With our Jewellery Sale closing on Thursday, our Jewellery Catalogue Manager, Emma Testill, has chosen one of her favourite items in the auction.

One of my top picks for 14th May Jewellery Sale - Fire Opal Lot 9 – An 18ct gold fire opal and diamond cluster ring. 

A stunning ring with a sizable 1.07cts of fire opal, which is a well saturated deep reddish-orange hue, translucent and eye clean. Surrounded by 0.40ct of brilliant-cut diamonds, estimated as G-H colour and VS clarity, bright white and eye clean stones. This ring is in very good condition and is in for a very fair estimate of £150-200.  So what makes a fire opal unique and different to the more widely seen precious opals?

Lot 9 in Fellows' Jewellery Sale
Lot 9 in Fellows' Jewellery Sale

It’s all in the body colour, fire opals are named for their dominant reddish-orange and yellow hues which produce flame like reflections upon turning the stone. As opposed to the precious opals we see on a daily basis that have the creamy-white body colour with the iridescent play of colour effects.If the fire opal has both the deep flame red body colour and the spectral play of colour effect then it can demand very high prices per carat. 

The main sources for fire opal across the world are most notably Mexico, alongside the USA and Australia to name a few. A fire opals colour depends on the amount of Iron present, the higher the Iron content the redder the opal. One of the best things about fire opals is they can be faceted as well as being cut as cabochons. A faceted fire opal like the one in lot 9 allows the light to enter the stone and really shows off its intense colour display.