Unique Opal Engagement Rings

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I know they say diamonds are a girl's best friend, but I like to say opals are the hard-to-find soulmate that only comes around once in a lifetime. And these days, more and more modern brides are foregoing traditional diamonds and opting for opal engagement rings.

It's easy to see the appeal: Each opal is unique, changing colors right before your eyes depending on the light. Even Shakespeare was hypnotized by the beauty of the stone's changing colors, calling opals the "queen of gems" in Twelfth Night.

Some of the most popular opal stones appear to be a cloudy white hue with blue, green, red, yellow, orange, or purple flecks. But the base color of the opal can vary in shade. For instance, a black opal's background appears to be black (or sometimes blue or green), while the Mexican Fire opal's base is typically bright red.

The price point is even more impressive than the variety of shades; opals aren't nearly as expensive as diamonds. That's important if you're trying to save up for a house, pay down student-loan debt, or simply aren't working with a diamond-sized budget.

Ahead, I've rounded up 10 opal engagement rings sure to please any modern bride.

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Zoe Chicco Diamond Bezel Ring

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$540

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Three opal stones wrapped around a small diamond will sweep any bride off of her feet.

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Eden Presley 14K Gold, Boulder Opal And Diamond Ring

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$360

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This ring gives you the best of both worlds with a diamond on one end and an opal on the other. In addition to the unique stones, the wrap-around design also makes this ring feel special.

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Spinelli Kilcollin Nembus Floating Opal Ring

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$8,800

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Take your ring-stacking game to the next level with five bands in yellow gold, rhodium, sterling silver, and rose gold.

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Sylvie Corbelin 18K Gold, Opal, Tourmaline And Amethyst Ring

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$7,600

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Unconventional brides will fall in love with this frog-shaped option decked out with diamonds and amethysts.

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Wwake Gold Opal Ring

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$1105

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This marquise-cut opal ring's vibrant color will take any bride-to-be's breath away.

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Mahnaz Collection Vintage Gold And Opal Ring

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$12,500

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This 12.40-carat oval-shaped cabochon opal ring is undeniably special, with engravings from British jewelry designer Andrew Grima.

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Melissa Joy Manning Electric Blue Opal Ring

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$800

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Between the pyramid shape and the deep blue tones of this opal ring, what's not to love?

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Yi Collection One-Of-A-Kind Opal Ring

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$3,150

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The oval shape of this ring might be classic, but the iridescent tones make it stand out in a crowd of diamond halo rings.

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Nina Runsdorf Mini Opal Flip Ring

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$2,950

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Here's a dainty option with a surprising and cool silhouette.

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Kimberly McDonald One-of-a-Kind Brown Yowah Nut Opal Ring

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$18,500

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A couture ring that any fashion-forward bride can appreciate.

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10 Opal Engagement Rings That Will Make You Forget All About Diamonds