Sterling silver pendant inlaid with Gilson created opal and onyx
Last week we were trying to decide what inlay materials to use to create a unique contemporary pendant for a special customer. After some thought Mark decided to break out some Gilson created opal that he purchased thirty years ago and had only used a few times since then. The result was a very striking pendant with Gilson opal so bright you would think that there had to be a bulb in it. Because Australian opal inlay is our specialty, we rarely use man-made opal. In this case, natural opal of this quality would be far too costly to inlay in a sterling silver pendant, so Gilson opal was a logical choice. We were so pleased at how this pendant came out, you might be seeing more pieces with the Gilson created opal inlay in the future. There are differences in the quality of other lab grown opal and Gilson created opal. The Gilson created opal was invented by Pierre Gilson of France in 1974 and is considered by many gemologists to be the world’s finest laboratory grown opal. The growth process takes from 14 to 18 months, and the colors are natural with no treatment or enhancements. Its unique properties and brilliance set Gilson opal apart from all other man-made opal. Unlike natural opal which contains 3 to 21% water, Gilson opal contains no water. Gilson created opal is much tougher than natural opal and is not prone to breaking or cracking.
If you would like more information about this Gilson opal pendant or if you want to order one go to http://www.shop.hilemansilverjewelry.com/Silver-pendant-inlaid-with-red-Gilson-opal-and-onyx-P400ssGilOpalOnyx.htm
-John Hileman
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