Antique 1920's Rare Genuine Black "Lightening Ridge" Australian Opal Oval Semi-Precious Gemstone! Contemporary High Quality Sterling Silver Ring Size 7.
ORIGIN: Lightening Ridge, New South Wales, Australia. Early 20th Century.
SIZE: Length: 7mm. Width: 5mm. All measurements approximate.
WEIGHT: 0.42 carats.
DETAIL: Popular throughout the ancient Mediterranean, early Persians believed opals fell from the heavens in flashes of lightning (which accounted for their fiery play-of-color), and when worn as a talisman, would protect against lightening strikes. The original ancient source of opal gemstones, known in Roman times, was in what is now East Slovakia. Elsewhere in the ancient world, the Romans used opal both for jewelry and in the production of cameos. Ancient Greeks, amongst many other ancient cultures, thought opals gave their owner the gift of prophecy and foresight, and prevented diseases. 
Here is an absolutely gorgeous, natural "black" opal from Australia originally produced in the 1920's. This is a very uncommon gemstone, difficult to procure. The world's entire production of gemstone quality black opal comes from one claim in Australia known as "Lightening Ridge". This gemstone was originally solid black opal, however it was so thin that a backing was added so as to strengthen the gemstone and reduce its fragility. For those unfamiliar with black opal, it is somewhat akin to, if you will image, black abalone mother of pearl - which is to say, mother of pearl with a black background. Even without direct light, there is a green-blue-violet iridescence to the black color. Then the transformation when struck by full light can be simply breathtaking, as the illumination transforms the opals into a stunning iridescent rainbow of incredibly striking colors and luminescence.
The more expensive and high grade (up to $20,000 a carat) opals are almost psychedelic in their transfixing pattern of iridescent coloration. Under magnification the gemstones show the unmistakable characteristics of having been hand crafted. The coarseness of the early 20th century finish is considered appealing to most gemstone collectors, and is not considered detrimental to the value of the gemstones. In fact most serious collectors consider such gemstones more desirable, possessed of greater character and uniqueness when compared to today's cookie-cutter mass-produced machine-finished gemstones. Unlike today's computer controlled machine produced gemstones, the cut and finish of a gemstone such as this is the legacy of an artisan who lived almost a century ago.
The setting is of contemporary origin. It is a high quality setting manufactured by one of the USA’s leading semi-custom mount producers. It is constructed of solid sterling silver.
HISTORY: The original ancient source of opal gemstones, known in Roman times, was in what is now East Slovakia perhaps as long ago as the sixth millennia B.C. Archaeological evidence indicates that opals were also mined in Ethiopia starting around 400 B.C. Opal was considered a “noble” gemstone in the ancient world and was ranked second only to emerald by the Romans, who sometimes referred to opal as the "cupid stone". The Romans also referred to opal as “the queen of gems” because it embodied the colors of all the other gems. According to other Roman sources, the opal was considered the ultimate in gemstones, due to its mysterious and iridescent qualities. Opals were used in the Roman world for jewelry and were also carved as cameos.
The Roman scholar and historian Pliny (23-79 A.D.) in his 37-volume work, "Historia Naturalis", described opal as having "the fire of the garnet, the brilliant purple of the amethyst, and the sea-green of the emerald all shining together in incredible union". Pliny related in his accounts that Mark Antony (Julius Caesar’s “lieutenant”, eventually Cleopatra’s husband) loved opal, and so much coveted an opal owned by Roman Senator Nonius that Mark Antony banished the Senator, exiling him from Rome, after he refused to sell the almond sized stone. Legend states that one Roman Emperor offered to trade one-third of his vast kingdom for a single opal. Worn as a talisman, the Romans believed that opal had to power to cure disease, and also considered opal to be a token of hope and purity.
Elsewhere in the ancient world, the early Arabs believed opals fell from the heavens in flashes of lightning that gave them their fiery play-of-color, and that wearing opal as a talisman would protect one from lightening strikes. In the classical Mediterranean World, it was thought that opals were actually bits of rainbows which had fallen from the skies. Ancient Greeks, amongst many other ancient cultures, thought opals gave their owner the gift of prophecy and foresight, and prevented diseases. The Mayas and Aztecs called opal the “bird of paradise stone”. According Australian Aborigine legends, the creator came down to Earth on a rainbow, and at the very spot, where his foot touched the ground, the stones became alive and started sparkling in all the colors of the rainbow. That was the birth of the opals, also known as the “fire of the desert”.
