Ah opal…the lustrous, alluring, sparkling, mysterious wonder of nature! Opal is truly an exceptional gem possessing an unrivaled fascination. They bestow magnetic warmth in their vivacious glowing colors not found in any other stone. It’s no wonder their beauty has stirred the hearts of artistic souls and the passions of mankind for centuries. The greatest writers in history have fallen under opal’s hypnotic spell, com­paring them to volcanoes, galaxies, and fireworks. Shakespeare lauded the jewel as, “that miracle and queen of gems.”

Admirers gave extraordi­nary opals poetic names like Pandora, Light of the World, and Empress. The finest opals come from Australia and the rarest, most vibrant and most valuable of all opals is the black opal. Regularly priced at over $10,000 a carat, they come with a price tag to match! Opal doublets are slices of opal glued to a black backing, designed to imitate the appearance of a solid black opal. Doublets feature the same dark body tone of the gem, which makes the effervescent flashes of light even more pronounced and mesmerizing—but for a fraction of the cost. These stones truly display the most brilliant play of colors imaginable. How easy it is to become enthralled with the kaleidoscope of rainbow colors—one glance and you’ll find it difficult to tear your eyes away.