Opal Doublet Pendant – Sterling Silver, 8×6mm, Bright Red Pinfire

Red is the rarest colour in Australian opal — rarer than green, rarer than blue, and in the top tier of what the stone can produce. This 8×6mm doublet carries it in pinfire: dozens of tiny, closely-spaced points of colour that scatter across the stone's face like embers. The brightness rating is bright, meaning the fire comes at you clearly rather than needing you to chase it in the light. Set in a bezel of sterling silver with a rhodium-plated chain, it sits cleanly against the neck without fuss — a compact pendant that punches well above its footprint.

About Opal Doublet

An 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.

Specifications

• Stone: Australian Opal Doublet
• Dimensions: 8×6mm
• Brightness: Bright
• Pattern: Pinfire
• Dominant Colour: Red
• Setting: Bezel, sterling silver
• Chain: Rhodium-plated, 45cm
• Origin: Australia
• Availability: One-of-a-kind — 1 piece available

Caring for Your Opal

Opal 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 Opal Care for the full routine including doublet-specific notes.

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