Boulder Opal Pendant – Sterling Silver, 13×11mm, Light Body, Bright Red Pinfire

A 13×11mm stone with a light body tone and bright pinfire red — thousands of tiny points of colour scattered across the face of the opal like sparks frozen in the act of falling. Pinfire is one of the classic opal patterns; on a light-body stone the effect is especially lively, each pinpoint catching the light independently as the pendant moves. The dominant red gives the stone warmth and rarity — red is the least common colour in the opal spectrum. Set in a bezel of sterling silver on a 45cm rhodium-plated chain.

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.

Each boulder opal is shaped by the natural geometry of the seam, so freeform and irregular shapes are common. The dark ironstone backing acts as a natural backdrop that intensifies the colour play above it — similar to how the dark body tone of a black opal works, but achieved by geology rather than gemmology.

Specifications

• Stone: Solid Australian Boulder Opal (natural, untreated, ironstone matrix)
• Dimensions: 13×11mm
• Colour Play: Dominant red
• Body Tone: Light
• Brightness: Bright
• Pattern: Pinfire
• Setting: Bezel, sterling silver
• Chain: Rhodium-plated, 45cm
• Origin: Queensland, 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. Boulder opal is more robust than other opal varieties thanks to its ironstone backing, but the precious opal layer still benefits from gentle treatment.

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.