Opals maintained tremendous popularity throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. For a while in the 18th and 19th centuries, opals were considered to be amongst the world's most desirable gemstones, and literally a king's ransom was on occasion paid for a particularly handsome specimen.
Opal was also regarded as the patron gemstone of thieves, because it was believed that wrapped in bay leaf, it would confer invisibility. Black opal was considered to be a particularly effective in attracting good luck, and fire opal was believed to attract wealth. Opal was also believed to be an effective talisman for those seeking true love. Women with blond hair wore opal earrings and hair ornaments, believing it would keep their hair from going gray. Opals were also ground up and used as magic potions to heal the body and ward off bad dreams. Renaissance-era mystics believed that opal could conduct the energies of the planet Venus through the gemstone, focusing those energies to the wearer.
The original ancient Greco-Roman source of “Hungarian opals” had been producing opal for perhaps 8,000 years before falling out of favor with the discovery of gemstones of much higher quality in Australia. From that time forward, Australian opals came to dominate the market. Somewhere between 90% and 95% of the world’s gem-quality opal now originates in Australia. The name "opal" is derived from the Latin "opallus", and from Sanskrit "upala", both of which translate to "precious stone"; as well as perhaps from the ancient Greek opallios, meaning “to see a change of color”. Opals are generally divided into two groups, white and black. Both share the similar appearance where a spectrum of colors can be seen in the depths of the stone. Black opal, with a body color from a dark gray to black, containing within the full play of iridescent colors, is the most valuable variety of all.
Opals are most abundant in volcanic rocks, especially in areas of hot-spring activity. Opal forms in sedimentary rocks when silica-rich water slowly seeps into the host rock, filling seams and cracks. If the water then hits a non porous layer of rock that stops its progress, and the silica-laden water then sits for thousands of years deep within the earth, the silica will settle and eventually form a solid gel, trapping the remaining water within its structure. It becomes opal. In Australia, this happened about 60 million years ago in the Cretaceous Period, when dinosaurs roamed the earth and much of Australia was covered by a vast inland sea.
One of the chief characteristics of the opal is the brilliant play of colors that may be seen in superior stones. These colors result from the formation of minute fissures in the stone as it hardens and the deposition of additional opal in the fissures. The refractive qualities of the original stone and the additional deposits usually differ from one another, and result in light interference causing a play of colors. The milky color of many white opals is attributable to an abundance of tiny gas-filled cavities in them. Black opal, with a very dark gray or blue to black body color, is particularly rare and highly prized. The real appeal of opals, of course, is the rich iridescence and remarkable play of changing colors (as the gemstone is viewed from different angles), usually in red, green, and blue. Modern electron microscope studies have shown that opal is composed of numerous minute silica spheres from 0.0001 mm to 0.0005 mm in diameter, arranged in orderly rows and layers. The play of colors in precious opal arises from the three-dimensional diffraction of light from these submicroscopic layers of regularly oriented silica spheres.
Throughout the history of the ancient world, gemstones were believed capable of curing illness and providing protection. Found in Egypt dated 1500 B. C., the "Papyrus Ebers" offered one of most complete therapeutic manuscripts containing prescriptions using gemstones and minerals. Gemstones were not only valued for their medicinal and protective properties, but also for educational and spiritual enhancement. In the ancient world opals were thought to amplify one's personality traits and characteristics. They were believed to strengthen memory and to instill faithfulness and loyalty with respect to love, personal and business relationships. Opals were regarded as a stone of hope, positive actions and achievements. Opals had medicinal uses including possessing strong therapeutic value for diseases of the eye, and when worn as an amulet, it was believed to provide the wearer with immunity from disease as well as increase the powers of the eyes and the mind. Furthermore, many believed that to the extent the colors of red and green were seen, the wearer would also enjoy the therapeutic powers of those stones; the power to stop bleeding from the ruby, or the power to cure diseases from the emerald.
Opals were used to treat infections and fevers, and were regarded effective in purifying blood and kidneys, regulating insulin, and easing both childbirth and menstrual symptoms. Opal was worn so as to strengthen the immune system and the body’s resistance to infection. On the metaphysical plane opal was believed to amplify traits, whether good or bad, and to bring characteristics to the surface for transformation. It was believed to enhance confidence and self-esteem, improve memory, and to help the wearer comprehend their full potential. It also was thought to bring create lightness and spontaneity, to stimulate originality and dynamic creativity, and encourage an interest in the arts. Opal was also associated with love and passion, as well as desire and eroticism; a seductive stone that intensified emotional states, released inhibitions, drove away shyness and shame, and encouraged sexual liberation. And as opal represented justice and harmony, it was regarded an effective talisman in dangerous places. Last, opal was used by shamans to aid in recalling past lives.
