An Opal Cupcake?
The moment I saw this black opal nobby from Lightning Ridge, it caught my eye for one very specific reason. The potch line was almost perfect and the color looked like it could be a near match to one of the rarest gems in my personal collection.
Once getting it on the wheel, the opal started to make me nervous.
A sand spot appeared sitting deep inside the gem and forcing one of those decisions that every opal cutter dreads. Do you cut it out and risk losing color and carat weight? Or do you leave it in and trust that the brightness of the gem might just hide it from view?
I walk you through every call I made and exactly why I made it. There are no easy answers in opal cutting, only the best decision you can make with what's in front of you. Watch the video to see if I cut another rare gem. ⬇
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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7 comments
It’s interesting that you use the words “good enough” when describing your cut and polish. I was a dentist for 47 years and taught part time for 26 of those years. I always said that there is nothing that is made that is perfect – it just depends on how close you are willing to look. Also, the enemy of “good” is “better”. It’s a beautiful gem just the way you finished it.
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Haha yes I refer to that with inclusions versus shape and sometimes I make allowances on shape and cut
Richard L Raimondo
Although I’m half a world away I remain a fan and i enjoy your content. I love the cut and the inclusion that remained did not take away from the beauty of the opal. Anita McDonald
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Thank you Anita for the kind words and am glad you enjoy our opal cutting
Anita McDonald
Janet M.
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Yes sometimes opal can be amazing as a rough piece
Janet E Martin
Excellent thanks Justin. We think that what you do is extraordinary and the proof of that is in the quality of the finished product.. Well done and truly a beautiful gem. .. John
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Thank you John I appreciate the kind words 🙏
John Duke
your very good soon i woud like to buy some ruff opal i still have a lot of white opal that i bought back in the 80 s and 90 s i work in the wine vinyards in california ive been doing this for the last 22 years bay be i will send you a nice bottle foe free if thats ok with you
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Nice and Thank you Daniel
daniel C lynch
I have been cutting opals for almost 50 years and have found that larger fine stones sell better than smaller extra fine stones and the end profit is almost the same. In my openion, you did the right thing.
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Thanks Ivan
Ivan Grabhorn
I appreciate how you worked with challenges to bring out the best the opal had to offer. At one point in your cutting, I thought, “If the color bar is ‘thin to thicker’, it could make a fine pendant … if … it was attached so that the thin was one top … and the thicker color was on the bottom.” Thank you for all that you share! Marc
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Black Opal Direct replied:
Thanks Marc I appreciate the kind words
Marc Pruett
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