Black Opal Pendant – 18K Gold, Crystal Body, Mixed Flash

A solid Australian black opal with a crystal body tone — translucent base, bright mixed flash that glows from within the stone rather than flashing off a dark backdrop. Joseph has set it in a delicate claw/prong mount of 18K yellow gold that leaves the stone open and lets light pass through it from every angle. On a 45cm gold-plated chain, it sits lightly at the collarbone — a piece that rewards being worn in good light, where the colour shifts with every movement.

About Black Opal

Black opal is the rarest and most sought-after variety of Australian opal, mined almost exclusively from Lightning Ridge in New South Wales. Its dark body tone — from dark grey to jet black — creates a dramatic backdrop that intensifies the stone's natural play-of-colour, producing vivid flashes that appear to glow from within. Black opal with strong fire is particularly prized by collectors and is considered among the most valuable gemstones in the world.

Crystal and light-body black opals sit at the lighter end of the body-tone scale. Their base is translucent rather than opaque, so colour appears to glow from inside the stone rather than flashing off a dark background. This gives them a softer, more ethereal quality — different from a dark-body stone, but prized by collectors for exactly that reason. Both ends of the scale are valued; the stone's brightness and pattern quality matter more than body tone alone.

Specifications

• Stone: Solid Australian Black Opal (natural, untreated)
• Colour Play: Mixed flash
• Body Tone: Crystal
• Brightness: Bright
• Pattern: Mixed
• Setting: Claw/prong, 18K yellow gold
• Finish: Polished
• Chain: 18K yellow gold-plated, 45cm
• Origin: Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia
• Availability: One-of-a-kind — 1 piece available

Caring for Your Opal

Opals are softer than diamonds or sapphires, so a little care keeps yours brilliant for generations.

See Opal Care for storage, cleaning, and what to avoid.

Provenance

Hand-selected by Joseph Bernecki, sourced direct from the Australian opal fields and set in his Sydney workshop. Meet him any weekend at The Rocks Market, stall under the bridge, Sydney. Read Joseph's story →

Common Questions

This is a one-of-a-kind piece. Once sold, it cannot be replicated. Every opal at Rocks On The Rocks is hand-selected by Joseph for its individual character and quality.