Boulder Opal Necklace – Solid Stone on Leather, 66×30mm, Red Yellow Blue Green Stripes

This boulder opal necklace is a single, generously sized Queensland boulder opal, polished and threaded directly onto a black leather cord — no metal bail, no chain link, just the stone worn as found. Its body runs cream and tan with pale iridescent flashes of blue, green and pink-red running through in loose bands, and small dark ironstone inclusions scattered across the surface. At 66×30mm it's a substantial stone, more a wearable mineral specimen than a delicate pendant, suited to someone who wants their opal to read as raw and natural rather than polished into a conventional 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.

Specifications

• Stone: Boulder Opal (solid)
• Dimensions: 66.5 × 30.5mm
• Colour Play: Red, yellow, blue and green in horizontal bands
• Setting: None — stone drilled and threaded directly onto cord
• Chain: Adjustable black leather cord
• Origin: Western 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