Let’s face it; it’s hard to value opal. Some days we all wish it were as easy as diamonds. Cut, colour, clarity and carat and viola – it is done. Yes, I know the experts will say that diamonds are ...
In all the time I have been dealing in opals from Lightning Ridge, I have seen some pretty amazing gemstones. But don’t you think the term “top gem” has become a bit overused lately? eBay is awash...
Opal triplets have fooled many people. They think they are buying a solid opal, but the gem or jewelry piece is only a slice of opal that is enhanced. Don’t get me wrong; triplets have their place ...
What is a Black Opal? Black opal is the most rare and valuable of all the opal types in the world. It is only found in very few pockets at either ends of the earth. Mostly black opal is found in a ...
Though they may look similar at times, white opal and crystal opal have distinct differences. This big difference boils down to two main characteristics; translucency and transparency. Crystal o...
How is it that opals from the same place can be so different? In today’s video, I explain the difference between black opal and crystal opal and how you can spot them!Crystal opalA great way to che...
This is part 2 of opal patterns explained (you can catch up with part 1 here). Now that you are familiar with the differences between Rolling Flash and Broad Flash patterns, we introduce another fi...
Every opal is unique but with my help, there are a few common patterns that you’ll be able to recognise! Today I’m going to take you through some of the stones in stock and talk about five differe...
When you work closely with opal for over 30 years, you can sometimes forget how important the most obvious questions are! In this video, I help you understand what black opal is and why it is so v...