resize. Furthermore, there are no repairs or alterations of any kind. Never resized or touched in any way. Completely original.
Having a nice, chunky modernist look with very pretty pale blue green opal gemstones rounded with natural diamonds this is a lovely ring for your collection. It is well made and able to be used daily.
Some Information About Opals:
Opal is a gem quality form of hydrated amorphous silicon dioxide. Its name is derived from the Sanskrit word for ‘stone’ and it is gemologically classed as a mineraloid as a result of its amorphous form. Opal is also considered to be the national gemstone for Australia since Australia produces roughly 97% of the world’s entire supply of opal gemstones. Finally, Opals can be divided into three main subgroups: precious opal, fire opal and common opal (potch):
Precious opal is known for its remarkable ability to diffract light. This consequently results in rainbow-like colors that change with the angle of observation. Another way to describe this is ‘play of color’. Fire opal can sometimes exhibit slight color play. Yet it is better known for its vivid body color. Common opal is usually opaque, rarely translucent, and lacks play of color. It is often found mixed with other gemstones, such as agate opal or moss opal. Common opal is known to exhibit ‘opalescence’. The term ‘opalescence’ is often mistaken for ‘play of color’. Opalescence should only be used to describe the optical effects seen in common opal. Opalescence is caused by the reflection of light and appears as a sheen of light, typically milky-bluish in color.
