The Crystal Shell
Could this Crystal Shell Fossil be the best Crystal Opal I have ever cut?It’s glassy, clear and super clean with an incredible 3D color on … Read more
Opal Cutting
40 Year Old Rough
This 40-year-old rough has been safely locked away until now.The time has come to cut this opal rough hailing from Coober Pedy.I feel very lucky … Read more
Broken Nobby
Finding a broken nobby is like finding one earring, it’s nice but so much better to have the pair.Did I end up with the better … Read more
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained!
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained is pretty much the motto of any opal cutter.The risk can become somewhat calculated over time, but you never really know … Read more
From Little Things, Big Things Grow
From little things, big things grow.This is such a great way to describe the journey of an opal.It begins with the hopes and dreams of … Read more
Petite & Perfect
Petite & Perfect, is a synergy that works well in the opal jewelry world.We love all types of opal — shapes, sizes, colors and patterns, … Read more
Whopping 137ct Nobby
When faced with a whopping 137ct nobby opal, my eyes pour over the rough gem to visualize the multitude of possible outcomes.Where does the best … Read more
Young Guns Opal Hunters
Jaymin Sullivan of the Young Guns Opal Hunters (from the Outback Opal Hunters) happened to drop by my workshop.With him, he brought one of the … Read more
Opal Nobby Number 1
Opal Nobby number 1 has the potential to cut a nice gem.It shows that rare red-blue color across the nobby, however, the sand is going … Read more
Is Bigger Better?
The age-old question is, is bigger better?Sometimes the larger pieces of rough opal aren’t as straightforward as one thinks.A lot of thought goes into the … Read more
Nobby Opal Number 5
Here we are, nobby opal number 5 or ‘broken nobby’ as we have nicknamed it!What we already know about nobby number 5.– It is a … Read more
Saxon’s Going In!
Father and son are at it again, this time Saxon is learning to cut colored rough.Saxon’s last learning session saw him cutting and polishing a … Read more
