Rough Opal

All of the opals you’ll find here are from Lightning Ridge, Australia. These are all natural precious opal gemstones in their original and or rubbed state, without any treatments. These are strong, stable opals that won’t easily fall apart or crumble so you can cut, sand, polish, and carve them into the shape you need for your own custom opal jewelry creation.

Opal cutters looking for parcels of rough opal can browse through this catalog to find the right parcel for your budget and needs. 

The two types of rough opal you will find in these parcels will be nobby and seam opal. Both come from different opal fields in the region of Lightning Ridge. The nobby formation is unique to Lightning Ridge and comes in nodule form or rounded and peaked rocks. This type can show a matrix of white caps with the play of color showing underneath those caps. 

Seam opal is a formation that is in plates or flat shapes. These are formed in fissures and cracks or cavities naturally occurring underground from the movement of the earth. How the opal can be cut will depend on which field the seam opal comes from. The majority of all opal fields in Lightning Ridge can produce top-quality opal.

Rough and Unfinished Black Opal

The opals here are completely unfinished but we may have snipped some of the pieces to give you a clear understanding of what you may find inside the nobby or seam. It’s always a bit of a surprise what mother nature dishes out, and that’s half the fun – the other half, of course, is the challenge of working with the opal to show its best face.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I make money from a parcel of rough opal?

As we are cutters ourselves we put together parcels in a variety of price ranges depending on your expertise. Because we individually handle and evaluate each piece of opal, some parcels will have a lot of material in them for a lower price and other parcels may be smaller but yield far better quality of opal. This means that you’re paying a fair price for opal and not just a standard per gram price across the board which may or may not yield a profit for you.

Can you make up a parcel for me?

Due to the limited supply of opal we are able to obtain, what you see on the website is our total availability. We are unfortunately unable to make up parcels of rough to order. 

You mention beginner parcels, how can I buy one of these?

Beginner parcels from Black Opal Direct include rough to practice on as well as to cut. We also send emails with links to videos in order to get you started. They sell out quickly so if you see one – purchase it straight away. We try and provide parcels at least twice a month depending on the availability of material. 

What is Rough Opal?

Rough opals are uncut, unpolished and untreated. They are precious raw opal gemstones. They are in their original and or rubbed state, without any treatments. Uncut opal gives you the chance to experience discovering the true beauty of opals for yourself by cutting them yourselves, with our helpful guidance of course.

How do I cut rough opal?

Rough opal can be cut with machines or even by hand. We generally cut Australian opal on sanding wheels with grits ranging from 120 – 1200. Why don’t you check out our opal cutting guide for tips on how to cut opal.

How much is rough opal worth?

Rough opal is difficult to obtain beyond the opal fields. Thus, it can command a high price if those assessing the opal don’t know exactly what they are looking for. Rough opal is difficult to assess without detailed knowledge and cutting expertise. Purchasing rough opal is always a gamble because you never know how the gem will turn out until you place the rough on the cutting wheel. 

With our 30 day 100% money back guarantee you have the added security of purchasing the parcel and if it’s not to your liking you can send it back for a full refund immediately (as long as none of the stones have been cut or worked on in any way).