Opal Bracelets in 14K Gold

Opal basics: what is an opal bracelet, black opal or opal

Opal is silica with water held inside it, and its flashes come from light bending through tiny spheres in the stone. A black opal has a dark body, so the color jumps out.

All three are 14K gold, each offered in yellow, white or rose. The Galaxy is a tennis row of oval black opals. The Crystal Glow lines up round opals that its listing calls natural. The Eclipse is a link bracelet of Ethiopian black opal ovals turned on their side, a setting jewelers call east-west. Opal is also a birthstone for October.

Black opal: Galaxy or Eclipse, and what to ask before you buy

The Galaxy is the fuller look, a 7 mm row of oval opals. The Eclipse sets its ovals in a gold link and weighs a little over half as much.

Ask first whether the dark color is the stone's own. Much Ethiopian opal comes out of the ground pale and is darkened afterward, and neither black opal listing says which. Ask too whether each stone is opal all the way through or a thin slice glued to a dark backing, a doublet. In the photos, every prong tip should hold the edge of its stone, since an exposed opal edge chips. Put any of it to the live chat, or call or text 212-872-9692 from 10 AM ET.

Length: 7 or 7.5 inch opal bracelet, the width and the grams

Measure first, since each bracelet comes in one length. Circle the wrist at the bone with a paper strip, mark the overlap and measure it flat. Add a half to three quarters of an inch, so the bracelet turns but never slips over the hand.

The Galaxy and the Eclipse are cut at 7 inches, and the Crystal Glow runs a little longer. A man's wrist usually wants about 8 inches, so ask the desk whether a longer one can be made. The Crystal Glow weighs the most, at 30 grams.

Care: can you wear an opal bracelet every day, how to clean it

You can, with care. On the Mohs scale opal scores roughly 5.5 to 6.5, well under diamond and sapphire. Slip it off for the gym, the pool and the kitchen sink.

To clean it, wipe the stones with a soft cloth dipped in lukewarm, mildly soapy water and dry them at once. Never use an ultrasonic machine or steam. Ethiopian opal can drink in water and lose its color for a while, so the Eclipse should never soak.

Buying: yellow, white or rose gold, made to order and returns

White gold makes the blue and green in a black opal read cooler, and yellow or rose gold warms them.

Every listing says handmade to order, allowing 10 to 15 business days. The listings also call the work custom, and our refund policy makes custom pieces final. Settle every question with the desk before you pay. For opal at the neck, the opal chains hold a dainty tennis row to match.