Stone guide · stones, plainly
Learn about black opal
The night sky version, spectral color on a dark body.
- The facts
- Stone facts
- Hardness
- 6 / 10 Mohs
- Birthstone
- Oct.
- Anniversary
- 14th
The mineral
A stone we choose loose, in daylight, one at a time.
In the hand
At 6 / 10 on the Mohs scale it is a delicate stone. We set it protectively, and it rewards being the occasion piece rather than the everyday one.
Treatment, plainly
Untreated unless its passport says otherwise. When a stone of ours is heated, the passport says heated, in that word, and the price reflects it.
Choosing one
Photographs flatter and light booths lie. We choose black opal in north daylight, loose, against ivory paper, and we would rather show you two honest stones than twenty pretty pictures. The night sky version, spectral color on a dark body.
Care
Warm water and a soft cloth, nothing ultrasonic. Store it in its own pouch, away from harder stones, and bring it to the studio once a year; the check costs nothing.
Asked about black opal
Is black opal right for daily wear?
At 6 / 10 on the Mohs scale it is a delicate stone. We set it protectively, and it rewards being the occasion piece rather than the everyday one.
Is it treated?
Untreated unless its passport says otherwise. When a stone of ours is heated, the passport says heated, in that word, and the price reflects it.
What does it cost here?
Current works with this stone start at From $880. Every piece is one of a kind, so prices move with the stone, never with a formula.
How do I know what I am buying?
Every stone that leaves the studio carries a passport: species, carat, cut, origin as far as it is knowable, and treatment in full words. If a lab has seen it, the certificate number is on the passport.
Current works & prices
