1972 Cartier Black Opal

[Dancing Fire]

Missy that is a Beautiful Opal !! . My wife loves Opal too but I'm too chicken to buy her one, b/c I know nothing about Opals.

 

[lissyflo]

Missy that is a Beautiful Opal !! . My wife loves Opal too but I'm too chicken to buy her one, b/c I know nothing about Opals.

DF, you’ve laid down the challenge - we have a resident expert or two (many in fact!) who’d be delighted to help, I’m sure. Consider your cash spent!

 

[Scandinavian]

Well if you don’t wear it, you know it’s always welcomed to holiday with me LOL.

 

[missy]

Missy that is a Beautiful Opal !! . My wife loves Opal too but I'm too chicken to buy her one, b/c I know nothing about Opals.

Thank you @Dancing Fire! I think your wife would look amazing wearing an opal (pendant perhaps-easier to wear) and I know @jordyonbass would be thrilled to help you find just the right one to surprise her.

 

[missy]

Well if you don’t wear it, you know it’s always welcomed to holiday with me LOL.

Haha you're on...next time you visit me you can enjoy it. I trust you.

 

[missy]

Simply gorgeous Missy! I could stare at that opal for hours. Your dad must have passed along the jewelry loving gene! It looks beautiful on you sweet Missy.

Thank you dear @bling_dream19. I definitely got my love of jewels from him (and his taste is exquisite) and while my mom loves jewelry too he is the one who set the example.

Gorgeous!!

Thank you @msop04!

Such a gorgeous piece!

Thank you!

I remember seeing you post a photo of this ring awhile back and I though it was so magnificent that the image has stayed with me. Thanks for posting more photos of it! It truly is a ring for the ages! Absolute perfection! The opal looks lovely with your skin tone too. Wear and enjoy!

Thank you so much @RunningwithScissors!
Very kind of you to say.

I love this ring
And i love it's story
i love that your mom and dad gave it to you so they can see your love for it

Aww @Daisys and Diamonds thank you. Yes this ring means more to me than I can say. It is hands down the most sentimental piece of jewelry I own. A piece I will never trade in or sell.

I absolutely love the story behind this ring

Thank you @Dandi <3

 

[pearaffair]

Stunning ring, beautiful story! Makes me want to see your mom’s e-ring, too!

And fun to see how cameras have improved in the years. Wow. So glad we can see the magnificence of this Opal now!

 

[missy]

Stunning ring, beautiful story! Makes me want to see your mom’s e-ring, too!

And fun to see how cameras have improved in the years. Wow. So glad we can see the magnificence of this Opal now!

Thank you @pearaffair! Yes, getting an iPhone was a game changer for me.

Here is a photo of my mom's ER.
Not a great photo. Taken before I got my iPhone lol.

 

[pearaffair]

Thank you @pearaffair! Yes, getting an iPhone was a game changer for me.

Here is a photo of my mom's ER.
Not a great photo. Taken before I got my iPhone lol.

Oh WOW! I love it!!! #goals!

Are those skinny tapered baguettes? The ring looks so elegant.

 

[bling_dream19]

Thank you @pearaffair! Yes, getting an iPhone was a game changer for me.

Here is a photo of my mom's ER.
Not a great photo. Taken before I got my iPhone lol.

What a beautiful ring! Classic and elegant just like your mom. And you too!

 

[Austina]

That’s lovely @missy, do you know what the specs are?

Your opal is TDF, they are notoriously hard to photographs, but the colours,
W W!

 

[LLJsmom]

Thank you @pearaffair! Yes, getting an iPhone was a game changer for me.

Here is a photo of my mom's ER.
Not a great photo. Taken before I got my iPhone lol.

Such a gorgeous ring!!!

 

[cocotate]

Thank you @pearaffair! Yes, getting an iPhone was a game changer for me.

Here is a photo of my mom's ER.
Not a great photo. Taken before I got my iPhone lol.

Wow, is that ring from the 70s?

 

[Olde Soul]

I absolutely love opals and yours is just stunning. What a beautiful heirloom piece!!

 

[poshpepper]

That opal ring is what dreams are made of!!! I hope to one day have an opal ring even 1/10 that amazing what a wonderful family heirloom

 

[missy]

Wow, is that ring from the 70s?

Hi, no, my dad gave it to my mom a year or so after they got married in 1963. He couldn't afford a diamond ring when they got engaged and married but the year after he got her this ring which she still wears. The only difference is the shank which is an arthritic shank and she got that a number of years ago when her arthritis made it difficult to wear her ring.

My parents have been happily married 56 and a half years and counting.

 

[missy]

I absolutely love opals and yours is just stunning. What a beautiful heirloom piece!!

That opal ring is what dreams are made of!!! I hope to one day have an opal ring even 1/10 that amazing what a wonderful family heirloom

Thank you so much @Olde Soul and @poshpepper!

 

[cocotate]

Hi, no, my dad gave it to my mom a year or so after they got married in 1963. He couldn't afford a diamond ring when they got engaged and married but the year after he got her this ring which she still wears. The only difference is the shank which is an arthritic shank and she got that a number of years ago when her arthritis made it difficult to wear her ring.

My parents have been happily married 56 and a half years and counting.

I'll need an arthritic shank myself. My knuckles are huge so I don't even bother wearing rings anymore.

Your opal is simply amazing. Not just the rare pink/turquoise color at least on the photos but the pleasant pattern. Would you say that it's about N6 in the body tone?

 

[missy]

I'll need an arthritic shank myself. My knuckles are huge so I don't even bother wearing rings anymore.

