How to cut opal – see a gem emerge from a rough opal
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!

