Design Details

Opal, Chrome Tourmaline, Sapphire & Diamond Earrings
18K Yellow Gold w/ Black Rhodium
2 Opal Oval 7.43 ctw. (12.8x8.4mm /12.4x8.2mm) - Natural
2 Chrome Tourmaline P/S 0.96 ctw. (6.5x4.5mm) - Heated
2 Sapphire Rd 0.40 ctw. (3.50mm) - Heated
118 Diamonds Rd 1.24ctw. (F+/VS+)

Unique Design Traits

A unique play on colors using the chrome tourmalines and sapphires to pull the color out the opals' natural blues and greens.

The bold black opals at the center of the earrings display striking blue and green patterns that are complemented by a halo of diamonds around sapphires and chrome tourmalines.

Although no two opals are exactly alike, the matched pair in these earrings display the same tones and colors in their play-of-color and are considered a very fine match.

Gemstone Details

Opal

The highly prized Australian opal is one of nature’s true works of art. Recognized as the premiere source, the Lightning Ridge area of New South Wales produces a very finite supply of this phenomenal stone and no two opals are exactly alike. Each masterpiece is a complex palette of colors in blue, green, orange yellow and/or red. As you move the opal around in the light, flashes of color are revealed in the depths of the gem.  

Black opals are the most valuable variety of opal and is distinguished by its black or dark ‘body tone’ which allows for the opal’s brilliant and vivid play of color. Of all black opals, those with red tones and patterns in the play of color will command the highest premium. Not all opals display play of color, and they are referred to as common opal. Opal is formed by silica and water over thousands of years. Spheres of silica stack in a regular order, and this internal structure diffracts light so play-of-color can be seen.  

Opal is the birthstone for the month of October and the 14th anniversary gift. 

 Tourmaline 

Tourmaline is a gemstone that comes in a seemingly endless variety of shades and colors and in fact can occur in almost every hue. Many colors have inspired their own trade names, such as the pink, red, purplish red and orangish red tourmalines known as ‘rubellite’, while dark blues, violetish blues and greenish blues are referred to as ‘indicolite.’ The vivid green shade of tourmaline is known as ‘chrome’ although its color is usually attributed to vanadium, not chromium. Parti-color and watermelon tourmaline will display multiple color blocked hues. 

First reportedly discovered in the 1500s by Spanish explorers in Brazil but mistaken for emerald; it took until the 1800s for scientists to distinguish it as the green variety of tourmaline. Its name even reflects this confusion, derived from the Sinhalese word "turmali", which means ‘mixed.’ For centuries tourmalines have adorned the jewels of royalty. The Empress Dowager Tz'u Hsi, the last empress of China, valued the rich pink colors above all other gemstones.  

Recent discoveries of new hues in Brazil have propelled tourmalines’ popularity among gem and jewelry lovers, particularly the vivid blue of Paraíba tourmaline. Tourmaline is one of the few gems to be mined in the United States, with significant deposits found in Southern California.  

Tourmaline is a birthstone for October and the gem of the eighth anniversary. 

Sapphire 

Velvety blue. Liquid blue. Evening-sky blue. Cornflower blue. Sapphire, beloved for centuries as the ultimate blue gemstone. The ancient Persian rulers believed that the earth rested on a giant sapphire and its reflection colored the heavens blue. 
 
But like the endless colors that appear in the sky, sapphire is also found in many other shades besides blue, from the gold of a sunrise, to the fiery reddish-orange of sunset, to the delicate violet of twilight. Sapphire may even resemble the pale white gloaming of an overcast day. These diverse colors are referred to as "fancy" color sapphires. 
 
A gift of a sapphire symbolizes a pledge of trust and loyalty. It is from this tradition that sapphire has long been a popular choice for engagement rings. One of nature's most durable gemstones, sapphire shares this quality with its sister, the ruby. 
 
Sapphire is found in many parts of the world, but the most prized sapphires are from Myanmar (Burma), Kashmir and Sri Lanka. The purer the blue of the sapphire, the greater the price the gemstone can command, however, many people find that the darker hues of sapphire can be just as appealing. 
 
Over the centuries, methods have been developed to enhance the purest hues of sapphire. This is now commonly achieved by controlled heating, a technique that not only improves color but also improves clarity. But heating will only improve the color if the gemstone already contains the chemistry required. Heating sapphires is a permanent enhancement, as lasting as the gemstones themselves.  
 
With a hardness of 9 on the Moh's scale, sapphire of any color is one of the hardest gemstones available save the diamond. Due to their crystal growth, larger sapphires are most often found in fancy brilliant cuts, like oval or cushion, large rounds and emerald cuts are markedly rarer to encounter. 

Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gem of the 5th and 45th anniversaries.