A Rough Return
A rough return isn’t something that happens very often.
In this particular case, the customer wasn’t confident they could cut a decent gem out of it. Especially as this person cuts opal by hand rather than on a wheel. I happily refunded the cost of the nobby and took it to my workshop.
Workshopping
Let’s get this to the wheel and see what we are dealing with after a little cleaning. I made the decision to slice the top off and perhaps make another gem with that piece. If I hadn’t sliced it I would have ended up grinding it all off to get to the color bar with potch.
The cut itself was quite seamless and I was able to face it nicely after slicing it. The gem remained at a decent carat weight without losing too much color. In conclusion, our nobby from Wyoming in Lightning Ridge cut a sizable 12.02ct Black Opal. What started as a rough return, finished as a large polished gem opal with a $700 profit.
The Final Result
Love the gems cut in the video? Get your hands on them before somebody else beats you to it!
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