A Play Of Colour: Unearthing The World of Opals
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 Munro.
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.”
Aurelia Earrings Sunflash Ring
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.
"Swirling oceans, neon bursts, mosaic patchworks and cosmic galaxies—every opal holds a miniature world within, frozen in time."
THE LEGEND OF LIGHTNING RIDGE
On the edge of New South Wales near Queensland’s border, lies the remote outback town of Lightning Ridge, famed for being the birthplace of prized Australian Black Opals—one of the rarest and most sought-after specimens. Revered for their intense colour and vibrancy, these opals are only extracted through sustainable, small-scale mining practices, ensuring minimal environmental impact and the preservation of surrounding ecosystems.

This is where Sarah sourced opals for six one-of-a-kind pieces in SARAH & SEBASTIAN’s latest collection, AURELIA. Hand-selecting them for their unique colour arrangements—pinfire constellations, ribboned waves, and translucent glimmers—each piece in this limited offering is a tribute to the rarity of these stones. A celebration of the unrepeatable, solid gold is crafted into monumental shapes, including voluminous signet rings and bold necklace pendants.
“The opals I chose for some unique pieces in AURELIA seem to carry an otherworldly essence,” Sarah shares. “I was obsessed with the different patterns, each one inviting you to assign your own personal stories and meanings.”
While the allure of Lightning Ridge opals initially drew Sarah to this quiet outback town, another discovery deepened her fascination. Hidden beneath its soil are remnants of a prehistoric ocean: “During a recent trip to Lightning Ridge, I had the opportunity to see some stunning opalised fossil shells,” she recalls. “These incredibly rare opals, shaped like shells, were formed through a unique geological process over millions of years—I love that they are connected to our ancient oceans."
“I was obsessed with the different patterns, each one inviting you to assign your own personal stories and meanings.”
Before much of Australia became the unforgiving desert we know today, it was submerged beneath a shallow sea, where marine life like mussels, sea snails, and now-extinct plesiosaurs thrived. When these animals died, their shells and bones became buried in the seabed, eventually dissolving as sand turned to clay. Over time, their skeletal voids filled with silica-rich minerals, creating stunning opalised fossils that preserved the intricate imprints of these ancient creatures.
One-of-a-kind Lightning Ridge necklace & carabiner pendant
Lightning Ridge Opal Necklace I
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.
"I love how we’ve been able to reimagine opals through a contemporary lens with this collection and celebrate how incredibly special they are."
STYLING OPALS
Playful and vibrant, opals are guaranteed to inject an unexpected energy into your jewellery layering. Balance delicate designs and petite stones with bold gold rings and bangles, or amplify their brilliance with clustered diamond hoops and earrings. With an iridescent palette, they’ll create a striking contrast against black, white, or neutral wardrobes, while their multi-faceted tones will add depth, texture, and a touch of maximalism to colourful ensembles.
Opalus Earrings
Lightning Ridge Opal Signet Ring II
OCTOBER’S BELOVED BIRTHSTONE
While tourmaline is celebrated as October’s alternative birthstone, opals remain the month’s traditional gem, cherished for their timeless beauty and symbolism. Nomadic Arab tribes believed these celestial stones fell from the sky during thunderstorms, capturing the glow of lightning. In Ancient Greece, opals were prized as talismans for protection against illness and misfortune, while in Medieval Europe, they came to symbolise hope, truth, and purity.
Believed to embody the combined powers of all coloured gemstones in a single, luminous form, opals have inspired awe for centuries, linking them to creativity, imagination, and a sense of wonder.
Shop Australian opal birthstones
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