Black Opal Pendant – Sterling Silver, 3.17ct, 17×9mm, Crystal Multicolour

At 3.17 carats and 17 × 9 mm, this is the largest black opal silver pendant in the current collection — and a crystal body tone means every carat earns its keep. Light passes through the stone's translucent silica layers and refracts back as shifting multicolour: no single dominant hue, just a quiet, gradient-like movement of colour that reveals something different in every light. "Soft brightness" isn't a weakness — it's the character of a stone whose colour glows rather than flashes, the kind of depth that draws you in rather than announcing itself across the room. The pendant is claw/prong-set in sterling silver, suspended on a rhodium-plated chain at 45 cm — a length that sits at the collarbone, letting the stone lie flat and catch the light all day.

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 body tone — the darkness of the stone's base — defines its character: at the darker end, body tone creates dramatic high-contrast flashes; at the lighter end, where this stone sits, the base is translucent and colour appears to glow from within.

Crystal black opal sits in a specific and prized category. Light passes through the silica layers and refracts back as colour, giving the stone a lit-from-within quality that solid dark-body stones can't match. Combined with multicolour play and a substantial 3.17 carats, this is the kind of stone collectors hunt for.

Specifications

• Stone: Solid Australian Black Opal (natural, untreated)
• Carat Weight: 3.17 ct
• Dimensions: 17 × 9 mm
• Colour Play: Multicolour
• Body Tone: Crystal
• Brightness: Soft
• Setting: Sterling Silver, claw / prong
• Chain: Rhodium-plated, 45 cm
• 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.