Unusual Necklace [and earrings] Part 2

[Catmom]

Since you were so helpful in identifying the stones on my last piece, I''m hoping someone [Widget, Richard M.?] can do the same for this set. It too, is from Japan. The earrings and necklace are pearls set on top of dark blue stones that have flecks of varying lighter blues in them. I wish this was a better picture. It just doesn''t capture the brightness of the blues. Anyone have any ideas on this one?

 

[Richard M.]

This one''s a lot tougher for a couple of reasons. My first impulse is to say black opal from Lightning Ridge, Australia on the basis of overall appearance. But without seeing the stone "for real" that would be dangerous.

First, do the colors float, move and change as the stone is moved against the light? Or do they remain stationary? If they float and change it could be genuine or synthetic opal. There are also glass and plastic opal simulants. The Japanese are great fanciers of black opal and much of Australia''s best material is sold there. I''m attaching an image of one of my own black opal carvings for comparison.

If the patterns remain stationary it could be many things including glass, ceramic, or even something like high quality azurite-malachite. This is one I''d suggest you take to a gemologist/appraiser for positive identification and valuation.

 

[Kaleigh]

From the picture alone it looks like they might float???

 

[Catmom]

Thank you very much Richard. I guess this is one that I will have to take to get appraised to be sure. It does look remarkably like the black opal you show in your post. The blue flecks look almost exactly the same and I think they do float. But I could be wrong and even if it were glass[my husband would not be very happy for what he paid!] I would still love the set. I get compliments almost every time I wear them. Thank you again for your help!

 

[Kaleigh]

They are absolutely beautiful!!! You have a very nice collection!!!

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 4/25/2005 8:39:24 PM
Author: Catmom
even if it were glass[my husband would not be very happy for what he paid!] I would still love the set. I get compliments almost every time I wear them. Thank you again for your help!

I''m sure you do get compliments -- the set is very beautiful. My strong hunch is still black opal but I hesitate to say so for sure from a photograph. There''s very strong evidence, though, that the stones are hand-cut, which would tend to rule out molded glass. The two earring drops don''t have exactly the same symmetry if you look closely at the upper portions. To me that''s a plus and a strong indication of a natural stone.

 

[belle]

did someone say black opal!?

very nice!

 

[Catmom]

Thank you Belle, Kaleigh and Richard!

 

[Sagebrush]

Catmom,

Can''t really see your image too well. Recently I appraised a beautiful pair of black opals that looked, in shape, similar. They were beautiful but they were also synthetic.

Obviously, from a picture, on the forum, no one can perform an appraisal.

 

[valeria101]

What shape are those ? Is there some backing or are these briolette drops ?

Syntetic and simulated opal could have that look. Black opal that large would be quite precious... and if those are briolettes (with round section) unusual too because of the thickness.

Whatever they are, the irridiscent blue looks irresistible next to the pearls.

 

[The Joker]

Could we see the back side of this set???? Please????

Joker....

 

[Sagebrush]

Friends,
About the only type of opal that would be profitably cut in briolette with any hope of making a matched pair would be pipe-opal. This is a type of opal that is thought to be formed by silica replacement vegatative mater such as a stick or log. The log rots forming a hollow and the silica bearing ground water peculates into the resulting cavity. Pipe opal is very often black-crystal type.

Theoretically boulder opal might also form in long thin nodules as in this case the groundwater enters cracks in in nodules of ferrugenous (iron-rich) sandstone clay that eventually metamorphs into ironstone. Have bought rough in Queensland that was later cut in this manner revealing veins in the ironstone. But a matched pair? For more information see my Queensland Boulder Opal, Gems & Gemology, Spring 1991.

The briolettes I examined were "black opal" and had been "certified" as natural by a Graduate Gemologist. They looked fine, none of the aligatoring seen in the old synthetics. But, they matched perfectly, that is, even the play of color pattern matched. Caveat emptor!

 

[valeria101]

Date: 5/2/2005 4:26:7 PM
Author: Richard W. Wise

About the only type of opal that would be profitably cut in briolette with any hope of making a matched pair would be pipe-opal.

Forgot about those...

And this is the first time I even hear that black opal comes in this shape. Thank you !

 

[Catmom]

Thank you Richard W. and Ana. After reading everyone''s comments and doing some research on my own I really don''t think that they are black opals, real ones anyhow! I know my husband didn''t spend a fortune on these. They are supposed to be "genuine stones"

but we all know how that goes! The only way I''m going to get an answer is to take them to a gemologist to see if they are even "stones" at all. Here is a picture of the backs, by the way. Sorry, it was the only shot I could get before my battery went out.

Ana, thanks and I agree, the irridescent blue is irrisistable next to the white of the pearls! Whatever they turn out to be, I still love them.

 

[Richard M.]

Ana,

Here''s one example of black pipe opal from Australia''s Yowah field. I think the stones in your images are belemnite "casts" (technically pseudomorphs after belemnites). Precious opal formed inside cavities left by decayed belemnites, resulting in gems in the form of these extinct squid-like molluscs. These pseudomorphs, along with opalized clams, is most often found at the Coober Pedy, Andamooka and Mintabe fields that produce "light" as opposed to "black" precious opal. This form of opal is also sometimes called "pipe opal."

For some unknown reason this fossilized material is often of extremely high quality, like the top image you posted. One of the most intriguing specimens was found in 1976 in an area called Shellpatch in Coober Pedy: a rib of an extinct plesiosaur marine reptile had been replaced by very fine quality crystal opal.

Richard M.

 

[The Joker]

Catmom: Thanks for sharing the front and back

I can''t tell from the pictures what they are, but what ever they are, they are very pretty.
Let us know, if you find out more about them.
Joker....

Here''s a little something from Virgin Valley, Nevada.

 

[The Joker]

Catmom: When I first looked at your picture, I thought it might have been opal pieces suspended in a dark casting rosin. But from your other picture (back side) it doesn''t look that way. Your''s looks more like the Black pipe opal in Richard M''s picture.
I have been trying the casting rosin on some of my opal pieces. I''ve been calling it "Opal under glass".

Joker....

 

[Catmom]

Oooh Joker,

That''s very nice and unique. I like it!

I have a glass piece that I have attached that is somewhat similiar. It was made by a local artist and has suspended pieces, only in glass. I have compared my stones to this piece and they just don''t look the same. Anyway, I can''t see where the irridescent spots look suspended, if you know what I mean.

 

[Catmom]

Joker~

Here is another glass piece that I have. As you can see very similiar to the set in question. There is a big difference, however. The irridescent spots in the glass look "flat", almost like they are made of paper and are on the same plane so to speak. The irridescent spots in the stones in question have varying depths and ridges. I''m sorry I''m not sure how else to explain it. Oh well, the only way to be sure is to get them to a gemologist. But it has been fun speculating!

 

[Maxine]

Date: 5/2/2005 7:18:11 PM
Author: The Joker
Catmom: Thanks for sharing the front and back

I can''t tell from the pictures what they are, but what ever they are, they are very pretty.
Let us know, if you find out more about them.
Joker....

Here''s a little something from Virgin Valley, Nevada.

That kinda looks like "Mica"...

 

[belle]

wow, so many beautiful and unique pieces showing up in this thread!