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Post by 1dave on Jan 10, 2019 10:29:49 GMT -5
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lookatthat
Cave Dweller
Whatever there is to be found.
Member since May 2017
Posts: 1,360
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Post by lookatthat on Jan 10, 2019 11:06:58 GMT -5
Wow! I've got some little pieces of rough black opal that I bought years ago, when the price was modest. You can see flashes of nice color in them, but I don't think I'd ever dare to take them to a grinding wheel. Butterfingers!
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Post by opalpyrexia on Jan 10, 2019 11:13:19 GMT -5
I purchased some rough from Justin when he was selling on eBay a few years ago. It was good material for the price at the time. He stopped selling there a year or two ago. He now sells direct through his own website: blackopaldirect.com. After looking at some of his opals I think that his prices are too high. He must be reaching a market with lots of cash.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 10, 2019 11:48:36 GMT -5
I purchased some rough from Justin when he was selling on eBay a few years ago. It was good material for the price at the time. He stopped selling there a year or two ago. He now sells direct through his own website: blackopaldirect.com. After looking at some of his opals I think that his prices are too high. He must be reaching a market with lots of cash. I never saw him on ebay that I know of, but I've been to his site and yeah, he's pretty expensive. I would LOVE to try cutting some opal if I ever get my hands on any decent rough. Looking at rough online, it seems like a real hit or miss proposition.
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Post by opalpyrexia on Jan 10, 2019 13:18:24 GMT -5
I absolutely agree, rockjunquie , about online sources of rough opal. My last online purchase was in 2015 on eBay from a U.S. cutter/seller for three preforms/rubs. That was a very good buy. One was worthless, one was "don't bother to write home", but one turned out to be an outstanding opal — www.etsy.com/listing/266768937
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 10, 2019 14:01:15 GMT -5
I absolutely agree, rockjunquie , about online sources of rough opal. My last online purchase was in 2015 on eBay from a U.S. cutter/seller for three preforms/rubs. That was a very good buy. One was worthless, one was "don't bother to write home", but one turned out to be an outstanding opal — www.etsy.com/listing/266768937Wow! You have some nice opals and reasonable, too. I love your jewelry!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 10, 2019 17:00:24 GMT -5
Buying black opal has always been a hit or miss proposition. Especially nobbies as you can't see what's inside the stone at all unless you have a nice color bar showing all around the stone like in the video. That's the reason that stone was $800, too. They knew it would most likely cut a nice stone.
We haven't bought any opal rough in a few years now, either, and I've never bought from Justin. Can't remember if Vince ever did.
Watching that video makes me want to cut one, though! Thanks for posting it.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Jan 10, 2019 20:23:25 GMT -5
That was fantastic, thanks for posting! I've only ever cut Welo opal, but even that is hard to buy online. The cheapest I've seen rough was in Tucson. May have to cut one tonight now . . . dang. Opals are so pretty, just flashing away at you as you cut them!
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Post by vegasjames on Jan 11, 2019 0:50:03 GMT -5
That was fantastic, thanks for posting! I've only ever cut Welo opal, but even that is hard to buy online. The cheapest I've seen rough was in Tucson. May have to cut one tonight now . . . dang. Opals are so pretty, just flashing away at you as you cut them! Not all opal has "fire". There are about 300 types of opal. Common opals do not have "fire".
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Jan 11, 2019 11:49:14 GMT -5
That was fantastic, thanks for posting! I've only ever cut Welo opal, but even that is hard to buy online. The cheapest I've seen rough was in Tucson. May have to cut one tonight now . . . dang. Opals are so pretty, just flashing away at you as you cut them! Not all opal has "fire". There are about 300 types of opal. Common opals do not have "fire". True. I was speaking of opals with fire, flashing you.
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Post by vegasjames on Jan 11, 2019 16:41:06 GMT -5
Not all opal has "fire". There are about 300 types of opal. Common opals do not have "fire". True. I was speaking of opals with fire, flashing you. I am picturing opals with long trench coats ready to flash people.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Jan 11, 2019 16:48:47 GMT -5
Ah, but Common Opals are too polite to do that, only the super fiery ones might have the gumption for that.
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