12 Jewels That Will Be the Opal of Your Eye

Confession: I’ve never been a huge fan of opal. When I worked in retail, the majority of the designs I saw day in and day out—primarily of the vintage variety—just struck me as boring and stale. What to some appears as a rainbow of colors and possibilities just looked pale and flat to me. I know, I know, quelle horreur! But it was true. Was. Now, however, I’m amazed at the incredible work that’s being done to make opals look so modern and fresh. The stone remains the same, yes, but I’ve had the privilege as of late to see a variety of brilliant works of design that put the luminescent gemstone in a whole new light for me. A combination of clever settings and, of course, diamonds, helps to highlight the fire of a high-quality stone. It seems that I have begun to see what opal enthusiasts have been saying all along. It probably helps that some of the best jewelry designers and suppliers around are featuring opal in their new collections, right? Here are 12 jewels that have me wholeheartedly embracing opal. Don’t you just love them too?

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