Slow Opal

[skywalker753]

So, here's a part of the rough fairy opal, and as good as I could get the final stone. I like it as a comparison specimen stone.

[SwordfishMining]

Good job. Some rocks are next to impossible to do.

[skywalker753]

Change the subject, quick! OK, so on to....Black Opal! No not 10000 per carat black opal, just a couple of examples of Black Opal. I'm showing a couple just to show the difference in body tone (its a pretty big difference) between an N1 Black Opal (body tone black like Onyx), and an N4 Black Opal (dark gray body tone). Both are still Black Opal (N1 to N4 are Black Opal). I use a comparison chart to tell exactly what body tone (Not the play of color!), and I sometimes use Riley Gunn's chart (its good, credit card sized), or like today, I used Justin Thomas' somewhat larger waterproof desktop chart. Its good too. Pics below are my camera, on my desk, desk lamp...nothing special just fairly normal lighting.

[skywalker753]

An N1 Black Opal with green play of color...fairly common for Black Opal

[PinkDiamond]

Yes, when they're too porous they crumble instead of polishing. That looks very nice but I hope the treatment lasts. That's why my specimens stay as specimens since I don't treat gemstones; I just cut and polish and never add treatments.

[skywalker753]

Same N1 Black Opal, just also how it looks next to comparison chart...

[PinkDiamond]

Too funny, we posted simultaneously within a minute of each other.

[skywalker753]

N4 Black Opal...somewhat lighter in body tone

[skywalker753]

And the N4 Black Opal against the comparison chart. This one exactly matches the chart to the eye, looks a bit different in a pic...

[skywalker753]

Ya, I see we posted at the same time! Oops!
Anyway, I just wanted to show N1 vs N4 body tone black opal.