• Boulder Opal Necklace – Yowah Solid Stone on Leather, 37×35mm
  • Boulder Opal Necklace – Yowah Solid Stone on Leather, 37×35mm
  • Boulder Opal Necklace – Yowah Solid Stone on Leather, 37×35mm
  • Boulder Opal Necklace – Yowah Solid Stone on Leather, 37×35mm
  • Boulder Opal Necklace – Yowah Solid Stone on Leather, 37×35mm
1 5

Rocks On The Rocks

Boulder Opal Necklace – Yowah Solid Stone on Leather, 37×35mm

Boulder Opal Necklace – Yowah Solid Stone on Leather, 37×35mm

$300.00 AUD
$300.00 AUD
Sale Sold out
Taxes included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

This necklace is centred on a Yowah opal — a boulder opal variety unique to the Yowah opal fields of South West Queensland — polished into its natural rounded shape rather than cut to a standard outline. The stone's tan and brown ironstone crust wraps around patches of cream, pale blue and soft iridescent colour play, threaded through a silver loop onto an adjustable black leather cord. It's a rugged, earthy piece — closer to wearing a small polished stone straight from the ground than a conventional jewellery setting.

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.

This piece is a Yowah opal specifically — named for Yowah, a small outback town in western Queensland known for its opal fields and for the "Yowah Nut," a type of boulder opal distinctive to the region, where colour forms inside rounded ironstone nodules rather than flat veins.

Specifications

  • Stone: Boulder Opal (solid) — Yowah opal
  • Dimensions: 37 × 35mm
  • Colour Play: Pale blue and cream flashes against a brown ironstone matrix
  • Setting: Silver loop
  • Chain: Adjustable black leather cord
  • Origin: Yowah, South West Queensland, 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

What makes a Yowah opal different from other boulder opal?
Yowah opal comes from ironstone nodules known as "Yowah Nuts," found only around the town of Yowah in South West Queensland. Instead of colour running through a flat vein of ironstone, it forms inside these rounded nodules, which is why Yowah opals are often left in more natural, organic shapes rather than cut to a uniform outline — like this piece.
Is this a natural Australian boulder opal?
Yes — a solid, untreated Yowah boulder opal from South West Queensland. Not a doublet, not a triplet, not synthetic. One stone, natural colour.
Certification, shipping, returns?
Every piece is backed by Joseph's personal guarantee, ships fully insured within Australia, and can be returned within 14 days. See Buying an Opal for the full breakdown.
View full details