Crystal Opal Sterling Silver & 18ct Gold Pendant

Crystal opal is the term used for any kind of Opal, such as Black Opal, which has a translucent or semi-translucent appearance. The technical term for this is diaphaneity – a mineral's ability to transmit light. A good way to check if your Opal is crystal or not is to shine a torch through the back of the stone – if the Opal glows, you have Crystal Opal!  Our Crystal Opal is sourced from Coober Pedy mines in South West Australia.

The perfect compromise between purity and strength, 18t gold contains 75% gold, with the rest is made up of other more durable metal alloys, used to add strength. White metals are be added to create white gold with copper added to create rose gold.  18ct gold is appreciated for its radiance and much warmer and brighter tones than 14ct and 9ct (58.5% and 37.5% pure gold respectively). 24ct (99.9%) and 22ct (91.6%) are the purest forms of gold, but as such they are very soft, so are only suitable for intricate jewellery, making 18ct the most affordable and durable option for our varied jewellery pieces.

Why do we use RECYCLED 18ct gold?

Commercial gold mining is one of the most environmentally destructive mining processes (1g of gold can produce up to 1000kg of toxic waste)! We source our gold from old stashes, antique coins and bits of old jewellery which are being sold as scrap metal. We melt this down, purify it, and bring it to the desired gold content needed for the jewellery item (as noted above).

Why do silversmiths use 925%? Measured in parts per thousand, pure silver (999%) is too soft so silversmiths mix it with other metals to make it it harder. The purer the metal, the higher the polish, but it is a lot softer (thus less durable). The harder the metal is, the more hard wearing the jewellery is, but it will also tarnish easier as it has less silver content. Therefore, the silver industry set a standard percentage content for fine silver (925); what we know as "sterling silver". At Two Skies our silversmiths use 925 (sterling) silver for ring shafts and moving parts, and a very high 950% on our stones settings, which enables us to get a strong jewellery item with a beautiful and secure stone setting, without any gluing. Each piece of our jewellery is hand stamped with our Two Skies Hallmark alongside the recognised industry 925 Hallmark.

Relax - you can shop with confidence at Two Skies.  If you change your mind, simply get in touch to let us know you want to return one or all of your items within 7 days of receiving your order, and we'll get a replacement/refund arranged - no quibbles!