This exquisite 18 karat gold necklace with platinum and 24 karat gold elements has been strung with cultured pearls and set with a stunning Australian boulder opal weighing 23.03 carats,...
This exquisite 18 karat gold necklace with platinum and 24 karat gold elements has been strung with cultured pearls and set with a stunning Australian boulder opal weighing 23.03 carats, 121 radiant round diamonds from South Africa weighing a total of 3.39 carats, and 14 beautiful princess-cut South African diamonds weighing a total of 3.90 carats.
Radiating a colorful fire from deep within, the opal has been prized since Antiquity. Within its depths one sees the rich variety of colors for which other gems are famed: the purple of amethyst, the red of ruby, the sea green of emerald, as well as gold and silver. The matrix for these sparks ranges in hue from milky white, to bright blue, to black. Mines in Hungary have produced fine opals since the Middle Ages, but the best modern source for the gem is considered to be Australia. The name of the gem is said to derive from the word ophthalmius, pertaining to the eye, and the stone is valued for its ability to avert evil. In the East, opals are much sought after as amulets to protect the wearer from disease. The stone is also said to improve the eyesight. Any person gazing upon this brilliant gem will be rewarded with beauty. Perhaps no gem delights the senses in quite the same way as the diamond, which burns with a deep internal fire. Crystalized carbon, formed under tremendous pressure over millennia, the diamond is famed for its everlasting hardness. Diamonds are normally colorless, but are also found in shades including yellow, pink, and blue. In Eastern belief, the diamond is said to enhance the full spectrum of energies in the body, mind and spirit. Within the circle of gems, the diamond defines the standards of beauty, rarity, and preciousness. In Matthew, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a single rare and costly pearl for which a man would sell all he has. The delicate, lustrous beauty of the pearl has captured the imagination of men and women since the dawn of time.