What do you think of this Opal and Diamond Ring?

[ringthings]

I am looking for an opal and diamond ring.

I'm looking in the (very) cheap range, and I might be looking for the impossible with a small budget for a decent opal.
I found one that I like the style of (and the price), but I've never ordered from that store. Also, the opal doesn't appear to be fiery or have any opelescense/colors to it.

Is this a decent ring, or would I be throwing money at the window?
I'm looking for something that I can keep for years, not something that'll fall apart or just look bad to begin with.

Should I spend more and try to get something a bit better (sub-500)? Or would cheap opals really be comparable? I've considered and searched for antique opal rings, but haven't found any ones that I like within my price range. I am hoping for opal and diamonds, white gold or silver, and hopefully the opal glimmers with a few colors at least.

# 10-karat white gold
# 14 round bead-set diamonds
# Total diamond weight is .05* carat
# Diamond color is I-J, clarity is I2-I3
# One rectangle-cut, prong-set opal
http://www.overstock.com/Jewelry-Watches/10k-White-Gold-Opal-and-Diamond-Accent-Ring/4023918/product.html?cid=123620&fp=F&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=12046777-000-003
(I'm almost too embarrassed to post this...)

 

[ma re]

I might be wrong, but my guess is that the ring itself doesen''t look as nice as in this picture. Color and clarity grades of the diamonds, and not to mention their carat weight, suggest that all you''ll see about them is white (or more likely, off-white) spots set into metal, that really won''t sparkle much. They''re just too small and with a really low clarity grade. If your budget is 500$ I think you can get a much better opal than this in a nicer piece of jewellery. This opal btw, doesen''t look good even in the picture, and that''s usually the only place where these inexpensive stones look very nice, so I''d be worried about that.

You say that you''d like something that will last. Well, opal itself is quite a fragile stone, and if you want a quality setting on a tight budget, my choice would be a custom made piece in a less expensive metal - like many lovely pieces that our PS''ers get made in silver. I''d also forget about a lot of diamonds, cause in inexpensive jewellery they very often start falling out quite soon (due to the poor craftsmanship and low quality levels of these mass produced goods), and having them set in a custom piece can become expensive. Of course, it''s not that expensive if you add just a few as accents, even in a custom piece.

Does it have to be a ring? If you''re OK with the idea of an opal pendant, you''re looking at a much better choice of nice stones to get at reasonable prices. I say that, because some varieties of opal, like boulder opal, yowah nut opal, matrix opal etc., come in all kinds of crazy shapes and sizes and are just perfect for custom made pendants. They can also be quite affordable and have a much better play of color than 90% of these telemarketing "works of art", and not to mention that any opal has a chance of lasting much longer if it''s set into a pendant.

There''s some food for thought here, think about it all and good luck with your search!

 

[Sizzle]

Date: 2/18/2010 9:35:31 PM
Author:ringthings
I am looking for an opal and diamond ring.

I''m looking in the (very) cheap range, and I might be looking for the impossible with a small budget for a decent opal.
I found one that I like the style of (and the price), but I''ve never ordered from that store. Also, the opal doesn''t appear to be fiery or have any opelescense/colors to it.

Is this a decent ring, or would I be throwing money at the window?
I''m looking for something that I can keep for years, not something that''ll fall apart or just look bad to begin with.

Should I spend more and try to get something a bit better (sub-500)? Or would cheap opals really be comparable? I''ve considered and searched for antique opal rings, but haven''t found any ones that I like within my price range. I am hoping for opal and diamonds, white gold or silver, and hopefully the opal glimmers with a few colors at least.

# 10-karat white gold
# 14 round bead-set diamonds
# Total diamond weight is .05* carat
# Diamond color is I-J, clarity is I2-I3
# One rectangle-cut, prong-set opal
http://www.overstock.com/Jewelry-Watches/10k-White-Gold-Opal-and-Diamond-Accent-Ring/4023918/product.html?cid=123620&fp=F&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=12046777-000-003
(I''m almost too embarrassed to post this...)

honestly it looks like junk.. I think you shoudl continue saving and get something quality.

 

[ringthings]

Thanks, I really appreciate the honesty.

ma re:

Thanks for all of the info. That''s really something to think about, and I''m going to keep looking.
I thought there might be some downsides to this one (many downsides), but the price seemed so good and I like teh design. But, you''re right about the opal not even being "opaly" in the photo, let alone in person. And the diamonds are probably very lousy in person, too.

I hadn''t thought about having something custom made, as I figured that might be more expensive. Are there any common places that people go for lower end opals set in silver?

