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Opal Gemstone Rings - Always In Fashion

Victoria Trix | Jul 22, 2011 |

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There are many types of gemstone rings on the market that never seem to lose value. Regardless whether it is an Australian opal ring, opal wedding ring, gold opal rings or silver opal rings; there is always value to opal. Opals are available in many colors and patterns, much more than all other gems available. A black opal ring gem comes from Australia, where the boulder opal is found in Queensland and the white or milk opal is found in South Australia only. There are four kinds of opal: black, crystal, boulder and white or milk opals. In opal rings, the inlay, solidity, doublet and triplet are each types to choose from.

In Black

The black opal rings are the most expensive and valuable types of men’s rings or women’s. Australian opal rings are actually another way of expressing the fact that the gems are real. Opal engagement rings and wedding rings are quite popular in black. Black opal rings have a dark color when looked at directly, and those that tend to have a red cast to the color are the highest quality and the most expensive. The sharper the underlying colors in the black opal rings, the more valuable the gemstone is.

Always In Fashion

Gemstone rings are always in fashion whether white gold opal rings, gold or silver opal rings. The setting only adds to the worth of the gem seated in it. Crystal opal rings are very translucent in appearance and offer many different colors. A backing can be put behind the gem to see the natural colors in the Australian opal ring. Some offer pink colors, while others show subtle blues and greens. The more apparent colors are in a crystal opal, the more expensive they will be.

Boulder

Boulder Australian opal rings are solid and have a very thin layer of natural opal that actually was created on an ironstone rock naturally. From Queensland, Australia this opal is said to have the best appearance and is considered the brightest of all opals.

White Or Milk

White or milk ones are by far the most common opal wedding rings and opal engagement rings as well as men’s opal rings. These are commonly found as white gold opal rings or silver opal rings to compliment the coloring. These opals have a pale almost milky appearance, and sometimes have blue, green or red traces of color intertwined.

Different Types

The different types of gold opal rings or gemstone rings include solid, inlay, doublet and triplet. The solid ones are one piece of opal that has a rounded surface and is cut in a Cabochon cut instead of having facets. These are the most valuable of all opals, as they generally have a higher weight. The inlaids are solid, but have been put inside a ring so the metal surfaces are even with the top surface of the opal. Inlaid opal are quite popular but the most popular opals for this type of setting are black opal rings and boulder opal rings.

Doublets

Doublets are those that are found naturally that aren’t thick enough to be cut as a solid. Therefore these opals are created using one layer of a colored opal with a less colorful or ironstone opal on the back. The most commonly used are the boulder because they have such bright colorings and come in such a large variety of colors. Doublets are full of color and offer a price conscious alternative to solid opals. The triplet opals are made up of 3 layers. The first layer is solid opal, a quartz layer follows with ironstone on the back. This is the lightest of all carat weights available, therefore these are the least expensive wedding rings and opal engagement rings available. In addition, men’s opal rings are commonly made of triplet as a way of offering more colors.

What To Look For

Whether you are seeking a gold opal ring, silver opal ring or white gold opal ring, you should know what to look for. Australian opal rings of any kind should be researched before paying any large amount. You should look at the type of opal, the size, color, pattern as well as brilliance when it comes to the overall cost. Even when you find the top of the line opals, you may still have to trade off the color for the type or the size for the color and so forth, like all other jewelry. The size and type of opal are the first things to look at when it comes to the overall cost. The quality of a black opal ring will make it much more expensive than a crystal opal of the same size and type, even in a better setting.

Background

The background of a black opal ring will cause a difference in the price per carat, due to it being the most valuable of all the gemstone rings. The bigger the gem is, the more expensive it will be regardless of type or background. The brilliance of the gem will make a difference as well. The more colorful and bright the gem is, the more expensive it will be. Any opal that is dull in appearance such as the milk or white gem are worth less than those that have a single bright color. The patterns in the gems will also cause a price difference. The most expensive patterns are broad or large flashes of one color. Pinfire and other smaller types of patterns are less expensive because they are found more often in nature. The rarest of all patterns however, are the most expensive and are made up of harlequin, jigsaw, block, ribbon and rolling flashes.

Determining Factor

The determining factor for your gemstone rings whether it is an opal wedding ring or an opal engagement ring, should be personal preference and not rarity. Although these rings are meant to be worn for a lifetime, the fact that it was chosen with one person in mind and no two opals are exactly the same makes them one of the most valuable gemstone rings available.