A HISTORY OF SILVER: After gold, silver is the metal most widely used in jewelry and the most malleable. The oldest silver artifacts found by archaeologists date from ancient Sumeria about 4,000 B.C. At many points in the ancient world, it was actually more costly than gold, particularly in ancient Egypt. Silver is found in native form (i.e., in nuggets), as an alloy with gold (electrum), and in ores containing sulfur, arsenic, antimony or chlorine. Much of the silver originally found in the ancient world was actually a natural alloy of gold and silver (in nugget form) known as “electrum”.
The first large-scale silver mines were in Anatolia (ancient Turkey) and Armenia, where as early as 4,000 B.C. silver was extracted from lead ores by means of a complicated process known as “smelting”. Even then the process was not perfect, as ancient silver does contain trace elements, typically lead, gold, bismuth and other metals, and as much as a third of the silver was left behind in the slag. However measuring the concentrations of the “impurities” in ancient silver can help the forensic jewelry historian in determining the authenticity of classical items. From Turkey and Armenia silver refining technology spread to the rest of Asia Minor and Europe.
By about 2,500 B.C. the Babylonians were one of the major refiners of silver. Silver “treasures” recovered by archaeologists from the second and third millenniums demonstrate the high value the ancient Mediterranean and Near East placed upon silver. Some of the richest burials in history uncovered by archaeologists have been from this time frame, that of Queen Puabi of Ur, Sumeria (26th century B.C.); Tutankhamun (14th century B.C.), and the rich Trojan (25th century B.C.) and Mycenaean (18th century B.C.) treasures uncovered by Heinrich Schliemann.
The ancient Egyptians believed that the skin of their gods was composed of gold, and their bones were thought to be of silver. When silver was introduced into Egypt, it probably was more valuable than gold (silver was rarer and more valuable than gold in many Mesoamerican cultures as well). In surviving inventories of valuables, items of silver were listed above those of gold during the Old Kingdom. Jewelry made of silver was almost always thinner than gold pieces, as indicated by the bracelets of the 4th Dynasty (about 2,500 B.C.) Queen Hetephere I, in marked contrast to the extravagance of her heavy gold jewelry.
A silver treasure excavated by archaeologists and attributable to the reign of Amenemhat II who ruled during the 12th Dynasty (about 1900 B.C.), contained fine silver items which were actually produced in Crete, by the ancient Minoans. When the price of silver finally did fall due to more readily available supplies, for at least another thousand years (through at least the 19th dynasty, about 1,200 B.C.) the price of silver seems to have been fixed at half that of gold. Several royal mummies attributable to about 1,000 B.C. were even entombed in solid silver coffins.
Around 1,000 B.C. Greek Athenians began producing silver from the Laurium mines, and would supply much of the ancient Mediterranean world with its silver for almost 1,000 years. This ancient source was eventually supplemented around 800 B.C. (and then eventually supplanted) by the massive silver mines found in Spain by the Phoenicians and their colony (and ultimate successors) the Carthaginians (operated in part by Hannibal’s family). With the defeat of Carthage by Rome, the Romans gained control of these vast deposits, and mined massive amounts of silver from Spain, stripping entire forests regions for timber to fuel smelting operations. In fact, it was not until the Middle Ages that Spain’s silver mines (and her forests) were finally exhausted.
Although known during the Copper Age, silver made only rare appearances in jewelry before the classical age. Despite its infrequent use as jewelry however, silver was widely used as coinage due to its softness, brilliant color, and resistance to oxidation. Silver alloyed with gold in the form of “electrum” was coined to produce money around 700 B.C. by the Lydians of present-day Turkey. Having access to silver deposits and being able to mine them played a big role in the classical world. Actual silver coins were first produced in Lydia about 610 B.C., and subsequently in Athens in about 580 B.C.
Many historians have argued that it was the possession and exploitation of the Laurium mines by the Athenians that allowed them to become the most powerful city state in Greece. The Athenians were well aware of the significance of the mining operations to the prosperity of their city, as every citizen had shares in the mines. Enough silver was mined and refined at Laurium to finance the expansion of Athens as a trading and naval power. One estimate is that Laurium produced 160 million ounces of silver, worth six billion dollars today (when silver is by comparison relatively cheap and abundant). As the production of silver from the Laurium mines ultimately diminished, Greek silver production shifted to mines in Macedonia.
