video Archives - Black Opal Direct

Posted on 11/01/202111/01/2021 by Melinda Bond — Leave a comment

$5K invested in rough from opal hunting; does it pay off?

This $5,000 rough opal from the Lightning Ridge mines was a gamble; watch it pay off

This $5,000 rough from opal hunting in the Lightning Ridge mines was a gamble; does it pay off? In my last video, we took a Lightning Ridge opal hunting tour to see The Secret Life of Buying Rough Opal where you watched me negotiate on an opal nobby. Well, this week we are cutting that nobby. This rough opal nobby is a high-risk piece, and a gamble I’m not sure will pay off. It has decent green color on one side and a tiny hint of color on the other. This tells me the color bar goes right through, but how much of that is riddled with sand? Let’s take it to the…

Posted on 21/12/202004/01/2021 by Melinda Bond — Leave a comment

The secret world of opal buying

The secret world of buying rough opal in Lighting Ridge

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 a long stretch of gravel, my son Saxon and I bring you along our trip out west on the hunt for opal. Where do I start when buying opal from a miner? What conditions should I be in to look at opal? What tools do I need to buy opal? How do I visit a miner? I get these questions more frequently than seeing a kangaroo in the outback. Today, I’m going through the whole process, and I’m bringing you with me! What’s it like…

Posted on 30/11/202030/11/2020 by Melinda Bond — Leave a comment

Glowing Crystal Opal Pair

What’s better than a crystal opal with stunning pinfire pattern? A glowing crystal opal pair! One of the best, but sometimes heartbreaking, things about opal is that there will never be another exactly like it. This is one of the major drawcards to why someone would choose an opal; it’s as unique as you are. On the other hand, it means creating matching opal jewelry is about as hard as finding the socks your washing machine eats. Well, I’ve managed to find the missing sock a matching opal pair! (Still no sign of the sock). This week, I’ll show you how to cut a matching pair while keeping as much…