A customer bought a rough piece of opal and was unsure how it should be cut. He decided to send it back, so Justin cut it… tune in to watch a black opal emerge.
Normally, we would re-list any stones that are sent back to us but Justin just couldn’t back down from this challenge.
This episode is a long one but a great one so grab yourself a cup of something and enjoy watching the magic unfold.
You will see the whole process as well as tips and advice on the following:
- Assessing rough opal for colour
- How to decide which way an opal should be cut
- How the dome is formed on an opal
- What grades of diamond wheels are used when
- How to achieve that final perfect polish
For those not keen on cutting opal themselves, you will still find the video fascinating as a gemstone is revealed layer by layer – and you will be well on your way to understanding how to cut opal at an expert level!
Stunning stone Justin. Your expertise makes opal cutting look easy. Hahaa.
Is this stone sold?
Thanks,
Lisa.
HI Lisa thanks for the kind words it is not sold its on my website here https://blackopaldirect.com/buy-opal/10-29-ct-black-opal-19x16x6mm/
Hi Justin,
Have a nice day. Enjoyed this lovely and live nobby opal cutting video. Excellent result after cutting. I like nobby opals because you do not loose the value and it gives more room into cutting it and bringing out good finished opals on condition that you are a seasoned lapidarist. Practise makes perfect.
Best wishes,
MHT.
You did a fantastic job Justin. Love cutting stones and really miss not being able to do so anymore. You make great and informative videos, keep up the good work.
Thank you JP and I am sorry you are not able to cut opals. I hope I can keep the dream alive for you in my videos
I enjoyed your video very much, because it was not only informative and interesting, but because I always wondered how my few pieces of opal jewelry were made. It helped me to understand how much time goes into the jewelry I wear and the price I pay. So thank you for taking the time to make the video.
I have several black opal stones and I have one side revealing the opal colors but I wanted to remove the outer shell completely . Is there a way of doing this at home.
Hi Stefano Yes you can do work on opal at home but you need some sandpaper to wear down the opal. It is not a way I would usually tell someone to do it but if you have no other lapidary tools this would be the only way. I hope this helps
Thanks very much for your videos, Justin.I am a total newcomer to this but find it fascinating. Is it really possible to increase the value of a rough piece of stone like this?! Quite amazing. Would you have to spend a lot of time learning how to do this? Cheers. Paul