{"product_id":"australian-opal-doublet-silver-earrings-3402","title":"Opal Doublet Earrings – Sterling Silver, 14×11mm, Strong Red Flash","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\u003eThese earrings carry a matched pair of Australian opal doublets, each stone sitting at 14×11mm in a bezel of sterling silver. The stones have a semi-dark body — dark enough that the colour reads with real contrast, warm rather than heavy — and the dominant colour is red: a strong, concentrated flash that catches the light and holds it. Red is the rarest fire colour opal produces, and at this size the effect is hard to miss. The bezel setting wraps each stone cleanly and keeps the profile low, so they sit comfortably and wear through the day without catching or snagging. French wires with safety hooks secure them from behind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Opal Doublet\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn opal doublet is a thin slice of natural Australian opal cemented to a dark backing — usually ironstone or black potch (the common opal that doesn't carry colour play). Doublets are a legitimate technique used in the opal trade for over a century: solid opal thick enough to cut as a whole stone is rare, so using the precious opal layer efficiently means more people can own genuine Australian opal at a sensible price. The opal itself is the same material you'd find in a solid stone — just used more efficiently — and the dark backing intensifies the colour play above it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStone:\u003c\/strong\u003e Opal Doublet\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 14×11mm per stone\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour Play:\u003c\/strong\u003e Strong red, multicolour\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBody Tone:\u003c\/strong\u003e Semi-dark\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBrightness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Strong\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSetting:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bezel\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMetal:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sterling Silver\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClosure Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e French wires with safety hooks\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Australia\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability:\u003c\/strong\u003e One-of-a-kind — 1 pair 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, and doublets need extra care around water — prolonged exposure can degrade the bond between the opal layer and its backing. See \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/opal-care\"\u003eOpal Care\u003c\/a\u003e for the full routine including doublet-specific notes.\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\u003cdetails class=\"rotr-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhy is red the rarest opal colour?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"rotr-faq-answer\"\u003eOpal colour comes from the way silica spheres inside the stone diffract light — different sphere sizes produce different colours. The sphere arrangement needed to produce red sits at the low end of the visible spectrum, and it occurs far less often in nature than the arrangements that produce green or blue. When red does appear, it's usually mixed with other colours or seen as a secondary flash; a stone where red dominates is uncommon. That's why red opal commands a premium over equivalent blue or green stones.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails class=\"rotr-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat does semi-dark body tone mean?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"rotr-faq-answer\"\u003eSemi-dark means the background of the stone sits between a light-bodied opal and a fully black one. It's dark enough to give the colour real contrast — the fire stands out clearly rather than washing into a pale background — but light enough that the stone reads with warmth rather than depth. On these earrings, the semi-dark body makes the red flash pop without the stone looking heavy on the ear.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails class=\"rotr-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eIs this real Australian opal?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"rotr-faq-answer\"\u003eYes — the opal layer is genuine natural Australian opal, the same material used in solid opal pieces. It's been crafted as a doublet, meaning the opal is cemented to a dark backing rather than left as a thicker solid stone. The opal itself is 100% natural and Australian.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails class=\"rotr-faq\"\u003e\u003csummary\u003eHow are these worn?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"rotr-faq-answer\"\u003eThese earrings have French wires with safety hooks — they pass through pierced ears and the safety catch holds them in place from behind, so there's no risk of losing one through the day.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\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":44900232200375,"sku":"3402","price":780.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0051\/9176\/1987\/files\/OpDbErr522.3.jpg?v=1746605102","url":"https:\/\/www.rocksontherocks.com\/products\/australian-opal-doublet-silver-earrings-3402","provider":"Rocks On The Rocks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}