Australian opal patterns explained
Australian opal patterns can be tricky to learn; no two opals are ever the same! This glorious Australian gemstone doesn’t like to make it easy … Read more
Australian opal patterns can be tricky to learn; no two opals are ever the same! This glorious Australian gemstone doesn’t like to make it easy … Read more
It’s a sight about as rare as the Rainbow Serpent gem; welcome to the secret world of opal buying. Across the state of New South Wales and down … Read more
There is some serious skill involved in spotting a good deal in opal. So much so that people like myself have built their careers around … Read more
An opals pattern has a massive impact on its value. Some opal patterns are common and don’t add much value whereas rare patterns send it … Read more
I get asked to value opal for other people on the daily, and I understand why. Opal is a notoriously hard stone to value because … Read more
Today, I’ll explain to you what an opal rub is while cutting two of them! By the time you’ve finished watching this video, you’ll have … Read more
What is ‘play of color’? Is it unique to opal? How can we tell? This week, Justin dives into what play of color … Read more
Watch out… opal color rant! Justin’s back this week and boy, he’s got something on his mind… In the early days of opals discovery, when … Read more
I’ve been cutting some new nobby rough opal from Lightning Ridge. I thought it be good to share some of the unique features of these … Read more
The latest edition of InColor magazine is here with not one but two articles by Black Opal Direct! InColor is the magazine produced by the … Read more
Sometimes we see the world in things that you never would expect. This opal has a nucleus at the bottom of the piece that expands … Read more
Here lays a guide to the different types of opal that can be found. To understand the true value of opal, you first need to … Read more