Possible project?!

[jaylex]

My first post on Colored Stones! yay!

I have been contemplating trying to have an opal/emerald rhr made for some time. I'm not sure if i'll be able to afford to go through with it yet but i think it's time to start seriously looking at my options.
My bfs birthstone is Opal and mine is Emerald. I love both of these stones and would LOVE to add them to my minuscule jewelery "collection". Problem? I know as much about emeralds and opals as I do about cars..

that's not a lot...

Can anyone give me a condensed "newbie friendly" introduction guide for buying these stones?

My idea...

I LOVE black opals.. i'd love to find one and have it set in white gold with an emerald halo like this:

Can anyone recommend a good black opal vendor? I'm actually more worried about not being able to find the emeralds for some reason. The ring I attached is one I had seen on ebay. Should I just buy it and have the white emerald replaced with a black one? The only problem there is that it's yellow gold and I'd have to have the ring re-sized.. it's way too small for my 7 finger.
Should I give up on the black opal idea and just buy this one and have it resized? too many choices!

Thanks in advance.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Quick note on opals, many of the opals you see in stores are doublets or triplets, meaning there''s only a thin layer of opal, topped with crystal. This makes it more affordable since black opal is rare and expensive. I don''t know if that matters to you or not, just thought I"d mention it.

Also, in addition to basic white and black boulder opals that most are familiar with, there are also fire opals, crystal opals, harlequin opals, and you can also get faceted opals if you prefer that over cabs etc. My favorites are crystal opals that are very transclucent. I linked some examples for you.

Crystl Opal

Some Mexican Opals

Here''s a pretty doublet, that I think would play well with emeralds:

Doublet

 

[Pandora II]

Contact Rick Martin at Art Cut Gems for opals - www.artcutgems.com

He''s an expert on opal...

 

[LD]

You're actually going to find it more difficult to find a number of Emeralds in the size to make a halo (similar to the ring you posted) than you will have finding an Opal. On that basis, if you like the Emeralds in the Ebay ring, I would get it (if it's a good price), have it resized (which is no problem if it's yellow gold) and then try to find a opal to fit in the centre. If you prefer white gold you could have the ring rhodium plated. This can be done cheaply but the cost does vary.

There are soooooo many places to buy opals but one thing to bear in mind is that what you see in a photograph of an Opal may not be what you see in real life.

To buy an opal you could try here:-

http://www.internetopals.com/index.htm

http://www.opalauctions.com/

This is good for information http://www.codyopal.com/cody0405/aboutopals.htm

 

[packrat]

Jaylex, this past Christmas I got my mom an opal/emerald ring off ebay. Not superb quality or anything, but it sure was cute..I kinda wanted to keep it for myself. Good luck w/your project-would love to see what you come up with!

 

[jaylex]

Date: 7/9/2009 6:53:33 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
You're actually going to find it more difficult to find a number of Emeralds in the size to make a halo (similar to the ring you posted) than you will have finding an Opal. On that basis, if you like the Emeralds in the Ebay ring, I would get it (if it's a good price), have it resized (which is no problem if it's yellow gold) and then try to find a opal to fit in the centre. If you prefer white gold you could have the ring rhodium plated. This can be done cheaply but the cost does vary.

There are soooooo many places to buy opals but one thing to bear in mind is that what you see in a photograph of an Opal may not be what you see in real life.

To buy an opal you could try here:-

http://www.internetopals.com/index.htm

http://www.opalauctions.com/

This is good for information http://www.codyopal.com/cody0405/aboutopals.htm

Thanks for all of your answers!
But loving, you were especially helpful! i don't know why i didn't think of having it plated! I'm probably going to do just that. But I found another emerald/opal "setting" that I like..

I'm having a tough time deciding which one I like best.. so i figured I'd get your opinions. Which one do you all prefer and why... the one i first posted or this one (but with a black opal and rhodium plating):

 

[4ever]

I much prefer the second setting you posted. It''s more delecate and different looking then the first which looks abit chunky to me. Good luck

 

[chrono]

I don’t think the black opal will be difficult although it might get expensive depending if you are going for something in top colour or with no backing (doublet or triplet). I’m more concerned about getting the melee emeralds that have to match in size and colour. You may need to get a jeweller to source those for you.

 

[ma re]

Well, first you have to decide on your budget which will probably point you in some directions (i.e. show you what''s possible). Since you''re looking to make a ring with the opal as the center stone, you should know that black opals are rarely cut in regular (symmetric) shapes and calibrated sizes, especially better quality ones. Of course, you can get a doublet or a triplet, but remember that they require a bit more care in order to last a long time (also remember that not all doublets or triplets are inexpensive as the best ones can be quite valuable and incredibly beautiful). Mosaic opal is something similar to a triplet, but it''s comprised of many tiny pieces of opal put together to form a shape - can also be interesting and inexpensive. White opals (like those in your pics) are generally more abundant and less valuable (and never made into doublets or triplets), so are often cut in ovals or rounds. Also know that you can have a halo made of little round white opals surrounding a central emerald - opals would be easy to source (and inexpensive) and an emerald could be easier to find as a single piece than as a lot of well-matched stones.

And just a small correction of MTG''s post (or a clarification); harlequin is not a variety of opal, but a name used to describe one of the best known and most valuable color patterns found in opals (in fact THE most valuable). Others include floral, pinfire, chinese writing etc.

P. S. Hope you know both of these stones are rather fragile and not suited for daily wear.

 

[jaylex]

Thanks so much for all of your opinions and help! I think I've made the decision to buy the first one i posted (the opal is MUCH smaller than the opal from the second one and i love the color of the emeralds) and get it sized and rhodium plated for right now. A little down the road, I'll try to find a black opal that has just green and blue in it (that should probably save on the cost a little, right? I don't mind not having the desired "warmer" colors in the opal. i think the blue and greens are pretty)

I have heard that it's not best to wear these stones too too often, but thanks for the tip. I have an opal/diamond ring from when I was younger (13th birthday gift) and I was unknowingly abusive to it

I cleaned in in a US once, and used that connoisseurs stuff to clean it a few times..

Thanks again, everyone!

 

[chrono]

Yikes!

No, no ultrasonics and cleaners for those delicate opals...

 

[jaylex]

Date: 7/10/2009 4:02:01 PM
Author: Chrono
Yikes!

No, no ultrasonics and cleaners for those delicate opals...

NEVER again! I''m older and wiser now.
No one ever told me!
Actually, I got the ring from my mother, who got it from her parents for her 16th birthday and she''s the one that let me put it in there! She didn''t know either! That poor opal has probably been through much abuse throughout its lifetime.