So Jewellery adds black Swarovski pearls

4000BC: The year opals date back to. They are most likely to originate from Ethiopia
90%: Australia has dominated opal production since the 1800s with more than 90% of the global output coming from down under
19th: The century when the opal was considered bad luck in Europe. However, Queen Victoria was quite a fan of opal and wore her personal collection throughout her reign
15,000: Black opals, the most rare and prized, can cost more than Aus$15,000 (about £8,750) a carat

So Jewellery has added a new line to its So Classic collection using black Swarovski crystal pearls.

The Black Pearl line of earrings, rings and pendants uses the crystal pearls in a soft black for the first time.

The line is an addition to the already popular So Classic collection which uses the pearls in a variety of other colours, set in silver.

Each pearl begins with a crystal sphere and is coated with iridescent, mother-of-pearl like layers. This coating, combined with the crystal base of the pearl, gives it a luminosity and lustre similar to that of natural pearls.

The So Classic range is made from solid silver and finished in rhodium and uses crystal pearls in bronze, burgundy, green, blue, pink, white - and now in soft black.

Trade prices start at £21. For more information go to sojewellery.co.uk.