The guy who returned it obviously knew that the stone was a little above his experience and skill. Evident from the fact that he asked OP to make a video on how to shape it, so he could learn. It's not a passive-aggressive exchange, it's healthy communication between two people in the same field.
May be he should have returned it but offered to pay a straight fee for it to be cut. I think he would still have made a good profit instead of getting a refund.
Or he made up a plausible story because the returners buyer backed out. Trying to tease out the moral of the story from a business transaction is pointless.
Very interesting video. I've never really understood why people prize diamonds over opals. Opals are, in my opinion, far more beautiful and spectacular. Diamonds are relatively easy to find and even to manufacture.
SelfGoverned yep spot on. it's sad really. opals have so much more variety and character than diamonds. honestly I think diamonds are pretty bland. a coober pedy opal however? DROOL
I've worked in online retail and I know how much of a pain in the rear returns can be... but I also kinda admire a person who won't risk mangling a piece. Especially since with opal, as opposed to other gems, each piece is totally unique. To know enough to know that you don't know is a skill in itself
The fact that the buyer had enough sense to return the stone speaks volumes about him as well , someone else may have really butchered that stone and wasted millions of years of natures beautiful creation .
@@latishaanthony912 I am a manufacturing jeweller , I only design and make one of hand crafted pieces in gold, platinum, and silver, I have set plenty of black opal in my time , the fire and play of this one after polishing was beautiful and it would have been a waste if it wasn't cut Proper. I have even seen some magnificent coloured precious gems that have been ruined by bad faceting , I remember a beautiful saphire that had the colour centre cut away from the cullet basically turning it into a piece of glass.
@@latishaanthony912 its a trait of true wisdom in my mind. Cause it requires you to look and reflect on yourself like a self assesment. Something surprisingly not a lot of people do
To be fair, opals grow all over the world and information doesn't become universal once it's known... So there have probably been hundreds or thousands of people through history discovering opal stones when they had no idea that such a thing existed. I'm sure many have happened on one and have been like "OMG a crystal rainbow, what does this even MEAN?! This mist be the most precious substance on earth."
@@Josef_R Well black opals aren't all green. "black" vs white opal refers to the background tone of the stone around all those colourful flecks that lends it either a really rich appearance, as seen here in the case of "black" or a more shimmery transparent appearance in the case of "white". Black opals can be much darker as a base, or more varied in colour too. Similarly "fire opal" doesn't always refer to opals in warm colours.
@@dehdesh Close, but no cigar! The little German car's are Opel. Wikipedia article says that they started out as a manufacturer of sewing machine & later bicycles eventually car's. (is.gd/PdKBPg)
😂😂😂 you guys are funny! Why wouldn’t you think it’s light he needs instead of fire? I hadn’t even realised he could have meant a flame torch! But then again I’m Aussie and we don’t say flash light, that’s literally a flash for us: like one a camera. Crazy US English. 😂
I was stationed in Ubon, Thailand in the USAF in 1970, and there was a lapidary shop on base, and rough opal could be purchased there. I spent many hours of my off time in the "rock shop" cutting and polishing opal. The quality of the opal was low, but it was a lot of fun to see what was hidden inside. A number of times I was excited with the possible look as I cut it down, only to have the thin layer of color disappear. But, it was still fun to do.
800 dollars for the rough stone. 3 grand for the skill to finish it like that....seems reasonable. I wonder how many stones he destroyed before he got that good.
BrianBell4073 good point. This piece is a highlight of how opal can turn out at its best. There are many many more that don’t cut anything at all. This was a bit of a gamble which def went in my favour. The experience needed is quite high for pieces like this.
@@blackopaldirect just exactly so! I've been cutting opal for nearly 20 years now and I like to compare it to buying and cutting jade from the rough. It takes a lot of experience to even guess at what the finished stone will look like when judging it from the rough, no matter how much experience you have. No matter how many pieces of Lightning Ridge rough you've studied then cut, it could have hidden pockets of potch or sand, or the color could have grown in one direction for a few millennia, changed direction for a few more, then changed yet again. I can't possibly count the number of times I've faced a stone, began polishing, then changed direction because I noticed a better, brighter color bar running at a different angle. It always results in a smaller stone, but the finished stone is worth 3 or more times per carat than it would have been at twice the size. It's not only skill and experience that makes a finished stone far more valuable than rough. Equipment costs a fortune! Wear and tear on Galaxy wheels is brutal, and replacing them is expensive. In fact, all jewelry related tools are insanely priced. Why? Because quality gemstones fetch high prices, and equipment manufacturers expect you'll make money from their tools. Search out prices on even simple tools like jewellers' needle nose pliers and you'll see what I mean. They're no different from other pliers except they typically have smooth jaws instead of grooved ones...but you'll have to pay through the nose to get them unless you're VERY handy at grinding them smooth while still being able to meet squarely. But skills and knowledge do figure in heavily. After all, if it were easy, anyone could do it.
It turned out beautiful. Watching you work and explaining things as you go is a learning experience as valuable and more valuable than the finished product for everyone watching to learn how. Thank you all so much for these videos and the lessons.
Opals are just gorgeous! I have a blue opal that belonged to my great x3 nonna and it's by far my favorite piece, not just because it's a family heirloom but because opals are just plain beautiful. Great video, your skill is impressive
Fascinating! I'm a simple truck driver from London but this sort of video really grabs my attention. Just watching a professional, in any field, do their stuff is so satisfying, and I loved this one. Thanks :)
Its cheaper to just take a bunch of re-bagged unwrapped jolly ranchers smack them with a smooth meat hammer to break them, dump them on a wax papered baking sheet and set the oven to a low heat. Then let them melt into a single sheet and beat again after cooking. One I can afford, the other I cannot. However I may not be an expert but, I would assume there are many similar costs to repair teeth in either case.
