A $15K gem black opal cut from rough
Do you know those days when everything just seems to work? As if the odds are stacked in your favor and things easily slide into … Read more
This opal transformed but not how I expected
Even after 30 years of being in the business, I still get sand sucker-punched by opal. Just when you think you know your stuff an … Read more
The dream opal comes true!
Some days at the cutting machine are good and others are mediocre. Then there are days like this. Watch me get caught off guard while … Read more
My biggest challenge ever! A massive chunk of Andamooka opal
What do you get when you cross a huge piece of Andamooka opal and a lot of very hard quartz? My biggest challenge ever! (literally!) … Read more
From rough to riches! Cutting, polishing, and valuing an opal
Sometimes all you want to do is watch some therapeutic opal cutting without some dude talking the whole time. Well, today’s your lucky day! We’ve … Read more
Cutting and pricing $30K of black opal
Cutting and pricing black opal can be a tricky task, it’s no wonder that it’s one of the most common questions we get! How do … Read more
Cutting opal mined in Lightning Ridge
Ever wanted to know what really goes into mining, finding, and cutting opal? In last week’s episode, we went underground in Lightning Ridge on the … Read more
Romancing the Stone
On a cool, overcast winters day here on the Gold Coast, Justin takes us into his workshop and shows us the romance of opal. … Read more
A rough gem gets a makeover
Hey, hey, it’s cutting day! Watch Justin as he gives a rough gem makeover… how will it turn out? Assessing your options This week, … Read more
Which Opal Has the Better Gem?
This week Justin has some bad luck with a piece of nobby opal that looked promising but ended up a bit of fail! Then he … Read more
What’s inside the nobby opal: Part 2
Last week I explained in detail the features of rough opal nobbies and what to look out for. This week I’ll show you exactly what we … Read more
Watch a rough opal piece transform and then be appraised.
So many times now I have taken a video of a rough opal that I’ve cut and polished. For once I wanted to show you … Read more
