Opal Doublet Pendant – Sterling Silver, Red Pinfire

A 23 × 11 mm Australian opal doublet with bright pinfire pattern — hundreds of tiny individual points of colour distributed across the stone like a field of lit stars, dominant red with secondary green and blue shifting between them. Pinfire is one of the rarer pattern types: it requires the silica spheres in the opal to be packed at exactly the right spacing to diffract light into those small, concentrated dots rather than broad sweeps. Under direct light this stone will fire red across almost the entire face, with the green and blue flashing between the points. Bezel-set in sterling silver, hung on a rhodium-plated chain at 45 cm. At $780 this is a mid-tier piece with an above-average stone — the pattern justifies the step up from the standard multicolour range.

About Opal Doublets

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, and they exist for one good reason: solid opal thick enough to cut as a whole stone is rare, and using the precious opal layer efficiently means more people can own genuine Australian opal at a price that makes sense.

The opal in this piece is real, natural Australian opal — the same material you'd find in a solid stone, just used more efficiently. The dark backing serves the same function as the dark body tone in a black opal: it acts as a backdrop that intensifies the colour play above it. Visually, a good doublet can rival a solid stone for fire and brilliance — the difference is in the construction, not the opal itself.

Specifications

• Stone: Natural Australian Opal Doublet (genuine opal layer with dark backing)
• Dimensions: 23 × 11 mm
• Colour Play: Dominant red with secondary green and blue
• Brightness: Bright
• Pattern: Pinfire
• Setting: Bezel, sterling silver
• Chain: Rhodium-plated, 45 cm
• Origin: Australia
• Availability: One-of-a-kind — 1 piece available

Caring for Your Opal Doublet

Opals are softer than diamonds or sapphires, so a little care keeps yours brilliant for generations. Doublets need one extra precaution that solid opals don't: avoid prolonged water exposure, as it can degrade the cement bond between the opal layer and the backing.

• Avoid knocks and hard impacts — store separately, ideally in a soft pouch or lined box
• Avoid prolonged water exposure — no swimming, no showering, dry off if it gets wet
• Keep away from extreme heat or sudden temperature changes
• Never use ultrasonic cleaners, steam cleaners, or harsh chemical cleaners
• Clean gently with a soft, slightly damp cloth — no detergents, no alcohol
• Remove before gardening or anything rough

Treated well, your doublet will hold its colour for decades.

Provenance

Every opal at Rocks On The Rocks is personally hand-selected by Joseph Bernecki — Polish-born, Australian-raised, and a 30+ year veteran of the Australian opal trade. Joseph sources direct from the fields at Lightning Ridge, Quilpie, Winton and Coober Pedy, and hand-picks each stone for its individual character before it's set in his Sydney workshop. You can meet him in person any weekend at The Rocks Market, stall under the bridge, Sydney.

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.