In this latest video watch master cutter Justin from Black Opal Direct show you how to improve the value of opal.
Justin happily shows you a gem grade Black Opal which has a visible ‘black mark’ on the face of the stone. From Justin’s years of experience he decides to remove the mark by using the wheel. Watch Justin polish through the colour bar at the top of the stone and in doing so visibly reduce the ‘black mark’ on the face of the opal.
In doing so.. Justin happily points out he has just increased the ‘value of the opal’.
With your own experience and expertise you too can quite possibly buy an opal with a flaw and add value to it by either recutting or re-polishing the stone. This may include either giving the stone a finer polish or recutting the stone to a more desirable shape.
Just remember if you have purchased it from a reputable and trustworthy dealer it most probably is in the best shape it can possibly be.
What about you? Have you found an opal that you have improved by re-polishing or cutting?
Did you end up with a much better stone? As always we love to hear your stories!
I have cut at least 200 opals from Lightning Ridge to get the maximum color which resulted in many having odd shapes. I am considering re-cutting them to get calibrated stones but wanted your opinion. Perhaps it would be better to just lower my prices.
HI Ray I wouldn’t calibrate them but I would look at reshaping the stones that are uneven or just out of shape. That way you will have more saleable stones
were do learb to gut stone