1.41 Ct. Multi Color Boulder Opal (Ironstone Opal) from Australia

One beautiful opaque 1.41 carat fancy shape multi color opal rests at the center of a story that reaches back to antiquity and forward into a legacy of wearable art, the stone measures 12.29 by 6.54 by 2.34 mm, and it has been shaped in a Tablet cut that flatters the breadth of its color and depth of its pattern, this is a Boulder Opal from Australia, unenhanced, with intense color intensity and an excellent polish that captures light like a miniature window onto a living painting, the ironstone matrix that gives boulder opals their name also lends stability and a warm, earthy counterpoint to the gemlet of color that dances across the surface, at The Natural Gemstone Company we present this gem as both an object of beauty and a piece of natural history, opaque in its body tone yet paradoxically luminous through the play of color, it invites comparison to the great jewels that have anchored the histories of crowns and collections.

To understand the special place of this opal, imagine the great tales of famous gems, imagine the Hope Diamond whose deep blue fire has been a symbol of intrigue and majesty, imagine the Star of India sapphire whose starred surface commands awe, imagine the storied emeralds said to have delighted Cleopatra, each of these gems is famed for a singular virtue, the Hope Diamond for its velvety depth of color, the Star of India for a celestial star, the famous emeralds for a regal green clarity, by contrast this boulder opal offers not a single character but a spectrum, its multi color flashes recall the shifting tones seen in ancient mosaics and in the jeweled borders of royal vestments, like the most treasured historical gems this opal carries provenance and presence, but its personality is uniquely ancient and modern at once, it is the kind of stone that would have caught the eye of Roman connoisseurs who prized opal for its encapsulation of all other gemstones, it is the kind of gem that could have become an heirloom in a medieval chest or a focal point of an Art Nouveau piece, its story is as much about change and movement as it is about permanence.

The technical qualities of this Boulder Opal give it a distinctive voice among gems, the Tablet cut was chosen to emphasize the broad, painterly flashes of color that shift with every tilt and breath, the intense color intensity ensures that green, blue, and fiery accents are immediately and richly visible, the excellent polish allows those colors to sing without obstruction, and the fact that there is no enhancement means that every flash and every bar of color is a feature of nature, unretouched by heat or filler, the Australian origin further situates the gem within the lineage of the worlds finest opals, Australia has long been the source of opals that defined genres and trends, and boulder opal in particular brings with it the geology of ironstone as a natural backing that adds contrast and durability, this is not a fragile museum specimen to be stowed away, it is a gem meant to be held and worn and allowed to catch sun and lamplight alike, when set as the center of a ring it will present a window of color to the world, when set as a pendant it will reveal new scenes of light as the wearer moves, unlike the clear simplicity of a high quality diamond or the single tone of a royal ruby, this opal tells a thousand small stories in a single glance.

There is a timelessness to owning a gemstone that bridges past and future, the boulder opal we offer embodies that continuum, it carries the echo of ancient reverence for opal, the craft of cutters who respect the stone by choosing a Tablet cut that honors its natural planes, and the modern clarity of provenance and ethical sourcing that collectors demand, at The Natural Gemstone Company we understand that a gemstone is more than carat weight and measurements, though those matter, we see this 1.41 carat boulder opal, in its 12.29 by 6.54 by 2.34 mm tablet form, as a candidate for lineage, as the seed of an heirloom that could be passed down with story and sentiment, we stand behind the natural state and Australian origin of this stone, and we are ready to assist with setting suggestions that will protect the ironstone backing while maximizing the play of color, for those who revere history and seek a stone with the quiet authority of a storied gem, this opal offers both provenance and personality, please contact us at The Natural Gemstone Company to view this piece, discuss custom settings, and begin the process of making this timeless gem a part of your collection.