gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,060 
|
Post by gemfeller on Feb 9, 2022 15:00:31 GMT -5
Haven't posted for a while due to illness and because my cutting equipment is still not set up after my move from CA to AZ. To keep myself "in the game" I've been trying to learn to make videos of previously cut cabs.
This is an opal doublet from a slice of Australian material that was too thin to make a solid gem. The opal is epoxied to black basanite, a fine-textured basalt that's often used to back opal doublets and triplets. Doublets can make use of precious and expensive opal that otherwise wouldn't be useful in jewelry.
|
|
|
|
Post by opalpyrexia on Feb 9, 2022 15:08:10 GMT -5
Pretty doublet, Rick. What lighting did you use? It appeared to show off the fire quite well. Your method of handling the doublet worked really well, too. If you have any short video tips I am all ears.
I was wondering why you went, or were mostly, silent. Happy to hear that you're well.
|
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 9, 2022 15:09:35 GMT -5
That's really nice! Good to see you posting your work. Thank you.  |
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,060
|
Post by gemfeller on Feb 9, 2022 16:51:11 GMT -5
That's really nice! Good to see you posting your work. Thank you. Thanks Tela. I'll post more if anyone's interested. I'm playing with lots of different stones. |
|
NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
|
Post by NDK on Feb 9, 2022 17:09:42 GMT -5
Please post more, sir. That's a beautiful opal and I doubt I'm the only one who'd love to see your other pieces.
|
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Feb 9, 2022 17:24:59 GMT -5
Glad to see you're feeling up to making vids and posting again Rick! I hope the road to recovery doesn't take you on another "detour"! I'll echo what everyone else has said...and likely will say...YES PLEASE on more videos!  |
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,060
|
Post by gemfeller on Feb 9, 2022 18:02:23 GMT -5
Glad to see you're feeling up to making vids and posting again Rick! I hope the road to recovery doesn't take you on another "detour"!  I'll echo what everyone else has said...and likely will say...YES PLEASE on more videos!  Thanks Jason! Wife and I had a bout of what we think was Covid (don't know which variation) that started a month ago. We thought we were recovered but we're both now having terrible vertigo/nausea that's (so far) lasted a couple of weeks. But in-between bad episodes life goes on. I'll upload a few more vids to YouTube and will post them to this thread. You guys will probably get sick of watching them! Yell when you've had enough. |
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Feb 9, 2022 18:09:17 GMT -5
Glad to see you're feeling up to making vids and posting again Rick! I hope the road to recovery doesn't take you on another "detour"! I'll echo what everyone else has said...and likely will say...YES PLEASE on more videos! Thanks Jason! Wife and I had a bout of what we think was Covid (don't know which variation) that started a month ago. We thought we were recovered but we're both now having terrible vertigo/nausea that's (so far) lasted a couple of weeks. But in-between bad episodes life goes on. I'll upload a few more vids to YouTube and will post them to this thread. You guys will probably get sick of watching them! Yell when you've had enough. Well darn it all! My folks had it. Mom was worse than dad. She still struggles with "brain fog" at times...some days worse than others. My mom has always been quick witted, so it's very difficult to see her struggle with it sometimes. Sorry you guys are still fighting with the nausea and vertigo.  |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Feb 9, 2022 19:34:17 GMT -5
Yeah - more videos!
We've probably seen them all, but you should let everyone else see what a real opal cutter can do.
Faceted stones would be good, too. Just don't get "honked off" - as Robin might say - if someone asks you to put a price on them... .
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,060
|
Post by gemfeller on Feb 9, 2022 19:37:32 GMT -5
Here's another opal vid. This stone isn't especially valuable as dark opals from Lightning Ridge, Australia, go but it's attractive and has some nice features. It has a few stringers of non-precious potch opal on the face which deceases its value unfortunately. But the strong reds and multicolors as well as full face color from every angle make up for a lot of its other shortcomings.
|
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 9, 2022 19:38:56 GMT -5
More videos, Rick!
I need to get out to see you guys. This week has been hellish, but maybe next week I'll have some free time.
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,060
|
Post by gemfeller on Feb 9, 2022 20:02:05 GMT -5
Yeah - more videos!
We've probably seen them all, but you should let everyone else see what a real opal cutter can do.
Faceted stones would be good, too. Just don't get "honked off" - as Robin might say - if someone asks you to put a price on them... .
Will do Vince. But there are several "real" opal cutters on the Forum, yourself included. I hope to video a variety of stones to improve my very amateur skills and will share some I think people here might be interested in seeing. |
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Feb 9, 2022 20:11:23 GMT -5
I'll bet one of your nice Spencers would make a good video.
|
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Feb 9, 2022 20:41:52 GMT -5
The videos look great and so does your "not that valuable" opal. |
|
|
|
Post by MsAli on Feb 9, 2022 21:00:38 GMT -5
Really nice to see you post again. I'm sorry that you guys are still struggling. 😔 I hope it goes away soon
|
|
|
|
Post by rockpickerforever on Feb 9, 2022 21:20:44 GMT -5
Yes, please, more videos Rick gemfeller! Hope you are feeling better soon. |
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,060
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 3, 2022 14:37:16 GMT -5
Fully recovered from Covid -- now if I could only "recover" from getting older! This is an unusual pattern in an opal from the Coober Pedy field in Australia. I knew the name of the pattern once but have forgotten it. Maybe Ribbon? I get lost in the undulating ever-changing swirls of color. Maybe one of you opal aficionados can refresh my memory. It's slightly gray base, on the edge between Light (N7) and Dark (N6) and weighs 4.25 ct. It's a nice size for a drop pendant. |
|
|
|
Post by opalpyrexia on Mar 3, 2022 16:35:44 GMT -5
I find it difficult to say, Rick. It seems to suggest some ribbon movement. But I think that it looked more like what I would refer to as "small patch rolling flashfire". Do you think that comes close to what your eyes see?
|
|
gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,060
|
Post by gemfeller on Mar 3, 2022 17:22:37 GMT -5
I find it difficult to say, Rick. It seems to suggest some ribbon movement. But I think that it looked more like what I would refer to as "small patch rolling flashfire". Do you think that comes close to what your eyes see? That might describe it Gary. I posted it on Facebook and a couple of Aussie miners/dealers gave me the current local description. I made a note and filed it in Documents. But I must have made a typo or some other mistake because all my document searches yield nothing. Guess it's that Old Timer's Disease. |
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Mar 3, 2022 21:39:45 GMT -5
It's beautiful whatever you call it. |
|
