Boulder Opal Cab

[bluebirrrd]

Normally I'm just a window shopper, but I saw this Australian boulder opal on gemselect and fell in love with it instantly. I know there isn't very much opal in it but it's still got such great eye appeal with all those unusual patterns and colors. It's 11.09 cts and calibrated 20x15mm. Since so many are irregularly shaped, that seemed like a plus. Do any of you know any etsy artists who work in silver and might be able to make a simple setting? I'd like to make it into a pendant with claw prongs. Are there any other boulder opal fans out there with pictures of your pieces? I'd love to see them

 

[LD]

I've got a number of pieces. Have you seen one in real life? They have sort of like veins running through the stone that light up and glitter. They look very different from other opals. I haven't had one set yet but I adore them - they're seriously magical! Some are two sided and some only show the veins on one side. Here are a few of mine:

Top photo is a Yowah Nut Opal.

The next one looks like a volcano dinosaur weird type egg! It's one of my favourites and I have a blue version as well!

The last two are similar to yours!

Please post photos when you've had yours set won't you?

 

[Art Nouveau]

I have one boulder opal pendant. I bought the opal in Sydney years ago when I was there for a business meeting. I designed the pendant with help from the jeweler Frank Lau from Seattle who custom made the pendant for me.

AN

 

[Art Nouveau]

Forgot the picture. Here it is.

AN

 

[bluebirrrd]

Very nice examples, thank you I have a very pretty irregularly shaped piece here at home, but I thought it was nice that this one is symmetrical. I also hadn't seen such a variety of colors and broken patterns in one stone - red, milky white, black, opal and golden tan. I'd like to find someone to make a simple claw setting for it, maybe with an interesting bale. I think it would look nice in oxidized sterling, but so far the etsy vendors I've found use mostly bezels. I looove bezels, but I think a bezel would cover too much of this stone and make it look heavier.

 

[cemrn]

DanielM on etsy does nice work and uses argentium silver

 

[bluebirrrd]

Thanks, cemrn, I agree and I added him to my etsy favorites.