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 got something a little different in mind this week so sit back, relax, and enjoy. This video focuses on how Justin’s workshop usually sounds; whirring machines and the grinding of gems. And, of course, uncovering a beautiful gem!

Let’s get cutting…

Justin starts by taking the 4ct rough to his sintered 360 grit wheel to reveal the color bar as best he can.

After carving out a shape he’s happy with, the opal goes onto the dop stick to begin the shape and pre-polish. Justin uses the Nova wheel and varying grits to get those final touches before polishing.

Justin uses the same compound to polish opals as is used to polish glass; cerium oxide. Taking it to his felt wheel, Justin polishes the gem.

The end result is a gorgeous 2.84ct dark opal with warm yellow, orange and red, and some speckled green and blue.

Shop this 2.84ct opal here

We hope you enjoy this weeks video taking a piece of rough to riches!

Let us know in the comments if you like this style of video.

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