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Finding the perfect yellow gold Australian opal engagement ring...

A yellow gold Australian opal engagement ring is both a modern and a traditional choice to propose with. Yellow gold has been the most popular choice for engagement and wedding rings for thousands of years. Jewellers absolutely love yellow gold! It's malleable, which is great because it means that the gold can be shaped into an array of ring designs and settings. This also means that yellow gold makes it easier for jewellers to do maintenance like polishing or resizing.

14k or 18k yellow gold Australian opal engagement ring?

For a yellow gold Australian opal engagement ring, I recommend using either 14k or 18k gold. Yellow gold is a mixture of pure gold with other metals like zinc and copper. The more pure gold mixed in, the softer the gold will be. This is why 14k and 18k are the perfect "sweet spots". 18k is non reactive (doesn't tarnish) and durable. It looks luxurious and really lets people know that the engagement ring is a high quality piece. 14k is stronger because more alloys are mixed in, but it does eventually tarnish since there isn't as much pure gold. If your partner is more of an active person or works a lot with their hands, then 14k will help to slow down signs of wear and tear. If the metal starts to tarnish you can always take it into a professional jeweller for maintenance.

Yellow gold & diamonds

Diamonds make a spectacular addition to a yellow gold setting, in a halo (surrounding the stone), or on the band. I like to think of an engagement ring setting as a frame. There are regular frames, and then there are filigree frames like the ones around the paintings in the Louvre. These frames enhance not only the artwork but its sense of importance. They're complimentary but not over the top. Having diamonds alongside an Australian opal adds that extra little bit of flair.

Matching an Australian opal with a yellow gold setting

Yellow gold is seriously versatile. It compliments all skin tones, though it favours those with olive to ebony colouring. It really pops on these skin tones and makes the opal stand out and catch people's attention. Yellow gold looks great with any tone of opal, from crystal to boulder to black, but it makes an especially beautiful setting for Australian opals with bright flashes of warm colours, like red, orange, or yellow. Aesthetically, the yellow of the gold brings out matching warm colours in the opal and makes the fire sparkle. Click here to shop more yellow gold Australian opal rings.