Beauty, complexity and wonder are just some of the words that can be used to describe an opal, but there is one more which describes opals and opal jewelry perfectly and that is - uniqueness. Every single stone is different - various shapes, sizes, colors make every ring made of Australian opals one of a kind.

Opal is known for its opalescence, diffraction of ray of light which gives different colors. For a long time it was unclear what was the cause of rainbow colors in precious opal. It was thought they occur the same way as colors in oil spilled on any surface. If opal lacks that beautiful play of color it is called common opal and it is not used for jewelry.

The name opal comes from Sanskrit word upala which translates jewel of precious stone, derived from that are Greek word opallios and Latin opalus. Aztecs used word vitzitziltecpatl for the play of color and they called it “hummingbird stone” as the color of opals reminded them of colors seen on hummingbirds while hovering in the air.

Opals are one of the most sensitive known minerals; two of its greatest weaknesses are low solidity and high fragileness. Due to that it easily cracks and brakes while its surface quickly becomes dull and scratched which can be a downside for rings made from opal, but taking right care of it will make it last a long time. Make sure to avoid using chemicals while wearing your opal ring. Yet, it is perfectly fine to wash it in warm and soapy water, then rinse with clean water and dry.

Even though opals are more used for earrings and pendants, there are a lot of rings on the market. However, they do need somewhat special care. Don’t keep them with the other jewelry because of their softness it is more likely they’ll get scratched. If worn on regular bases they will need some repolishing from time to time. Therefore, it’s better to make it a piece of jewelry you wear only on special occasions.

When someone mentions opal, the first thing we think of is its amazing colors and it surely does come in a lot of them. The rarest, therefore the priciest, is the black opal, then crystal and finally much less expensive white opal. There are also many opals with grey shades but they don’t have a great value. With every passing day matrix and boulder opals are becoming more popular, which causes high prices due to their very interesting patterns.

Opal rings come in many shapes and sizes, colors and materials so you will definitely find something you like, whether it’s silver, gold or sterling silver. No matter if you’re looking for a regular ring or an engagement ring - you’ll find it. It will make you feel more special and, because of its uniqueness and all the colors, you’ll be noticed wherever you go. Just remember - avoid sports, gardening and similar stuff while wearing your opal ring as you might damage it.