Black Opal Wedding Ring So Expensive: Why?

Black opal wedding ring is enchanting alluring and one of the most beautiful rings that you can wear. Because of their elegant hues and beautiful brilliance, they are one of the most popular gemstones used in jewelries, especially for engagement. However, such beauty comes at a very high cost and not everyone can afford to pay for the services.

This is a typical question that many buyers ask themselves when they are asked to pay that much for black opal wedding rings. To understand this let us look at the following factors that lead to high cost of the opal; the formation of the opal, rarity of the opal and the effort that goes into the creation of opal jewelry.

1. Rarity of Black Opals

There is no question that the costs of black opals are high and one of the biggest factors that make them so costly is that they are relatively rare. Black opals are among the rarest opals in the world, and they are primarily mined in one region This is the case of Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, Australia.

Most of the world’s black opal is mined in this small, dry region, and because the stones are so rare, their cost is high.

Black opals have a dark background which brings out their colors unlike white opals which are more common in the market. The black background enables the brilliant flashes of red, green, blue and orange to stand out and this is why black opals are prized by collectors and jewelers. This rarity makes black opals a luxury item which greatly influences the price of black opal wedding rings.

2. Formation Process

Black opals like other opals are minerals which are formed over millions of years. It starts when water containing silica enters the cracks and voids of the rocks and with time, the silica precipitates and hardens.

Opals are unique because of the silica spheres that are present at microscopic level and which cause the light to be diffracted and produce the ‘play of color’. Black opals are formed by the presence of organic carbon or iron oxide impurities in the formation process of this gemstone.

This process is not controllable and only takes place in certain geological environments making the search for black opals even harder. It requires a lot of work to go through tons of rock and soil and you may not even find a black opal. This process is labor intensive and therefore contributes to the high cost of black opal wedding ring.

3. High Demand for Unique Stones

As for the modern trends in the jewelry market, one can observe the growing popularity of the so-called ‘non-conventional’ wedding bands. Although the tradition of engagement has long been associated with diamond rings, more and more people look for something unique.

Black opals are the kind that have unique color patterns and are very rare, making them to fit this trend. Black opals are unique gemstones and there is no two black opals that are exactly the same, which would be a great advantage for those who are planning to buy a wedding ring.

But this is where the uniqueness of the brand comes at a cost. Lovers of jewelries require the best black opals to make beautiful rings, and this is not easy to acquire a good quality stone that will meet their expectations because it may take a lot of time and money.

Moreover, the creation of a ring with a black opal calls for a lot of work, because the play of colors must be accentuated with the help of the setting without overshadowing the stone.

4. Cutting and Craftsmanship

It is very challenging to cut an opal especially a black opal and this is why it has to be done by skilled workers. Black opals are relatively soft gems thus require special handling as they are easily damaged.

They are less hard than diamonds and therefore when being cut they are likely to crack or even break. This makes the role of a skilled lapidary, that is a gem cutter, to be very important.

The aim here is to get as much play of color as is possible without compromising on size or the overall shape of the stone. The black opal normally presents an irregular outline, and as a result, its cutting process is a delicate and time-consuming affair.

If the opal is not cut properly, it may lose most of its value since the color play of the gem may not be as bright. This complex process forms part of the total cost of black opal wedding rings.

5. Quality Factors

However, not all black opals are the same and the quality of the stone greatly influences the price of the gemstone. Several factors influence the value of a black opal.

Body Tone: The black background of the base color gives more focus to the play of color of the opal. And the darker the base, the more valuable is the stone.

Play of Color: The intensity and the range of colours that the opal can show are the main factors that define the price of the opal. The most desirable opals are those which emit bright red flashes, because red is the most scarce color in black opals.

Pattern: The way the colors are placed inside the opal can also affect the value of the opal. There are specific patterns which are popular and include the harlequin where colours are laid in blocks of bright colours.

Size: The big black opals are even more rare and expensive since it is rather challenging to discover a large and high-quality gemstone.

These factors make high quality black opal expensive especially when they have great color play and rare patterns hence expensive wedding rings with black opals.

6. Market Trends and Investment Value

Another factor that has seen the prices of black opals go up is the increased demand of the gemstone in the international market. The general public has seen celebrities and other influential personalities using black opal jewelries, which has created a market for the same. This is the case because as the demand increases, the price also increases.

In the same respect, black opals are deemed to be an investment that is worth making. As with other hard-to-find gemstones, their prices are also known to rise over time, especially with scarcity of the same in the market.

In short, for the couple who wants to look at their wedding ring as an emblem of love and as a long-term investment, black opals present a very good chance. But, this investment potential also leads to a higher price for a black opal wedding ring to be bought.

7. Ethical and Sustainable Mining

Mining of black opals especially in Australia has been done under strict policies to allow ethical and sustainable mining. Black opals are not like diamonds that have had bad reputation for being mined unethically and even if the guidelines are set to protect the workers and the environment, they are not adhered to. This ethical assurance also contributes to the beauty of black opal wedding ring but also contributes to the cost.

Ethical mining practices include paying better wages to the workers, better safety measures and less harm to the environment and these lead to increased cost of the final product. This is because many buyers are willing to pay this premium with a view of getting an ethically sourced wedding ring.

8. Jewelry Design and Customization

Last but not the least, the design of the wedding ring also contributes to the price. Black opals are usually used in custom designs since the patterns and colors of the opals should be well captured in the setting. The kind of metal used to make the ring such as platinum, gold or any other metal of choice will determine the final cost of the ring.

Furthermore, most of the black opal wedding rings are made to order and as we all know that buying a custom jewelry is more costly than buying a jewelry from a local store.

Conclusion

The cost of black opal wedding ring is also influenced by the rarity of this stone, the challenges that are involved in mining and cutting this stone and the current market demand for rare gemstones in the jewelry market.

When added to the skill involved in making a beautiful and long lasting ring then it is not surprising to find that these rings are relatively expensive. For those who are in search of an individualistic and unique emblem of love and loyalty, the enchanting and unique appearance of a black opal wedding ring is fully worth the price, however.