{"product_id":"australian-boulder-opal-gold-pendant-2001","title":"Boulder Opal Pendant – 18K Gold, 1.75ct, Square Bezel, Diamond Accent 2001","description":"\u003cstyle\u003e.rotr-faq { border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e5e5; padding: 14px 4px; margin: 0; } .rotr-faq:first-of-type { border-top: 1px solid #e5e5e5; } .rotr-faq \u003e summary { cursor: pointer; font-weight: 600; list-style: none; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: center; padding: 4px 0; outline: none; } .rotr-faq \u003e summary::-webkit-details-marker { display: none; } .rotr-faq \u003e summary::after { content: \"+\"; font-size: 1.5em; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1; margin-left: 12px; transition: transform 0.2s ease; } .rotr-faq[open] \u003e summary::after { content: \"−\"; } .rotr-faq-answer { margin: 10px 0 0 0; }\u003c\/style\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis 1.75ct Queensland boulder opal catches light the way ironstone country does at dusk — a deep blue that dominates, broken by flashes of red that come and go as the stone moves. The setting is an unusual square bezel in solid 18K yellow gold, a clean geometric cut that frames the colour play without competing with it. A small bezel-set diamond accent sits at the perimeter of the design, adding a single point of white light against the gold. The stone is solid and natural — no treatments, no backing layers — and the piece hangs on a 45 cm 18K gold-plated chain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Boulder Opal\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoulder opal forms as veins of precious opal within ironstone matrix in the opal fields of Queensland — primarily Quilpie, Yowah and Winton. Unlike black opal from Lightning Ridge, the opal cannot be separated from its host rock; it's cut as a single solid piece, with the natural brown ironstone remaining as the stone's backing. This gives boulder opal its distinctive look — vivid colour against rich earth tones — and also makes it physically more durable than other opals, since the ironstone host is harder than the opal layer it carries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone:\u003c\/strong\u003e Boulder Opal (solid, natural)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCarat Weight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.75ct\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour Play:\u003c\/strong\u003e Blue (dominant) and red (secondary)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBrightness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bright\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSetting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bezel set with a small diamond accent\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMetal:\u003c\/strong\u003e 18K yellow gold\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChain:\u003c\/strong\u003e 18K yellow gold-plated, 45 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Queensland, Australia\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability:\u003c\/strong\u003e One-of-a-kind — 1 piece available\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCaring for Your Opal\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOpal is softer than diamond or sapphire, so a little care goes a long way. See \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/opal-care\"\u003eOpal Care\u003c\/a\u003e for storage, cleaning, and what to avoid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eProvenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHand-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. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/about-rocks-on-the-rocks\"\u003eRead Joseph's story →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCommon Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cdetails class=\"rotr-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat makes this a \"bright\" stone?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"rotr-faq-answer\"\u003eA bright stone carries strong, vivid colour that reads clearly in most lighting conditions — indoors, outdoors, under warm or cool light. This boulder opal has that quality: the blue and red play-of-colour is not a subtle effect you have to search for; it presents itself. At the upper end of the brightness range, the colour has a saturation and intensity that distinguishes it from softer or more subdued stones in the same catalogue.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\n\u003cdetails class=\"rotr-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat is boulder opal and why does the ironstone stay?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"rotr-faq-answer\"\u003eBoulder opal grows as thin veins of precious opal through Queensland ironstone. The veins are often too thin to cut as a standalone stone — if you tried to remove the ironstone backing, you'd lose most or all of the opal. So the stone is cut as a combined piece: opal and ironstone together. The ironstone isn't a flaw or a compromise; it's a natural part of the stone, and its brown-earth tones are part of what makes boulder opal look distinctive compared with other opal types.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\n\u003cdetails class=\"rotr-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eIs the chain solid gold or plated?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"rotr-faq-answer\"\u003eThe pendant setting is solid 18K yellow gold. The chain is 18K yellow gold-plated — a standard pairing that keeps the piece accessible without compromising the setting. A solid 18K chain upgrade is available on request.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\n\u003cdetails class=\"rotr-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eIs this a natural, untreated opal?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"rotr-faq-answer\"\u003eYes — a solid, untreated boulder opal from Queensland. Not a doublet, not a triplet, not synthetic. The opal and its natural ironstone backing are cut as a single piece, exactly as they came from the ground.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\n\u003cdetails class=\"rotr-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eCertification, shipping, returns?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"rotr-faq-answer\"\u003eEvery piece is backed by Joseph's personal guarantee, ships fully insured within Australia, and can be returned within 14 days. See \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/buying-an-opal\"\u003eBuying an Opal\u003c\/a\u003e for the full breakdown.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e","brand":"Rocks On The Rocks","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44055999381687,"sku":"2001","price":2250.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0051\/9176\/1987\/files\/1.5.jpg?v=1733874891","url":"https:\/\/www.rocksontherocks.com\/products\/australian-boulder-opal-gold-pendant-2001","provider":"Rocks On The Rocks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}