The month of October is home to not one but two semi-precious gemstones, tourmaline and more traditionally opal. Both birthstones vary immensely in colour, each unique with astonishing characteristics. In this latest journal article, we will explore the allure of both opal and tourmaline gemstones to uncover what makes them so unique, before exploring our very own curated collection of bespoke and ready-to-wear jewellery pieces.

Opals are renowned for their interchanging colourings that make them unlike any other gemstone. They are found around the world in countries including Brazil, Mexico, Honduras and the Western US, however, 95% of opal is mined in Australia, making our country the primary source. Commonly featuring vibrant specks of iridescent colours, no two opals are the same which makes these semi-precious gemstones so unique. Their colour range is so varied that opals can be found in a display of red, greens, blues, yellow, purples and even white. When it comes to opal varieties, there are several types available, including:  

Black Opal: Black Opals are the rarest type of opal, only found in very few places in the world, with the most sought-after being mined in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia.

Crystal Opal: Refers to any kind of opal that features a transparent or jelly-like appearance.

White Opal: The most common type of opal featuring a milky body allowing it to display vivid colour colours on the surface.

Boulder Opal: Boulder opal is where opal forms in thin seems or patches forming an ironstone matrix, whereby, there is a network of opal filled veins embedded into the host rock.

Potch Opal: A type of non-precious opal that doesn’t display any play of colour. They are often milky in appearance and white, black or grey in colour.

Tourmalines are most commonly found in Brazil, with deposits also being mined in the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kenya, Madagascar and Mozambique. Like opal, this gemstone is available in a wide variety of colours; even bi-colours. Due to its vast range of colours, throughout centuries tourmaline had been mistaken for that of other gemstones, such as rubies or emeralds. This continued for centuries until scientists recognised tourmaline as a distinct mineral species in the 1800s.

Opal is the most traditionally recognised birthstone for the month of October, however, in recent years the gemstone tourmaline has also been categorised as a secondary birthstone for the month. This is because of the hardness difference between the two gemstones. According to the MOH’s hardness scale, an opal ranges from 5 to 6.5, whereas a tourmaline ranges from 7 to 7.5. Thereby, the tourmaline gemstone was introduced as a secondary birthstone in the year 1812 and has slowly become more popular for customers seeking October birthstone jewellery due to its increased durability in comparison to opal.

Here at Hogans Family Jewellers, we are privileged to not only stock a curated collection of stunning opal and tourmaline ready-to-wear pieces but have also crafted a range of bespoke jewellery pieces showcasing these gems. So, without further ado, we would like to showcase to you some of our extravagant opal and tourmaline pieces, in honour of October.

1. 9K YG Green Tourmaline & Pink Sapphire Cluster Ring: Introducing one of the newest additions to our ready-to-wear collection. Crafted in 9k yellow gold, this cocktail-style dress ring features a cushion cut mint green-hued tourmaline encased by a halo of pink sapphires. It’s a statement piece for any pastel lover. 

2. Bespoke Yellow Gold Opal and Diamond Necklace: Crafted in the Hogans workshop, this petite necklace showcases a stunning white opal with fluorescent flecks of reds, greens and blues throughout. Set on either side of the opal are clusters of petite round brilliant cut white diamonds that vary in size to create an asymmetrical design.

3. 18K RG & Platinum Tourmaline Dress Ring: Introducing another exquisite piece from our ready-to-wear collection. Crafted in platinum and 18k rose gold, the feature of this unique piece is the emerald cut tourmaline centre stone which is surrounded by petite pink diamonds. Channel set baguette cut diamonds have also been set into the shoulders of the ring and are set north to south to give a dramatic look.

4. 18K RG Emerald Cut Watermelon Tourmaline Stud Earrings: Characterised by pink and green hues, watermelon tourmalines are a unique, statement-making gemstone. These featured stud-style earrings from our ready-to-wear collection are no exception. Set in 18k rose gold, each stud features a halo of white diamonds that accentuate the vibrant emerald cut watermelon tourmaline gemstones.

5. Bespoke Black Opal and Mixed Gemstone Cluster Ring: Featured is a showstopping cluster-style ring which champions a vibrant black opal surrounded by a decorative cluster of tanzanite, emerald and diamond gemstones that complement the iridescent blue and green hues of the opal.

6. 18K WRG Black Crystal Opal & Diamond Halo Ring: Crafted in 18k white and rose gold, this next feature showcases a captivating halo-style design. At its centre is a 5.12ct claw set Black crystal opal surrounded by an inner halo of white diamonds and an outer halo of Australian pink diamonds. 

7. Bespoke LifeFlight Dress Ring: Crafted in 18k yellow and white gold, featuring elements reminiscent of the Art-Deco period, this Hogans designed and crafted dress ring champions a vibrant 6ct emerald cut forest green-hued tourmaline gemstone. Accompanying the centrepiece is a tri-cluster of kite and round brilliant cut diamonds, finished with a halo of petite round brilliant cut diamonds set in milgrain beading. Read more about this one-of-a-kind piece that our team crafted for the 2024 LifeFlight Gala event.

8. 18K RWG Trilliant Cut Green Tourmaline Pendant: Introducing a stunning tourmaline pendant also available for purchase. Crafted in the Hogans on-site workshop, this green tourmaline pendant has been designed to highlight the unusual cut of the trilliant shaped green tourmaline. Accentuating the stones' forest green hues is a rose gold milgrain setting, framed by a halo of brilliant cut white diamonds. ⁠ 

9. Bespoke 18K RWG Oval Rubellite Tourmaline Bridgeton Inspired Pendant: Crafted in 18k rose and white gold, this antique style pendant features a 4.80ct oval cut rubellite, 19 round brilliant white diamonds and four pear cut diamonds. Although this piece has now sold, you can read all about the design and manufacturing process discussed in this journal.

10. 9K YWG Black Opal Dress Ring: Introducing another stunning opal piece that is ready to purchase. Crafted in 9k yellow and white gold, this ring features a showstopping 1.93ct solid black opal centre stone. Bordering this opal is a freeform halo of round brilliant cut white diamonds, making for the most stunning dress ring. 

If you’re celebrating your birthday this month, visit our Toowoomba-based showroom where you can view the entire tourmaline and opal collection up close with one of our expert sales consultants. If a custom design is more your style, book an obligation-free design consultation.