A Play Of Colour: Unearthing The World of Opals
PUBLISHED: January 25th 2025
WORDS & INTERVIEW: Izzy Cammareri
PUBLICATION: SARAH & SEBASTIAN Journal
As the primary gemstone for Sarah & Sebastian’s new AURELIA collection, we explore the ethereal world of opals with co-founder and creative director Sarah Gittoes.
As light passes through a precious opal, it bends and scatters into iridescent rainbows known as play-of-colour, making it one of the most visually striking gemstones. Unlike other coloured stones that emit fire and sparkle, opals come alive with a luminous, ethereal glow, revealing a kaleidoscope of patterns that morph with every change of perspective.
“Opals are like fragments from another world—they have this incredible depth and energy that you just don't see in any other type of stone,” says Sarah Munro, co-founder and creative director of SARAH & SEBASTIAN. “I’m fascinated by their interplay of colour and light. Their blue hues remind me of the ocean, their patterns of celestial constellations.”
“Opals are like fragments from another world—they have this incredible depth and energy that you just don't see in any other type of stone.”
Swirling oceans, neon bursts, mosaic patchworks and cosmic galaxies—every opal holds a miniature world within, frozen in time. “The Harlequin opal is one of my favourites,” Sarah adds. “They are extremely rare and have this painterly, expressive quality, with flashes of red, blue, yellow and green that look like brushstrokes. I remember holding one up to the light for the first time and it transformed in my hand… the colours shifting between fire and ice.”
AUSTRALIA: THE HEART OF THE OPAL
While opals can be found across the globe, Australia is home to 95% of the world’s reserves and produces some of the most extraordinary varieties. Thanks to their uniqueness, many Australian opals have been given nicknames: Painted Lady Opals are linked to Andamook in the South, exhibiting a dynamic play-of-colour, and linear or swirling patterns resembling brushstrokes on a canvas. Pineapple Opals are unique to White Cliffs in New South Wales, featuring a sculptural, crystalline silhouette akin to the spiked head of a pineapple.
Petrified Wood Opals can be found in Queensland, a fascinating occurrence where organic material like roots and branches are replaced by opal silica over millions of years, creating a fusion of the original wood grain and the iridescent characteristics of opal stones. In Coober Pedy, South Australia, Light Crystal Opals are renowned for their creamy body colour and spectral translucency.
One of the most coveted variations, Lightning Ridge Black Opals are prized for their deep, inky body tone and electric flashes of colour. Found exclusively in the remote outback town of Lightning Ridge, on the border of New South Wales and Queensland, their rarity and unique iridescence make them some of the world’s most sought-after types of opals. This is where Sarah sourced six one-of-a-kind opals to create a limited series of bold pieces for the AURELIA collection.
"Swirling oceans, neon bursts, mosaic patchworks and cosmic galaxies—every opal holds a miniature world within, frozen in time."
AURELIA: AN ODE TO NATURAL AUSTRALIAN OPALS
SARAH & SEBASTIAN’s latest AURELIA collection is a celebration of natural Australian opals, drawing inspiration from the luminosity of jellyfish drifting through the ocean and sunlight scattering beneath the waves. Just as sea jellies pulse and glow, these handcrafted designs shift and gleam with every movement, revealing vibrant flashes of blue, green, fiery red, and gold.
“It’s funny—my parents grew up believing the superstition that opals brought bad luck, so we avoided using them in our designs for years,” Sarah laughs. But it’s one of those tall tales…an urban myth! After doing my own research, I fell in love with their history and beauty. I love how we’ve been able to reimagine opals through a contemporary lens with this collection and celebrate how incredibly special they are.”
Crafted in 18 karat gold, AURELIA presents opals in a multitude of silhouettes: delicate clusters paired with lilac sapphires to echo the interplay of sun and sea; chain necklaces and bracelets, offering a chromatic twist on the classic tennis style; and singular solitaire necklaces and stud earrings.
Shop the AURELIA collection here.