Your opal is simply amazing. Not just the rare pink/turquoise color at least on the photos but the pleasant pattern. Would you say that it's about N6 in the body tone?

Thank you again and same here. My knuckles are a wreck and getting worse each year.

As for the body tone I do not know but perhaps @jordyonbass could make an educated guess. Supposedly Cartier had the first choice re the black opals from Lightning Ridge and it is (according to Cartier) a "museum quality" piece.


Tommy loves the opal too. Of course no gem could come close to matching the beauty of his gorgeous eyes.

 

[jordyonbass]

Thank you again and same here. My knuckles are a wreck and getting worse each year.

As for the body tone I do not know but perhaps @jordyonbass could make an educated guess. Supposedly Cartier had the first choice re the black opals from Lightning Ridge and it is (according to Cartier) a "museum quality" piece.


Tommy loves the opal too. Of course no gem could come close to matching the beauty of his gorgeous eyes.

It looks to be about an N4, bordering on Dark Opal. Body tone is basically irrelevant when it comes to an Opal like this though, that colour play is just absolutely divine (you know how much I adore this Opal @missy )

Nobody's fingers are as mangled as my index right now, the saga of my battle-worn fingers rages on

 

[missy]

It looks to be about an N4, bordering on Dark Opal. Body tone is basically irrelevant when it comes to an Opal like this though, that colour play is just absolutely divine (you know how much I adore this Opal @missy )

Nobody's fingers are as mangled as my index right now, the saga of my battle-worn fingers rages on

Thanks Jordy. And I’m so sorry about your finger. Greg and I are sending bucketloads of healing dust your way. (((Hugs))).

 

[EllenS1]

Thank you again and same here. My knuckles are a wreck and getting worse each year.

As for the body tone I do not know but perhaps @jordyonbass could make an educated guess. Supposedly Cartier had the first choice re the black opals from Lightning Ridge and it is (according to Cartier) a "museum quality" piece.


Tommy loves the opal too. Of course no gem could come close to matching the beauty of his gorgeous eyes.

Gorgeous ring no doubt but look at those beautiful eyes!!!!

 

[cushioncutnut]

What a stunning treasure to inherit. Just beautiful and it will always remind you of your mom!

 

[cocotate]

It looks to be about an N4, bordering on Dark Opal. Body tone is basically irrelevant when it comes to an Opal like this though, that colour play is just absolutely divine (you know how much I adore this Opal @missy )

Nobody's fingers are as mangled as my index right now, the saga of my battle-worn fingers rages on

I'm not sure if I'd agree. Practically every n4 opal I've ever seen are much darker in the grey body tone.

However, I do agree that it's very rare to see such bright color saturation and play in a lighter semi-black opal. Museum quality piece indeed.

Any chance we could get to see the back of the ring @missy? I thought I saw a portion of the potch near 10'oclock base of the opal in one of the photos. The gorgeous solid opal almost has a lighter crystal on a darker potch glow to it, and so worth a study.

 

[missy]

I'm not sure if I'd agree. Practically every n4 opal I've ever seen are much darker in the grey body tone.

However, I do agree that it's very rare to see such bright color saturation and play in a lighter semi-black opal. Museum quality piece indeed.

Any chance we could get to see the back of the ring @missy? I thought I saw a portion of the potch near 10'oclock base of the opal in one of the photos. The gorgeous solid opal almost has a lighter crystal on a darker potch glow to it, and so worth a study.

Hi @cocotate. I will next time I go back to our other home. I’m keeping it there for now. Just brought it back this past weekend I’ll try to remember to take a pic of the back next time I go.

It amazes me how different it looks in different environments.

 

[missy]

What a stunning treasure to inherit. Just beautiful and it will always remind you of your mom!

Thank you! It will always remind me of my parents enduring love for each other and for us.

 

[cocotate]

Hi @cocotate. I will next time I go back to our other home. I’m keeping it there for now. Just brought it back this past weekend I’ll try to remember to take a pic of the back next time I go.

It amazes me how different it looks in different environments.

My heart! More pics and videos the merrier!
That stone needs to be shown as often as possible.
You're one lucky lady.

 

[bling_dream19]

Soo beautiful @missy it's just mesmerizing, feminine and glorious and so sweet of your dad to gift to your mom. And so sweet and thoughtful for them to gift to you.

 

[doberman]

Wow! So beautiful!

My mother is cheap and miserly. She'll probably go into the grave with all her jewelry on.

 

[jordyonbass]

I'm not sure if I'd agree. Practically every n4 opal I've ever seen are much darker in the grey body tone.

However, I do agree that it's very rare to see such bright color saturation and play in a lighter semi-black opal. Museum quality piece indeed.

Any chance we could get to see the back of the ring @missy? I thought I saw a portion of the potch near 10'oclock base of the opal in one of the photos. The gorgeous solid opal almost has a lighter crystal on a darker potch glow to it, and so worth a study.

There's a few vids I've seen of it on Missy's socials where it does show quite a dark tone which is why I leaned towards N4 since Cartier sold it as a Black Opal - but I also agree with you it could be more in the N5-N6 Dark Opal range. I'd need to put it on a grading card (and would be honoured to do it!).

One thing I've noticed with Opals like this is that it can be difficult to see a body tone as there's just sooo many layers of divine colour (the definition of first world problems right there). With Opals that have thick and clean layers of heavily saturated colour, usually I hold them up to a light source to see how dark the tint of the colour bar is as it will have a degree of translucency that starts to disappear as the tint goes darker.