There’s something special about Opals — several things, to be exact. Every opal is unique due to variations in flashes of color and patterns. And the shade of the opal can change based on the lighting of your environment. Opals are also the much-beloved birthstone of people born in October.
Macy’s Lab-Created Opal and White Sapphire Accent Drop Earrings are a pretty pick. The jewels are set in warm rose-gold-plated sterling silver, and white sapphire accents dial up the sparkle factor further.
Opal earrings are a stunning piece to add to your jewelry collection. That said, opal jewelry does come with some caveats. While these caveats are challenging, they’re certainly not insurmountable — you just need to know how to navigate them.
Begin with the basics. You might assume that whilte opals are the only type available, but this is not the case. Opal types include black, white or milky, crystal and boulder. Each type will present a bit differently in appearance.
The brightness of an opal is rated according to the gemstone’s dedicated scale. This system breaks down brightness into three categories: dull/subdued, bright and brilliant. Opals can contain inclusions or flaws just like other gemstones. Those that are visible to the naked eye will decrease the value of the opal.
Opals are soft stones, and because of this, they require delicate handling. In fact, they’re one of the few gemstones that a sonic jewelry cleaning machine could damage. Instead, clean your opal earrings with warm water and ultra-mild laundry detergent, like a baby laundry detergent. If you suspect you won’t have time to properly care for your opal earrings, or if you have a tendency to wear your earrings during every activity, opals might not be the best choice for you.
Prong settings are the mechanisms that secure opals to earrings. Without prongs, the opals would fall right out of the earrings. A prong setting typically consists of three or more metal prongs (also called tines) on a head (a gem setting). Jewelry designers weld or solder the head onto earrings before affixing the opals to them. The likelihood of the prongs on your opal earrings becoming loose at some point is high, nearly inevitable to some extent. This is the reason why monitoring your prong settings for this occurrence is critical. You can prevent the heartbreaking loss of your precious opals by spotting an issue and taking it to your jeweler immediately.
In addition to the prongs, the backing of opal earrings helps secure them to your earlobes. A good rule of thumb is to choose a secure backing style for the earrings you value most. Think about the earrings your heart would ache to lose. If the earrings aren’t designed or sold with secure backings, in most cases, you can get them modified by your jeweler. The most secure backing styles are screw backs and Chrysmela backs.
Opal earrings are available in a wide range of styles including stud, chandelier, hoop, huggie, drop, dangle, ear climbers and earring jackets.
Since prong settings play such an imperative role in the security of opal earrings, there are several different types of settings used in their construction including:
Man-made opals cost less than natural opals. The color and quality of the stones makes a difference, as well. In general, opal earrings cost anywhere from $70 on the low end of the scale to thousands of dollars on the high end of the scale.
A. Centuries ago, people wore certain gemstones primarily for the benefits accredited to the stone at that time. Opals were once believed to give the wearer the power of invisibility and to cure eye disease in the wearer. And during a certain period, opals were greatly valued by royalty, second only to emeralds.
A. A pesky superstition that opals are bad luck for wearers not born in October has held strong for years. While the origin of this bad reputation has never been confirmed, many believe it dates back to the publishing of Sir Walter Scott’s 1829 gothic novel, “Anne of Geierstein.” In this story, a tragic fate befell a character who always wore a golden clasp with an opal in her hair. Despite the fact the novel was fictional and not a factual story of a real person, the myth took hold and has persisted since. The refusal of some gem cutters refusing to work on the delicate stone has contributed to the superstition. The truth? You won’t be cursed by bad luck if you don’t have an October birthday and you wear opals.
Macy’s Lab-Created Opal and White Sapphire Accent Drop Earrings in 14-Karat Rose-Gold-Plated Sterling Silver: available at Macy’s
Our take: White sapphire accents crown one-and-a-half-carat total weight opals in these stunning drop earrings.
What we like: Set in 14-karat rose-gold-plated sterling silver, these drop earrings have a warm and ultra-pretty aesthetic. Generous round-cut one-and-one-half-carat opals exude a fiery shimmer and round sapphire accents sparkle above them. The earrings drop about three-fourths inch from the leverbacks, which stay securely fastened.
What we dislike: A few buyers said the size and design were so small and delicate, the earrings got lost in their hair.
Macy’s Lab-Created Opal and White Sapphire Square Stud Earrings in 14-Karat Rose-Gold-Plated Sterling Silver: available at Macy’s
Our take: Three-fourth total carat weight of cushion-shaped opals nestle in two layers of round-cut white sapphires to create a refined look.
What we like: The cushion shape of the opals gives them a vintage aesthetic. Two layers of round-cut white sapphires enhance the effect. The earrings feature three-fourth carats total weight of opals and one-third carat total weight of white sapphires. The gemstones are set in warm 14-karat rose-gold-plated sterling silver.
What we dislike: At least one buyer said the gold-plating on the sterling silver discolored within six months.
Macy’s Floating Crushed Opal Drop Earrings in 14-Karat Yellow Gold: available at Macy’s
Our take: These drop earrings feature crushed opals that glitter in an enchanting setting with a design reminiscent of petals.
What we like: These earrings look like something worn by a princess in a fairy tale. Crushed opals form a teardrop shape, glittering brightly, and are cradled by, and hang from, a setting that has the look of petals about it. These special design details are set in 14-karat gold, finishing the high quality effect.
What we dislike: The design, while exquisite, might be too formal to wear on a daily basis.

Megan Oster is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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