Will This Nobby Opal Turn Black?

This piece of rough opal has been sitting on my bench for a year, and I’ve finally decided to take a chance on it.

On the outside, it looks like a simple gray opal, but inside it might just turn black. If that happens, we’re in for something special. The gem torch shows a clean color bar, so let’s see if this opal lives up to its potential as I take it to the cutting wheel.

It’s Not All Smooth Sailing

As I start cutting, the first signs look promising—small patches of black appear, and I’m hopeful this could become a black opal. I carefully grind away the surface, but it’s not all smooth sailing. An annoying inclusion gives me trouble, threatening to ruin the gem’s potential. With each pass of the wheel, I’m balancing risk and reward, wondering if the opal will hold up or crumble away.

Despite the challenges, I keep going. The deeper I go, the better the color gets. Flashes of vibrant hues start to appear, and that black base I was hoping for is finally emerging. Just when I think I’ve lost the battle, the opal reveals its true beauty. Clean, vibrant, and black—this one is turning into a gem worth the risk.

Win Some & You Lose Some

Today we win! Cutting opal is always a gamble, and sometimes the stone wins. But not this time. The inclusion is gone, and I’m left with a stunning black opal, just as I hoped. It’s a relief when a stone works out like this—worth the year-long wait. Thanks for following along on this journey, and as always, you win some, you lose some. Today, we won.