I am a bit partial to an opal ring for two reasons, but not married to the idea. The first reason is that I''d like to be able to see it more often, and if it''s a pendant, I wouldn''t see it as much. The second is that my grandma had a very nice opal ring, and it would remind me of her. Her opal went to someone else in the family, and I got a pretty ruby/diamond ring. I don''t remember her wearing the diamond/ruby ring much (but everyone in the family remembers her wearing it, and she had it designed decades ago and drew the design herself). I remember her opal more, probably because I saw it as a child and it was shiny and "glittery." It glimmered with colors and I guess it looked like opalescent glitter to me when I was a kid. I guess it was very, very "fiery" (is that the term?). So, I guess that''s why I didn''t notice her other jewelry as much. It was very fiery (I think that''s the word), set with a good size diamonds all around the oval opal. I know I can''t afford that type of thing, but I would like an opal ring of some sort if I can find something decent but more affordable.

If I found a nice pendant, I would definitely consider it, or even a bracelet. I prefer rings and bracelets in general. Earrings I''d be afraid I''d loose. I didn''t know there were relatively cheap opals, and I like the idea of a custom pendant. I really don''t know where to start.

Sizzle:

Thanks, I appreciate the honest opinion. I would definitely rather hear it like it is, than be buying trash.
I like the design of it, but the opal does look bad compared to others I''ve found on this site today. I guess I talked myself into liking it because it''s so cheap, but it''s really not what I''m looking for after all.

 

[CasaBlanca]

I am not a fan of that one either.

I have a feeling it is extremely thin to give you that large of size...which means it is even more fragile than a opal normally is.

My mother is an OPAL fanatic. She loves the variety that offer a ton of fire and color bursts. She always chooses opals that are heavy in the blues and greens. The snipets of orange and reds really pop with the blues.

Not sure if is ok to post this link...here but they remind you if you MUST go with a opal ring...it is best to bezel it...as apposed to prong set. (look at the sale area and you will see you can obtain a loose one fairly cheap.)

Mom has a few dropped down within settings so she doesn''t have to worry about whacking it. They are only 5.5 to 5.6 on the mohs scale...so that is really soft for an unprotected ring.

Is there any way you can obtain a photo of the ring your other family member has? Perhaps we can help you locate one in a estate or antique market...that may be close to the beloved heirloom?

I would really like to see you wait to find some stone with a tad more life to it than the one you chose. With every twinkle of color...I think it would make you smile and remember your grandmother. You need to see more life in remembrance of hers!

 

[CasaBlanca]

I just went to Etsy looking for opal rings...have you tried that route yet?

On the back pages I found =tags&includes[]=title:2o8h065d]this you could custom make a ring and use one of the 6 stones...that way, if one cracks...you have a back up?

Just a thought. But do look around there may be something to tide you over until you find just the right one! Best of luck!

 

[yssie]

Don't like that one at all

$500 is a great budget! I don't know if you've checked out www.opalauctions.com - lovely stones at very affordable rates (and something like $5 shipping!). You could get a real beauty with your budget

 

[ma re]

Ah, didn''t know there was something sentimental behind the idea. Well, for your budget you can''t really get the exact copy of your grandmother''s ring, that''s for sure, but an "inspiration" piece is certainly doable. Etsy is something I''d recommend too, in fact that''s what I was refering to when I mentioned people from this forum getting things made in silver. Bezeling the opal for more protection is always a good idea, but make sure that whoever sets your stone has experience working with more delicate stones or you may be looking at a disaster in the making.

As I mentioned, there are many varieties of opal and here you can find photos of many of them, including the ones I mentioned earlier: http://www.ibeopals.com/
Now you probably understand better why I say some of them look better as pendants, cause varieties like boulder opal or yowah nut opal are most often irregularly shaped and have an organic "feel" to them. Something that can be very interesting for a creative custom project, but I understand it might be a bit far from your original idea.

If you prefer jewellery that you can see, pendants can be made more easily seen by suspending them on a longer chain, but if that''s not your thing then I''d say bracelets are much better for stones such as opal, than rings (rings really get beat up the most, by far). You can even set it in a silver cuff that could have a design quite similar to your grandmother''s ring, maybe something similar to one of these:

http://www.mygoldnthings.com/image_manager/attributes/image/image_21/1095630975_4238672504.jpg

http://www.arkadiancollection.com/files/SB20.jpg

http://www.nativeamericanjewelry.com/images/product/turquoise-silver-cuff-bracelet-with-traditional-navajo-stamped-design-ss-br-64-l.jpg

And some quick tips on opals - small dots of color are always less expensive than large areas of color, and the more cooler colors there are in an opal the less expensive it generally is (reds and oranges are the rarest colors in opal). Brightness of colors is a very improtant factor, the easier they are to see, the more expensive the stone. Here''s something to read for a quick start, but there are many resources to (easily) find all over the internet: http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/opal.html

 

[jamimickel]

It is gorgeous, it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks as long as you love it and it means something to you. My engagement ring looks very similar only it’s a sapphire, I adore it. Some people screw their noses up at it but I honestly do not care, I didn’t want a diamond, like you I wanted something unique and that is totally me and I do get alot of compliments on it now.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Have you contacted Dan Stair? He has some very nice opals. I would stay away from the hydrophane opals he has up on the main page (since they absorb water and temporarily lose colour play).