Silver coinage played a significant role in the ancient world. Macedonia’s coinage during the reign of Philip II (359-336 B.C.) circulated widely throughout the Hellenic world. His famous son, Alexander the Great (336-323 B.C.), spread the concept of coinage throughout the lands he conquered. For both Philip II and Alexander silver coins became an essential way of paying their armies and meeting other military expenses. They also used coins to make a realistic portrait of the ruler of the country. The Romans also used silver coins to pay their legions. These coins were used for most daily transactions by administrators and traders throughout the empire.
Roman silver coins also served as an important means of political propaganda, extolling the virtues of Rome and her emperors, and continued in the Greek tradition of realistic portraiture. As well, many public works and architectural achievements were also depicted (among them the Coliseum, the Circus Maximus). In addition many important political events were recorded on the coinage. Roman coins depicted the assassination of Julius Caesar, alliances between cities, between emperors, between armies, etc. And many contenders for the throne of Rome are known only through their coinage.
Silver was also widely used as ornamental work and in other metal wares. In ancient cultures, especially in Rome, silver was highly prized for the making of plate ware, household utensils, and ornamental work. The stability of Rome’s economy and currency depended primarily on the output of the silver mines in Spain which they had wrested from the Carthaginians. In fact many historians would say that it was the control of the wealth of these silver mines which enabled Rome to conquer most of the Mediterranean world. When in 55 B.C. the Romans invaded Britain they were quick to discover and exploit the lead-silver deposits there as well.
Only six years later they had established many mines and Britain became another major source of silver for the Roman Empire. It is estimated that by the second century A.D., 10,000 tons of Roman silver coins were in circulation within the empire. That’s about 3½ billion silver coins (at the height of the empire, there were over 400 mints throughout the empire producing coinage). That’s ten times the total amount of silver available to Medieval Europe and the Islamic world combined as of about 800 A.D. Silver later lost its position of dominance to gold, particularly in the chaos following the fall of Rome. Large-scale mining in Spain petered out, and when large-scale silver mining finally resumed four centuries after the fall of Rome, most of the mining activity was in Central Europe.
By the time of the European High Middle Ages, silver once again became the principal material used for metal artwork. Huge quantities of silver from the New World also encouraged eager buyers in Europe, and enabled the Spanish to become major players in the late Medieval and Renaissance periods. Unlike the ores in Europe which required laborious extraction and refining methods to result in pure silver, solid silver was frequently found as placer deposits in stream beds in Spain’s “New World” colonies, reportedly in some instances solid slabs weighing as much as 2,500 pounds. Prior to the discovery of massive silver deposits in the New World, silver had been valued during the Middle Ages at about 10%-15% of the value of gold.
In 15th century the price of silver is estimated to have been around $1200 per ounce, based on 2010 dollars. The discovery of massive silver deposits in the New World during the succeeding centuries has caused the price to diminish greatly, falling to only 1-2% of the value of gold. The art of silver work flourished in the Renaissance, finding expression in virtually every imaginable form. Silver was often plated with gold and other decorative materials. Although silver sheets had been used to overlay wood and other metals since ancient Greece, an 18th-century technique of fusing thin silver sheets to copper brought silver goods called Sheffield plate within the reach of most people.
At the same time the use of silver in jewelry making had also started gaining popularity in the 17th century. It was often as support in settings for diamonds and other transparent precious stones, in order to encourage the reflection of light. Silver continued to gain in popularity throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and by the 20th century competed with gold as the principal metal used in the manufacture of jewelry. Silver has the highest thermal and electrical conductivity of any metal, and one of the highest optical reflectivity values. It has a brilliant metallic luster, is very ductile and malleable, only slightly harder than gold, and is easily worked and polished.
When used in jewelry, silver is commonly alloyed to include 7.5% copper, known as “sterling silver”, to increase the hardness and reduce the melting temperature. Silver jewelry may be plated with 99.9% pure ‘Fine Silver’ to increase the shine when polished. It may also be plated with rhodium to prevent tarnish. Virtually all gold, with the exception of 24 carat gold, includes silver. Most gold alloys are primarily composed of only gold and silver. Throughout the history of the ancient world, gemstones were believed capable of curing illness, possessed of valuable metaphysical properties, and to provide protection. Found in Egypt dated 1500 B. C., the "Papyrus Ebers" offered one of most complete therapeutic manuscripts containing prescriptions using gemstones and minerals.
