Slow Opal

[skywalker753]

If somebody wants to show better Black Opal in better pics, I'd love to see them! From what I've seen, a pretty good Black Opal rough stone can run into the thousands, or even 10's of thousands of dollars... thats just a bit over my pay grade...LOL...

[skywalker753]

This smallish, about 3 carat opal is a Coober Pedy opal...I like it because it has some blue, yellow, and mostly pink play of color. I think this will go in a pendant in a bit. Its a bit thin, 3mm+, but looks to be stable. It is just a bit directional, but some fire in every direction. I will attach below. As always, the camera result is on me!...lol...
I DO have a question....So, when an opal is mostly pink, or even bright pink, do people include this in the red catagory? IDK. Same question with orange, really, I've had a couple of those too...lol...
Its just that I've seen a TON of ads for opal where the main color IS pink, or orange, or orange red, but the description in the item for sale reads "red". It seems that orange and pink are subsets of red? IDK again, and would appreciate your comments and knowledge!

[skywalker753]

This is the pinkish Coober Pedy solid opal that i commented on above...

[PinkDiamond]

It seems that orange and pink are subsets of red? IDK again, and would appreciate your comments and knowledge!

It does seem that way, and our screens/monitors can distort the color, and like sellers who make up descriptive words and names for their patterns, they are also free to call them as they see them, so you never know until you get the stone and find orange or pink instead of red. Also, in Australian material it's my understanding that red is more rare, so the stones exhibiting reds are supposedly more sought after and are said to be worth more, so calling it red might garner more bidders and land them a higher sale price. That's just my thoughts on it off the top of my head FWIW.

The opal is very nice and you should call the colors as you see them.

[skywalker753]

Thanks for your thoughts and comments Pink, appreciate it!
So, I'm making an informal list of the kinds of opal I've shaped, cut, and polished....its not a long list...lol...
Coober Pedy solid opal
Andamooka solid opal
Andamooka matrix opal
White cliffs solid opal
Various Queensland Boulder opal, matrix, fairy, and regular boulder.
Some Lightning Ridge opal, both dark and black and crystal. But not super high dollar/quality.

And, I've not ever shaped, cut, or polished....
Brazilian opal (I'm going to, but gotta save up some $$$, as very good rough looks to be about the price of very good black opal rough)
Mexican opal
Honduran opal
Ethiopian opal, Welo ( I have some rough, haven't cut it...can't decide to do it dry or wet...)
Virgin Valley opal
Oregon opal (I think its blue potch, but maybe thats splitting hairs)
Mid European Opal.....some maybe don't know that this type of opal used to be big...put your finger on a map in the area of Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, and its in that area to my understanding...maybe some is still there
Don't know what to call this type...so...Western Australian Fire Opal...its orangish and transparent

As long as God Gives me breath I plan on doing more of the former above, and at least SOME of the types I haven't done yet.

As always, we will see. Now if I did them by machine it'd be possible in a relatively short time frame.....by hand...not so much!

[skywalker753]

To all who read this, I'd like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving!

After a bit of a break here, I hope to be back to posting again. Its truly a joy working opal by hand, maybe some will give it a go too! If you need encouragement--well, you can do it! As I've said before, it don't take that much money to get going, it does take a fair bit of time. But, its worth it.

[PinkDiamond]

Thank you, and a very happy Thanksgiving to you, too.
viewtopic.php?t=11915

[skywalker753]

From time to time, occasionally, I'll buy a single opal stone, already cut and polished. Less often I'll get a few of them!...lol...
Why, when I cut and polish from rough?! Well I can only answer for me, but here goes.....
I like it! Somebody asked for a stone and I dont have one done, or don't have the rough to get it done!
A cut stone can teach me about shape, proportionality, directionality, orientation, polish, the back of the stone ...well, the list goes on. Mostly I've found that getting a stone in my hands that was done by someone who is skilled helps to teach me what no photo or video can do. Thoughts that go through my head go sometimes like....man, HOW did they get that high of a dome on that stone?!...or why did they do that stone very nearly flat on the face....OH..I see now...or there are NO flaws in that polish...HOW did they do that......and on and on it goes!
Truthfully it kind of is humbling too...lol...I am NOT all that in opal cutting and polishing. And others actually ARE all that, and I can and do and plan on learning more from them as time goes on.
Such a stone is below...Its mine now...lol...but I didn't cut or polish it. This one was done by Steed Sutherland. He is from a multi-generational opal cutting family, is very good at what he does, and if you need a stone or stones, he may have it at a reasonable price. He is both honest and reliable too.
Always has been with me. Take a look at his website, opalsbysteed.com Even if you don't buy from him, its really good for an opal "fix".
Below is the opal I'm writing about this time...I like it! and the back (gray potch) is perfect, no sand!

[skywalker753]

This is the opal I commented on above. Done by Steed...taught me a lot. And I like it of course!

[skywalker753]

...I have found some good Coober Pedy rough to work on for my next project...its going to take some time...like usual!!! I will hopefully post pics of just the rough at first in a couple days.