I would also consider a doublet (if they are priced as doublets, and not as solid opals). Since doublets allow thinner slices of opal to be used, which often would go to waste, you can get larger, finer opals for your money. There are people who really dislike doublets, though.

Finally, visit etsy.com for someone to set it for you. Julia K Taylor and Heart of Water are very popular (see the Coloured Stones sub-forum for many examples of their work).

 

[ringthings]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments and help.

I''ll reply again to each of you after I re-read these replies. For now, I wanted to add a photo of another ring that I found and am considering.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

The opal in this ring also seems to lack play of light. It is an antigue, right? Please ask about the condition of the ring, as several prongs seem to be worn or loose.

 

[chrono]

I am glad you are passing on the first ring; the I3 quality of the diamonds tells me that they are of the frozen spit quality and the picture of the opal doesn’t inspire interest at all.

The picture of your second contender also worries me for 2 reasons. Firstly, quite a few of the prongs look to be in poor condition and will require fixing before being worn. Secondly, the opal also appears dullish and opaque with very little colour play.

 

[AGBF]

ringthings-

I do not know if this will be of any interest to you, but here is a link to a thread about how I came to have an opal ring (with tiny diamond sidestones) made for my daughter. (This could also be a contribution to the thread on lost jewelry pieces, but I have so many pieces that would qualify me for that thread that I would not know where to start!) Rick Martin is a fabulous resource for opals. .

AGBF

 

[ringthings]

Chrono,
"Frozen spit quality.." haha, that''s an awesome description. The listing says they had a hard time capturing the fieriness. I can see a slight hint of fire, but I wonder if it''s as hard to see in real life?
Which side of the prongs appear worn? I''m glad you noticed that- I had no idea some prongs appeared weary.

AGBF,
Thanks, I''ll check out that post. It should be helpful- I like the style of the ring in the first pic, and that''s about my desired pricing as well. I hope it wasn''t the lost one.

Lady_Disdain,
It is an antique, yes. Thanks for pointing out the prongs, that was something I hadn''t noticed.

I a actually would like that ring in a pendent, but don''t want to have to have the whole thing reset and redone. It sits rather high on the finger.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 3/8/2010 2:16:18 PM
Author: ringthings

I like the style of the ring in the first pic, and that''s about my desired pricing as well. I hope it wasn''t the lost one.

I think you liked the ring that I first saw, the one that inspired the one I had Rick Martin make for my daughter. I am sure that that one is still available on the ''net. I am posting the two pictures I took of my daughter''s ring before she lost it. Unfortunately, the pictures of it are on my finger, not hers! She has lovely, small hands which is probably part of the reason the ring was lost. She really should be wearing size 3.5 rings on her left hand, but she convinced me to have this made in a 5.5, which is how I squeezed my size 6 finger into it!

AGBF

 

[AGBF]

This is the other photo of my daughter''s lost ring. It was made with a Stuller 14K yellow gold setting. Rick Martin picked the stones for me based on what I wanted and was willing to pay. (I picked a better quality opal when given a choice.) My budget went up higher than I had planned. (In the end I spent a total of $550.00 on the ring.) The opal was a white-base opal 10 x 8 mm in size with medium to high color play. The sidestones are 2 mm diamonds og G-H color and VS clarity. Rick had proposed SI clarity, and no one would ever have been able to tell VS from SI stones, but I wanted to go with the VS stones.

As I said before, I was very happy with Rick''s work!

AGBF

 

[ringthings]

AGBF-

Oh, how pretty! I like that one even better than the inspiration pic. It really shines. I hadn''t thought about a more modern look like that, but maybe I will now. You can definitely tell that one''s way above my range. Your opal has a nice color variety, yum. I hope it turns up one day, somehow. Does Rick have an online store, or how do you reach him? I might have to increase my budget and contact him at some point in time. Maybe I''d go with silver, and a lower quality diamond or something. I had been wanting an antique oval setting with diamonds all around, but I''m liking the idea of a diamond on each side and a better opal. Hmm..

 

[AGBF]

Date: 3/8/2010 4:05:47 PM
Author: ringthings


Does Rick have an online store, or how do you reach him?

Rick does have an on-line store. You can reach it here. He also spends time answering questions in the Colored Gems forum and can often be found in the middle of discussions there . He is considered something of a guru on opals and I think could be guaranteed to find an exceptional one for you. I have a longstanding friendship with Richard Hughes (author of an authoritative book on rubies on sapphires), so I think I can be trusted to be impartial when I judge other colored stone experts .

AGBF