Every now and then a piece of rough tells you exactly what it wants to be. This was one of those pieces. A glassy Lightning Ridge crystal opal with a white cap and a hidden layer of orange sitting ...
Lightning Ridge is a small outback town in northern New South Wales, about 770km from Sydney, and it's unlike anywhere else in Australia. It's famous for black opals but there's plenty more to see ...
Freshly back from Lightning Ridge visiting Saxon and our operation, this nobby was the very first piece I pulled from a brand new parcel. From the second it was in my hand, something felt different...
This week I'm taking on three opals at once. Each one a long shot on its own, but together giving us three times the chance of uncovering something special. First up is a half witch's hat nobby alr...
This week we asked the question on our Instagram: What are some opal myths you've heard about? It's always very fascinating to hear what is circulating about the opal industry and the ways you shou...
This 83 carat piece of Lightning Ridge rough had me from the moment I picked it up. A stunning red color bar wrapping all the way around the rough, signs of black potch hiding inside, and the kind ...
I just got back from Lightning Ridge helping Saxon with his mining operation. While I was there, a close friend of my late father handed me a 140 carat piece of black Lightning Ridge rough. One sta...
Artificial Intelligence is a wave of technology that is coming whether we like it or not. And unfortunately, even the opal and gemstone world has not been spared. What was once a straightforward pa...
This cutting video starts where it all begins — straight from the agitator at the mine in Lightning Ridge. A 30 carat rough piece with holes, uncertainty, and a color that hints at something incred...