A Killer Color Bar
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 of potential that makes your hands itch to get it on the wheel. Could this be the cut of a lifetime?
Opal, of course, had other ideas.
Water bars, messy potch, and tough decisions at every turn made this one of the most challenging cuts I've faced. While the 30 carat gem I was hoping for didn't materialise, what emerged was something beautiful in its own right.
But this video is about more than the cut.
The last six months of cutting, learning, and making mistakes has given me a lot to reflect on and I share all of it here. The mentorship that has shaped my approach, the errors that taught me the most, and the lessons that only opal can teach you about patience, precision, and letting things reveal themselves in their own time.
"You don't polish an opal to change it. You polish it to encourage what was always inside to finally shine."
🎥 Watch the full video now.
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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6 comments
Love these videos Justin. I learn a lot. The greatest stone (IMHO); The Opal.
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Thank you Judith I’m glad you get value out of the our videos
Judith Pottins
Beautiful red colors ! Wow!
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Thank you Karen 🙏
Karen Mccoy
Juston, Definitely turned out two beautiful Opals, Great watching your discussion on the cut.
Thank you, Leo
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Thank you Leo I appreciate the kind words. They are 2 nice gems
Leo Reyes
So good to watch my heart can’t wait to see how it trun out so beautiful opal love it 🙏
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Haha enjoy the video its a good one
Kanoksil Streeter
Very exciting. The spirit of the OPAL comes out. Thanks.
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Haha it definitely does come out. Thanks for chinning in Mario 🙏
Mario Manestar
Nice that you were able to get two very nice stones out of the rough, but I would think you still feel some sadness for not getting that super gem you first envisioned when you started the cut. Nice video always enjoyed the highs and lows of Opal cutting.
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Yes thanks Rob I was hoping of that super gem as it had the potential but that is opal for you
Ron McBane
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