• Australian Boulder opal set in 18 K gold pendant
  • Australian Boulder opal set in 18 K gold pendant
  • Australian Boulder Opal 18K Gold Pendant
1 3

Rocks On The Rocks

Boulder Opal Pendant – 18K Gold, 13×8mm, Semi-Dark, Green Pinfire

Boulder Opal Pendant – 18K Gold, 13×8mm, Semi-Dark, Green Pinfire

$1,550.00 AUD
$1,550.00 AUD
Sale Sold out
Taxes included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Pinfire is one of the rarer patterns in Australian opal — tiny, tightly packed points of colour that flash across the stone's face like lit sparks. On this 13×8mm Queensland boulder opal, the pinfire arrives in green: hundreds of minute colour points that shift and catch as the pendant moves. The semi-dark body gives the colour enough contrast to read with real presence, and the brightness grading means the flash is visible from a natural distance — not something you have to angle into the light to see. Set in an 18K yellow gold bezel, the warm metal tone complements the green fire without competing with it. The pendant hangs on an 18K gold-plated 45cm chain, ready to wear.

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
  • Dimensions: 13×8mm
  • Colour Play: Green
  • Body Tone: Semi-dark
  • Brightness: Bright
  • Pattern: Pinfire
  • Setting: Bezel, 18K yellow gold
  • Chain: 18K yellow gold-plated, 45cm
  • Origin: 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

What is a pinfire pattern?
Pinfire describes a colour pattern made up of very small, closely spaced points of colour — like hundreds of tiny sparks scattered across the stone's face. Each point flashes independently as the stone moves or the light shifts, so the overall effect is a dense, animated scatter of colour rather than broad sweeps or rolling flashes. It's one of the more distinctive patterns in Australian opal, and stones with strong, evenly distributed pinfire across a well-coloured background are genuinely hard to come by.
What does semi-dark body tone mean?
Semi-dark means the background of the stone sits between a light-bodied opal and a fully black one — dark enough to give the colour play real contrast, but still warm and earthen rather than heavy or opaque. On this boulder opal, the natural ironstone backing contributes to the depth of tone. The result is that the green pinfire reads clearly without needing to be held at a precise angle to the light.
Is the chain solid gold or plated?
The pendant setting is solid 18K yellow gold. The chain is 18K yellow gold-plated — a standard pairing that keeps the piece accessible without compromising the setting. A solid 18K chain upgrade is available on request.
Is this a natural Australian opal?
Yes — a solid, untreated boulder opal from Queensland. Not a doublet, not a triplet, not synthetic. One stone, natural colour, cut with the ironstone backing intact as nature formed it.
Certification, shipping, returns?
Every piece is backed by Joseph's personal guarantee, ships fully insured within Australia, and can be returned within 14 days. See Buying an Opal for the full breakdown.

Each piece is one-of-a-kind. Once this stone sells, there is no other like it.

View full details