40 ct Blue Nugget
This week I have a stunning 40 carat Lightning Ridge nobby on the wheel. It's half potch, half color, with gorgeous blue and purple running right through it. That kind of split is exactly what you want to see in a piece of rough.
In this video I walk you through how I read the rough before a single pass on the wheel, the process of cutting into the nobby, and the careful work of removing sand spots and inclusions to bring out the full play of colour hiding underneath. Every decision matters.
Some things just don't feel like work. This is one of them.
🎥 Watch the full cut below
The Final Result
Love the gems cut in the video? Get your hands on them before somebody else beats you to it!
Read more
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3 comments
You know, Justin I never really have been a huge fan of the blues. Don’t get me wrong. They are beautiful in their own right but that one oh my God that grabbed me by the aha.S!
That is just absolutely gorgeous.
I still prefer the gold ones. Yes I know you call them yellow and if I remember correctly, I don’t think GOLD! is your number one pick ha ha.
Justin many years ago I think I remember you saying that you lean towards the REDS!
RED is very amazing too. Heck anything that comes off from your bench is damn nice.
You made that one look like it was just another day at the races for you , kinda like unwrapping a piece of bubblegum .
All right it sounds like I’m doing some sucking up or something. I’m not. When I watch you cut your gems I’m still amazed at how fast your wheels cut that Stone. That first wheel eats that opal up like it is nothing..
Thanks, Justin for sharing your work with everyone.
Happy trails, RICK in Pantano, AZ
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Hi Rick
Thanks for the kind words and for hanging around long enough to know a few things about me. :-) Today was a little subdued I was trying not to talk too loud as II was losing my voice. Thanks again mate
Rick Hannaman
Thank you, thank you thank you for reaching out. Living in our little remote end of the world, we don’t view your videos and go to sleep. My anniversary is coming up in two years to be my 50th, and if my wife is still mentally present, I will probably get something from you.
The question is is when I saw you on the wheel with this nobbyI saw a color bar that was in between the blue. Is that correct? Seeing how in your past videos that you go for that color bar next to the podge, I thought you might consider cutting that thin line between the blue and your color bar as I thought there was some room between it.
I finished your first part before you put it on your stick seeing it clearly?
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Yes the color bar is a water bar or what we call sunflash color. It won’t face and would not be worth chasing. Thanks for the comment and I will be ready if and when you are keen on an opal :-)
Clay Dunn
Hello- 40 ct Blue Nugget, what is the price of her total shipped in USD?
Thank you,
Tony
USA
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Hi Tony It is here https://blackopaldirect.com/products/20-41-ct-black-opal-18-4×16-9×11-4mm
Tony
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