Opal makes a beautiful ring and a demanding one. It is the softest gem we sell, it contains water, and it does not forgive the treatment a sapphire shrugs off. None of that is a reason to avoid it — it is a reason to set it properly and know what you are doing. This page is about both.

The stone

4.40 carats, which is 4.84 ratti. Shape: oval cabochon. Origin: Australia. Rs. 3,380, about Rs. 768 per carat, reference GS-000717.

That rate is the lowest across our Australian opal listings, and with opal the reason is always the same: brightness. Play-of-colour is the entire value of the gem, and a stone whose colours are quieter costs a fraction of one that flashes across a room. If you want a real Australian opal for a ring and the rate matters more than fireworks, this is the one to look at — and the photograph is not colour-corrected, so what you see is what arrives.

Setting an opal in a ring

1. Bezel, not claws. A rim of metal all around protects the edge, which is where opal chips. Claws concentrate pressure on small points of a soft stone.
2. Keep it low. A high setting catches on everything, and every catch is a knock.
3. 925 silver suits it. The traditional choice here, and the metal does not fight the colour.
4. No tension or pressure settings. Opal will not take it.
5. Tell the setter it is opal. It sounds obvious, but a setter working fast on a batch may reach for heat or an ultrasonic bath out of habit. Either can ruin it.

Living with an opal ring

Take it off for washing up, gardening, gym work and anything with chemicals. Put it on after perfume and hairspray, not before. Clean it with a soft damp cloth and nothing else — never an ultrasonic or steam cleaner, which can crack it outright. Avoid leaving it in a hot car or a sunny window; opal holds water, and drying it out causes the fine surface cracks called crazing.

Worn with that much thought, an opal ring lasts generations. Worn carelessly, it will not survive a year. Our guide to wearing opal covers the day-to-day in more detail.

Solid opal, not a doublet

We sell solid natural opal. Doublets are a thin slice of opal glued to a dark backing and triplets add a clear cap; both are common in rings and worth a fraction of a solid stone. Look at any opal edge-on for a straight glue line. Our real versus fake opal guide shows what to check.

Treatment

Solid opal is usually untreated, though some is smoke- or sugar-treated to darken the background. This stone has not been tested, and the specification says so instead of claiming it is untreated. A certificate of authenticity comes on request and independent testing can be arranged.

Ordering

One piece only. Flat Rs. 500 delivery anywhere in Pakistan, insured and tracked, dispatched in one to two working days. Cash on Delivery, seven days to return it unused. Send us your finger size on WhatsApp at +92 308 887 3888 and we will measure the stone and quote a mount separately.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural australian opal with a weight of 4.4 Carat. Its price is Rs. 22,000 — roughly Rs. 5,000 for each carat. Origin: Australia. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000717 when you message us about it. The photographs show this exact stone, so what arrives at your door is the piece you chose on screen.

Between two and six carats is the range most people choose for a gents' ring or a noticeable pendant. Here colour drives the price more than size does, which is why two stones of near-identical weight can be priced very differently.

Whoever you buy australian opal from, make sure of three things: the stone is natural rather than lab-grown, glass or glass-filled; any treatment is stated in writing; and the weight quoted is the weight of the finished stone. We check every australian opal for those three points before it is listed, a certificate is available on request, and because you pay on delivery you can look at the stone — or have it tested — before any money changes hands.

We sell natural stones only and inspect each one before it is listed. Treatment for this stone: Treatment not tested. Certificate available on request. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Solid opal is usually untreated; some opal is smoke- or sugar-treated, and doublets/triplets exist — we sell solid natural opal. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we know about this exact stone; independent lab testing is available on request.

A certificate of authenticity is available on request for this stone, and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. Because you pay on delivery, you can also take the stone to a lab of your choice within the 7-day return window. Read more on our authenticity page.