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Not cheap gold electroplate! This is a high quality solid 9kt gold ring. The ring is set with a handcut and hand-polished 3 carat oval Australian white opal of very nice quality

A gorgeous solid 9kt gold ring of good quality manufacture, size 10. The highlight of the ring of course is the simply stunning three carat white Australian opal. This is a hand-crafted gemstone measuring a whopping 12 millimeters in length and 10 millimeters in breadth. This colossal gemstone weighs 3.06 carats, truly a heavyweight in the world of white topaz. It is clean to the eye and possesses a fabulous pink and green iridescence. The color is gorgeous, and pearly iridescence quite remarkable when the light catches it. It is an exquisite gemstone and is mounted onto a very nice quality ring constructed of solid 9kt gold. Not gold-plated or gold-filled with chi-chi but merely glass "crystals" or "laboratory grown" (synthetic) gemstones. Why would you spend just as much or more to buy costume jewelry at the mall when you can have the real thing here? A genuine solid gold ring with a genuine Australian white opal semi-precious gemstone!

In ancient times opal was included among the noble gems and was ranked second only to emerald by the Romans, who sometimes referred to opal as the "cupid stone". The original ancient source of opal gemstones, known in Roman times, was in what is now East Slovakia. Early Arabs believed opals fell from the heavens in flashes of lightning that gave them their fiery play-of-color. Ancient Greeks, amongst many other ancient cultures, thought opals gave their owner the gift of prophecy and prevented diseases. The name "opal" is derived from the Latin "opallus", and from Sanskrit "upala", both of which translate to "precious stone". 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. White opal, with light body colors, and fire opal, characterized by yellow, orange, or red body color, are much more common.

You might guess I travel extensively for a living. My profession is a purchasing agent for antique gemstones, which generally come from Russia, India, Ceylon, and Siam. I grew up in the Southern Urals of Russia, just miles away from some of the greatest gemstone producing regions in the world's history. Alexandrite, diamond, emerald, sapphire, chrysoberyl, topaz, demantoid garnet, and many other rare and precious gemstones are produced from the mountains within mere minutes or a few hours from the city I once called home. My interest in the fabulous history of Russian gemstones and the fabulous jewelry of the Czar's led to further education and contacts in India, Ceylon, and Siam, other ancient centers of gemstone production and finishing. Though perhaps difficult to find in the USA, antique gemstones are commonly unmounted from old, broken settings - the gold reused - the gemstones recut and reset.

Before this happens, before these gorgeous antique gemstones are recut, I try to acquire the best of them in their original, antique, hand-finished state - most of them centuries old. I 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 me 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.

I have always been fascinated with jewelry and gemstones. Bangkok, Taipei, Hong Kong, Moscow, and Bombay are great places to find incredible deals on both gemstones and jewelry, and over the years I have made many friends within the trade in these five cities. So you can look for a steady flow of little treasures I discover in my travels, and I will be happy to share with you the best deals I can find through my industry acquaintances in these far-off Asian lands. Though I spend a good part of each year in Europe and Asia, most of the year I am here in the United States, and that's where all of my little treasures are. So you can count on quick shipping and careful packaging. And if I am not home - I have someone who does it for me!

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