Opals

Two fields, in roughly equal measure: Lightning Ridge in northern New South Wales, the world's premier source of black opal, and Coober Pedy in South Australia, for white and crystal opal. Every stone is cut and set by hand in Australia, into solid gold and silver.

Black opal is the rarest and most prized opal. Its dark body tone makes the colour inside glow: electric blues, greens and reds against near-black. Lightning Ridge in New South Wales is the world's premier source, and where ours come from.

Yes, with care. Opal is softer than diamond or sapphire and holds a trace of water, so keep it clear of knocks, harsh chemicals and sudden heat or dryness. Treated gently, an opal keeps its fire for a lifetime.

A soft cloth and mild, soapy water. Never a harsh cleaner, and never sudden heat.

Opal is mined on a small scale, by miners and fossickers working modest claims rather than industrial pits. Low-impact and traceable: our stones pass through few hands, from a field we can name.

Yes. Each opal formed as silica seeped into the bed of an inland sea a hundred million years ago, and no two came out alike. No two pieces we make with them are alike either.

Specialist sole-trading cutters, all in Australia. Annaig Gemstone Cutters shapes our custom stones, alongside Sherman Opals and Precious Time Opals in Melbourne. The finished stones are set by hand in our Sydney studio, into solid gold and silver.

Yes. Faceted opal, cut the way a diamond is rather than as a smooth cabochon, suits an engagement ring well. Opal is softer than diamond or sapphire, so we will talk through the setting and everyday wear with you. Every piece carries our lifetime repairs.

No. Opal is not certified the way a diamond is; no laboratory report travels with the stone. What we can tell you is the field it came from, who cut it and who set it. Our diamonds are the exception: every one carries independent grading and a certificate of provenance.