Orientation of Opal in Jewelry

Orientation of opal in jewelry when designing any piece of jewelry with opal pays to make sure you choose the right piece of opal for the job. Orientation refers to how the pattern shows up in the setting. Does the stone look its best?

Many years ago, when my wife and I started with jewelry design, we learned the hard way. Beautiful opals in beautiful settings came back not looking like we expected. If only someone had given us this tip – a lot of heartaches could have been avoided.

So remember, when a stone is orientated in the most appropriate setting, it stares out at you screaming to be noticed.

7 thoughts on “Orientation of Opal in Jewelry”

  1. Hi Justin, I loved the video about water and opal. and I did love the water and ultrasonic cleaning. Learned a lot. I have kept opal in water for going on 3 to 4 years, it really brings out the color in the ones that have no color play, and the one with color play, it makes them so dazzling that the reds and other colors actually appear as if a light was turned on and shoot the beams of the colors on to other objects close to them as far as 2.5 to 5 cm away.
    I still watch the videos, I learn a lot, you are a font of knowledge and I don’t want to miss out on what you have to impart to the lucky viewers.
    Great video. I should be coming into some money, also I found an old check, its 4 years old and there sending a new one out, the old one was only good for 6 months.
    When I email you,
    Great job.
    Sincerely,
    Kevin

    Reply
  2. Hello Justin 🙂

    Thank you for one more interesting video (actually I’m impressed with your videos 🙂 ) . You told about more valuable red/orange flash. Can you create video about estimating opal with different colour play patterns etc. I can see in your shop different opals and sometimes it’s not obvious for me why the price of larger stone with nice looking pattern and good body ton and brightness is cheaper then others.
    I will be really appreciate if you will explain principles of pricing for opals.
    Regards 🙂

    Reply
    • Hello Eneha Thanks for the kind words 🙂 A video like that would be very difficult and involved. It may confuse people more or just confuse me more. hehe I will have a think about it and see what I can come up with. It is about the colors, The patterns and the brightness as well as the cut. Their are so many facets to valuing an opal. (pardon the pun)

      Reply
      • Thank you, Justin 🙂
        Looking forward to see the result of your thinking :)))) May be it will be less confusing to make several different videos?
        Just have some questions about it:
        am I right that that the closest to N1 and 5/5 stone will be more valuable then oters?
        The rare patterns ( like japan sighs, stereo etc) will be more expensive then more common ?
        The more colours in the pattern ( 3-4-5+) make opal more expensive too?
        If my ideas aren’t correct – please tell me 🙂
        Regards

        Reply
        • The N1 is just a darkness and is good great but not as important as a Brightness. Brightness, colours and pattern is the most important part of the value in opal. N1 to N4 is considered a black opal so therefore makes it the most valuable but without brightness the value still is not very high.

          Reply
          • I see ))
            but let’s imagine, if we have 2 similar stones (weight/ pattern etc) with the same brightness – 5|5 for example? Is the darker opal will be more valuable?

Leave a Comment

Item added to cart.
0 items - $0.00