1.78 Ct. Multi Color Black Opal (Dark Opal) from Australia

I first noticed this Black Opal, a dark opal of singular personality, as a flash of green and blue beneath a thin skin of Australian earth. The gem you see is a 1.78 carat oval, measuring 8.64 by 6.53 by 3.50 millimeters, shaped into a tablet cut that showcases its broad, luminous face. It is opaque with multi color flashes across a deep base, offering intense color intensity and an excellent polish that breathes life into every movement. This opal is entirely natural with no enhancement, a raw gift from Australia refined only by careful human hands. From weight and dimensions to the subtle arc of its oval profile, every specification of this stone speaks to its authenticity and to the patient work that brought it from seam to spectacle.

The story of this Black Opal begins in the storied deposits of Australia, where layers of silica and time conspired to trap light and create one of nature's most poetic materials. Miners have long whispered about finding fire at dawn and color at dusk, and this stone carries that lineage in its depths. Extracted with respect for tradition and safety, it was handed to skilled cutters who read the stone like a map. Each decision in the cutting studio reflected a dialogue between cutter and opal, where the goal was not to dominate the gem but to reveal its inner music. At The Natural Gemstone Company we cherish those conversations. We honor the cultural significance that opals hold in Australia, where they have been regarded both as keystones of local pride and as talismans in folklore, and we bring that respect into every facet of our work, from sourcing to final polish.

The tablet cut chosen for this piece is a deliberate expression of the opal's inherent optical gifts. Unlike deep domes or faceted cuts, the tablet provides a broad, low profile surface that allows the play-of-color to expand and orient toward the viewer with minimal obstruction, creating a stage on which flashes of green, blue, and teal can roll and recompose as the light shifts. The flat, smooth plane emphasizes broad color patches and subtle iridescent veils, and the shallow depth of 3.50 millimeters keeps the color close to the surface so it responds readily to ambient light. Polishing to an excellent finish eliminates micro-halos and surface distortions that can scatter or dull the color, ensuring that every ray is reflected with vivid clarity rather than lost. In practical terms, the tablet cut makes the gem ideal for settings that lie close to the skin, allowing its colors to be experienced up close, and it also stabilizes the stone for daily wear while preserving maximum visual impact. When you hold this Black Opal, you are feeling more than a jewel, you are touching a condensed history of place, process, and care, a narrative that The Natural Gemstone Company is proud to deliver to you unaltered, natural, and ready to become an heirloom.