What is an Opal Triplet Ring?

Before shopping for black or dark colored opal rings you should familiarize yourself with the concepts of the opal doublet ring and the opal triplet rings. Both these types of opal rings are partially man made.

Both opal triplet rings and doublet rings have black colored metal affixed as backing for the stone. This gives the gem stone a much more solid and dramatic background that enhances its sparkle as well as gives it a bit more strength and security.

The opal triplet ring has an additional man made component, which is a capping of quartz, plastic, or clear glass over the stone to make it dome shaped. This paper-thin cap for the opal protects it as well as slightly amplifies the intensity of its color.The opal triplet ring is usually a lot cheaper than doublet opal rings or natural opal rings and this "cheap looking" quality is often expressed by the glassy appearance of the stone. The backing on opal triplets can also conceal serious flaws in the opal such as large cracks or jagged holes.

There is nothing wrong with buying an inexpensive opal triplet ring however it is a good idea to avoid those black opal rings that are backed with plastic as it is indication of poor quality and craftsmanship and the ring probably won't last you very long. On the up side an opal triplet ring is often protected from damage by the sphere of glass, quartz or clear plastic that seals its surface. Some people even prefer the look of an opal triplet ring simply because it has a softer, more pearly look than natural opal rings which have a very sharp glitter that is reminiscent of aluminum foil.

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