Gemstones were not only valued for their medicinal and protective properties, but also for educational and spiritual enhancement. Precious minerals were likewise considered to have medicinal and “magical” properties in the ancient world. In its pure form silver is non toxic, and when mixed with other elements is used in a wide variety of medicines. Silver ions and silver compounds show a toxic effect on some bacteria, viruses, algae and fungi. Silver was widely used before the advent of antibiotics to prevent and treat infections, silver nitrate being the prevalent form. Silver Iodide was used in babies' eyes upon birth to prevent blinding as the result of bacterial contamination.
Silver is still widely used in topical gels and impregnated into bandages because of its wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity. The recorded use of silver to prevent infection dates to ancient Greece and Rome. Hippocrates, the ancient (5th century B.C.) Greek "father of medicine" wrote that silver had beneficial healing and anti-disease properties. The ancient Phoenicians stored water, wine, and vinegar in silver bottles to prevent spoiling. These uses were “rediscovered” in the Middle Ages, when silver was used for several purposes; such as to disinfect water and food during storage, and also for the treatment of burns and wounds as a wound dressing.
The ingestion of colloidal silver was also believed to help restore the body's “electromagnetic balance” to a state of equilibrium, and it was believed to detoxify the liver and spleen. In the 19th century sailors on long ocean voyages would put silver coins in barrels of water and wine to keep the liquid potable. Silver (and gold) foil is also used through the world as a food decoration. Traditional Indian dishes sometimes include the use of decorative silver foil, and in various cultures silver dragée (silver coated sugar balls) are used to decorate cakes, cookies, and other dessert items. [AncientGifts].
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ADDITIONAL PURCHASES do receive a VERY LARGE discount, typically about $5 per item so as to reward you for the economies of combined shipping/insurance costs. We do offer U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail, Registered Mail, and Express Mail for both international and domestic shipments, as well United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (Fed-Ex). Please ask for a rate quotation. Please note for international purchasers we will do everything we can to minimize your liability for VAT and/or duties. But we cannot assume any responsibility or liability for whatever taxes or duties may be levied on your purchase by the country of your residence. If you don’t like the tax and duty schemes your government imposes, please complain to them. We have no ability to influence or moderate your country’s tax/duty schemes.
If upon receipt of the item you are disappointed for any reason whatever, I offer a no questions asked 30-day return policy. Send it back, I will give you a complete refund of the purchase price; 1) less our original shipping/insurance costs, 2) less any non-refundable eBay fees. Please note that though they generally do, eBay may not always refund payment processing fees on returns beyond a 30-day purchase window. So except for shipping costs and any payment processing fees not refunded by eBay, we will refund all proceeds from the sale of a return item. Obviously we have no ability to influence, modify or waive eBay policies.
ABOUT US: Prior to our retirement we used to travel to Eastern Europe and Central Asia several times a year seeking antique gemstones and jewelry from the globe’s most prolific gemstone producing and cutting centers. Most of the items we offer came from acquisitions we made in Eastern Europe, India, and from the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean/Near East) during these years from various institutions and dealers. Much of what we generate on Etsy, Amazon and Ebay goes to support worthy institutions in Europe and Asia connected with Anthropology and Archaeology. Though we have a collection of ancient coins numbering in the tens of thousands, our primary interests are ancient/antique jewelry and gemstones, a reflection of our academic backgrounds.
Though perhaps difficult to find in the USA, in Eastern Europe and Central Asia antique gemstones are commonly dismounted from old, broken settings – the gold reused – the gemstones recut and reset. Before these gorgeous antique gemstones are recut, we try to acquire the best of them in their original, antique, hand-finished state – most of them originally crafted a century or more ago. We believe that the work created by these long-gone master artisans is worth protecting and preserving rather than destroying this heritage of antique gemstones by recutting the original work out of existence. That by preserving their work, in a sense, we are preserving their lives and the legacy they left for modern times. Far better to appreciate their craft than to destroy it with modern cutting.
Not everyone agrees – fully 95% or more of the antique gemstones which come into these marketplaces are recut, and the heritage of the past lost. But if you agree with us that the past is worth protecting, and that past lives and the produce of those lives still matters today, consider buying an antique, hand cut, natural gemstone rather than one of the mass-produced machine cut (often synthetic or “lab produced”) gemstones which dominate the market today. We can set most any antique gemstone you purchase from us in your choice of styles and metals ranging from rings to pendants to earrings and bracelets; in sterling silver, 14kt solid gold, and 14kt gold fill. When you purchase from us, you can count on quick shipping and careful, secure packaging. We would be happy to provide you with a certificate/guarantee of authenticity for any item you purchase from us. There is a $3 fee for mailing under separate cover. I will always respond to every inquiry whether via email or eBay message, so please feel free to write.