Black Opal Pendant – Sterling Silver, 1.50ct, Crystal Body, Pinfire Multicolour

A 1.50 carat Australian Black Opal pendant, set in sterling silver and shaped into a regular equilateral triangle — 13×13mm, clean-sided and precise. The stone is a crystal black opal, meaning its base is translucent rather than fully opaque: colour radiates from within the stone in a way that gives the play-of-light extra depth and movement. The pattern is pinfire — one of the recognized classical opal classifications, describing a field of tiny, closely spaced points of colour that fire independently, like a galaxy of pinhead-sized sparks scattered across the stone. Across this 13×13mm triangle, that pinfire lights up in multicolour: flashes of green, blue, and red shifting together as the angle changes. Bezel-set in sterling silver, the stone sits flush and secure with a slim band of metal framing each edge. It hangs from a rhodium-plated chain at 45cm — a collarbone length that keeps the stone visible and centered.

About Black Opal

Black opal is the rarest and most prized variety of Australian opal, mined almost exclusively from Lightning Ridge in New South Wales. The defining quality is the dark body tone — from charcoal to near-black — which creates a backdrop that makes natural play-of-colour appear more intense and vivid than in light-bodied stones.

Crystal black opal sits in a specific and striking category: the base of the stone is translucent or semi-translucent rather than fully opaque. This means colour doesn't just sit on the surface — it appears to glow from inside the stone, with light passing through the silica layers and refracting back as colour. The effect is more three-dimensional than you get with a solid dark-body stone, and in good light it can look almost lit from within.

Pinfire is one of the classical pattern classifications used by gemologists and opal traders. It describes a pattern where the colour appears as many small, distinct, tightly packed points — individual flashes rather than broad sweeps or rolling waves. A strong pinfire in a crystal body has a quality that's hard to describe without seeing it: dense, sparkling, alive.

Specifications

• Stone: Solid Australian Black Opal (natural, untreated)
• Carat Weight: 1.50 ct
• Dimensions: 13×13mm
• Colour Play: Multicolour pinfire
• Body Tone: Crystal
• Brightness: Soft
• Pattern: Pinfire
• Shape: Triangle (equilateral)
• Setting: Sterling Silver bezel
• Chain: Rhodium-plated, 45cm
• Origin: Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia
• Availability: One-of-a-kind — 1 piece available

Caring for Your Opal

Opal is softer than diamond or sapphire, so a little care goes a long way. 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.