Boulder Opal Necklace – Leather Cord, Green & Blue Ironstone Matrix

This Boulder Opal pendant is cut as a single freeform cabochon, its polished brown base rising into a raw crown of ironstone matrix left in place along the top edge. Cream and tan host rock breaks across the surface in an irregular network, and colour flickers through the cracks — green is the strongest, with hints of blue and violet catching the light as the stone turns. It hangs from a black leather cord, drilled straight through the crown rather than set in a metal bail, so the stone itself carries the whole piece. No two boulder opals cut this way come out the same; this one reads as a small slab of outback ironstone that happens to catch fire.

About Boulder Opal

Boulder 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.

Specifications

• Stone: Boulder Opal
• Colour Play: Green predominant, with flashes of blue and violet across the matrix
• Shape: Freeform cabochon
• Setting: Drilled through the stone and threaded directly onto the cord — no metal bail
• Chain: Black leather cord
• Origin: Queensland
• 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