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984 carat opal rough | Black Opal Direct
Cutting OpalJan 6, 2026
Opal Cutting Recovery Effort

Opal Cutting Recovery Effort doesn’t get much more real than this — one final chance to claw back a $25,000 investment from a brutal 4,500 carat opal parcel that simply refused to cooperate. After ...

The Things I Love as a Jewelry Designer
Kindred ColorDec 11, 2025
Ruth: The Things I Love

Some people collect hobbies; I collect obsessions. Give me a splash of bold colour on a canvas, a perfume that refuses to whisper, fashion that feels like a wink, and homewares with enough personal...

Top Ten Best Opal Cuts
Cutting OpalDec 9, 2025
Top Ten Best Opal Cuts

When we talk about the Top Ten Best Opal Cuts, we're really diving into a decade-long journey of remarkable gems, bold risks, and some of the biggest wins in Black Opal Direct history. This video r...

Opal Cutting Gamble
Cutting OpalNov 25, 2025
Opal Cutting Gamble

When it comes to opal, every decision is a leap of faith — and this week’s Opal Cutting Gamble was no exception. Out at the Ridge, a miner placed a sandy, uncertain nobby in front of us with a $1,5...

Opal Mines in Australia
Mining OpalNov 19, 2025
Opal Mines in Australia

There are many different opal fields in Australia. Most of the opal fields are in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. All of the opal fields produce white and crystal opal and only 2 o...

Kindred Spirit — An opal and gemstone jewelry collection
Kindred ColorNov 13, 2025
Kindred Spirit

 In Conversation with Ruth Benjamin-Thomas As the founder and head designer behind Kindred Color, her approach is both intuitive and exacting. Pieces begin with sketches, loose ideas, fragments of ...

Million Dollar Opal?
Learn to CutNov 11, 2025
Million Dollar Opal?

When you hear the phrase Million Dollar Opal?, you might imagine a once-in-a-lifetime gemstone—something mythical, unattainable, glowing from within. But for me, that question became surprisingly r...

Colorful Lightning Ridge Nobby Opal | Black Opal Direct
Cutting OpalOct 28, 2025
Little Opal Nobby, Hefty Profit!

Every so often, a little opal nobby comes along that reminds us why we love what we do. Little Opal Nobby, Hefty Profit is one of those stories — a lesson in patience, instinct, and knowing when t...

Black Opal Nobby
Cutting OpalOct 14, 2025
Black Opal Gamble: Risking It All for Color

When it comes to cutting opal, every decision can make or break a gem. In this Black Opal Gamble, Justin takes on a piece that could swing wildly between triumph and disaster — a nobby that might ...