Opal Instead of Diamond: The Engagement Ring with Colour
Wedding · Rings
Why more and more couples leave out the diamond
An engagement ring without a diamond was worth explaining twenty years ago. Today it is a decision hardly anyone has to justify. Coloured stones are catching up, and the opal has the strongest argument of them all: there is no second one. What lies behind the shift, what speaks for the opal and where diamond stays harder and opal in a bezel setting is still everyday jewellery.
What the comparison is about: With diamonds, sameness is the mark of quality; with opal it is difference. Add to that a far lower price for comparable effect and a colour that changes with the light. The price for it: opal is softer and needs consideration.
What has changed about the engagement ring?
That the diamond counts as the self evident engagement stone is more recent than most people think. Into the early 20th century coloured stones were at least as common, and it took a very successful advertising campaign by the diamond industry to make the diamond the norm.
Three developments work against that today: the wish for something personal rather than what everyone has. The question of origin and mining. And quite simply the price, because a coloured stone offers considerably more surface and effect for the same budget.
How do opal and diamond compare?
| Opal | Diamond | |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness (Mohs) | 5.5 to 6.5 | 10 |
| Look | changing play of colour | colourless sparkle |
| Two the same? | do not exist | sameness is the goal |
| Price at the same size | considerably lower | considerably higher |
| Everyday wear | bezel: everyday. Open: avoid chlorine and hairspray | practically insensitive |
| Replacement if lost | not possible | an equal can be bought again |
Which three reasons speak for the opal?
1. Uniqueness can be shown
Two opals from the same rough piece already show different patterns. For a ring that stands for one particular person, that is a strong image.
2. The ring changes with the day
At the window in the morning it looks different from candlelight in the evening. A ring you still look at after years.
3. The budget goes further
For a comparable effect on the finger, a good opal ring sits well below a diamond ring of the same size. What is saved often goes into a better setting.
When is the diamond the better choice?
Staying honest
We sell opals, and even so: if the ring is worn all day, the bezel setting is the protection. Diamond stays harder. Opal is still everyday jewellery in a bezel. At Mohs 5.5 to 6.5 opal is Mohs 5.5 to 6.5; dust can be harder than the stone because it often contains quartz. A ring that knocks against everything for twenty years will show it.
Anyone who still wants the opal can head off a lot: a bezel setting instead of claws, a boulder opal with supporting mother rock, and the firm intention to take the ring off when cleaning. What that looks like in detail is in opal as an engagement ring and ring size and setting.
Can you have both?
The most common solution in practice is not an either or at all. An opal as the centre stone, flanked by two small diamonds, combines the colour of the one with the sparkle of the other. The diamonds usually sit lower and give the opal extra protection from knocks at the side.
Our engagement rings with genuine opal have a page of their own: see opal engagement rings. If you would rather browse freely: rings in gold or all opal rings.
The question to settle beforehand
Before you decide on an opal, ask one single question: will the ring be worn around the clock, including for sport, cleaning and swimming? If so, take a harder stone. If the person takes jewellery off in the evening anyway, nothing speaks against the opal. Settling this question beforehand saves you the disappointment a year later.
Frequently asked questions about opal instead of diamond
Is an opal engagement ring durable enough?
Yes. Protected Liberty Angels jewellery is everyday wear. Australian: showering yes, swimming in theory yes. We give a 5-year guarantee because we build jewellery for everyday wear.
Is an engagement ring without a diamond common?
Yes. Coloured stones are normal again. The diamond only became the default in the 20th century.
How much cheaper is an opal?
At a comparable visible size an opal ring usually sits well below a diamond ring. Quality of both stones moves the range.
Can you combine opal and diamond?
Yes. An opal centre with small diamonds at the side is common. Diamond hardness does not replace a proper setting.
What if the opal is damaged?
A new stone can be set, but it will look different because every opal is unique. Ask us for an estimate.
Which colour for the ring?
Blue and green read calmer and cost less, red reads louder and costs more. Taste, not a rule.
If you are unsure or have questions, you are welcome to contact us at any time, even if you did not buy the opal from us. Contact form, email cs@libertyangels.de or call +49 171 1603048.
Verified authenticity
by Liberty Angels
Only natural, genuine opals. Each certificate is linked online to your order, so it is tamper-proof.
Written by Anton Kehler
Gründer FAERELLI & Liberty Angels