I've been welding my whole life.. only 30 now, but started at age 10. All I've ever wanted to do is make jewelry and other stuff like it. Once I discovered opals thats what my eyes have been on. I wish I could learn from someone in person.. and have the funds to buy all the equipment needed. I live in wisconsin and don't know anyone near me that did it..there is an older guy down in spring green, wisconsin that does just opals. He said he flies to Australia every 6 months to pick up more opal.. your videos have shown me a lot, so thank you.
This came up in my recommendations, and as I've never seen any gemstone cut before I thought: "Why not?" It was absolutely riveting, I'm presuming the customer who returned it is now kicking himself rather hard. A great video, thank you!
Black opals are the most ah-MAZ-ing stones! That will make a show-stopping pendant for some lucky lady... Also enlightening to see how much work - and skill - goes into taking a stone from rough to finished product. This video randomly popped up in my "You may enjoy" list and, sure enough, I did. Cheers from Texas!
The rich indigo blue on that brilliant green is a gorgeous contrast. Beautiful stone. I adore opals, being my birthstone notwithstanding, simply because it's like holding a piece of magic in your palm.
I’ve been watching Justin’s magical hands turn stones into beautiful gems over the past month or so (August/September 2023). I can see a big difference in how much better the picture quality is in his newer videos verses this older one. It is always a pleasure watching Justin, almost hypnotic, use his talent to make our world a more beautiful place!
Hi Justin, I sow this video a cople of years ago and made me fall in love with opal. Since then I've done my homework and learned to apreciate opal for it's real value. This year I finally aforded my very first stones, 3 Ethiopian and a semiblack Australian. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for making the video that started me on opals. I hope that in the future I'll be able to buy one of yours. All the best of luck to you mate and thanks again.
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and skill. All my life, I've wanted to see how a black opal gem is 'born' from a piece of rough! What a privilege to witness this beautiful discovery - thanks again!
Could you make a video about different types of opals?! I would like to know how to tell apart a white fire opal from a brazilian opal. and how to tell if it's good quality or not.
Really a very nice demo from a very experienced cutter. One of the best I've seen of an opal cutting demo. I just happened upon this while grading some of the stones I've cut over the years. Glad I found it. Great job. Best to you.
i have been enjoying the opal hunters on tv and often thought they were mining what looked like a piece of slightly coloured gravel but now I see where the value is in a rough piece of rock. Absolutely fascinating.
I sure wished I could make jewelry. You guys make it look so easy. I guess if I can quilt, I can make jewelry. My daughter got me a set of tools and a bunch of how to tutorials.. I just make my jewelry by taking old broken scraps and make what I like. My girls love to come over and make jewelry, cookies, you name it. It's fun for me.
I just sat here for 21 minutes totally fascinated with this process.I always wondered how gems were cut,now I have an idea how they cut opals.Thanks for posting all those years ago.
Sent here by TH-cam for whatever reason! I think what makes this video is due to the stone having a backstory, which makes the whole thing far more interesting. It's a quirky little tale of how a stone was passed over and ended up in the hands of someone who could see the beauty inside but lacked the ability to bring it out, so sent it back and asked for a video so he could see that beauty manifested (and probably even learn in the process).
Great video Justin you’ve come a long way with your video editing mate but this vid gave a real type of feel to you cutting. but your opals have not changed are still absolutely outstanding. Loyal viewer from Lake Macquarie NSW👍
Wow this was an amazing video! I enjoyed watching you work. Too bad that guy didn't know how to cut this stone the way you did. You make cutting and polishing look easy though. I would love to see more how to videos from you, this was just really fun to watch! I learned a lot too!
Great skill shown here! Once that sand layer went....ka-boom beauty of a black opal. Keep up the good work. The guy who sent it back clearly knew it was a bit above his skill level, instead of ruining a gorgeous stone he sent it back to get cut by someone who could handle it, humble is a word that comes to mind!
Wow very very interesting video and you really know your opals. You make it look easy, thanks for sharing and what a beautiful stone, the guy that sent that back blew it big time.
This video gives a good understanding of how to.. Thank you for sharing, and I bet the folks who sent it back after watching were guttered. Anyway best wishes for your future adventures.
The opal is my birthstone, so of course this grabbed my attention. What a beauty! Both in the rough & as a finished piece. When I was younger, I wanted to live in Coober Pedy...how exciting it was to me to imagine living underground & in the process of building my home, finding opals all around me! Beautiful job on a beautiful stone. Thanks for sharing.
Wow that is some luscious color and I was so worried about that pit being too deep but there was PLENTY of color around still , fabulous job working through that little challenge I was a little worried but it gave you a pass this time :)
Finding a cutter that knows how to cut various gems is worth the weight if the gem stone. I wanted to be a cutter my whole life, and a pilot. Being a traveling musician is what i ended up being in this lifetime so im not complaining. Thanks for your vid
I like the stones more before they are cut. I'd rather have a pendant made from a polished uncut stone. I think the only thing i would try to do is blast the sand pockets out somehow.
I'm with you! While the polished version is very nice, I do like that 'raw look' some gems have when they're simply washed and/or polished! I LOVE natural stones and have continuously been fascinated how they're made! ^^
Im in between on that...i think some need to stay semi natural(free form)..and some can be amazing jewelry peices....although i do like free form better...
I love you videos. I am practicing on labradorite. It is much cheaper than opal. I am at a point where I am confident in my skills. Still much more to learn.
Never seen that done before. Reminded me of a story. A colleague's boyfriend back in the 60s was working in Australia for the UK government. He got a licence and found an opal, whiche he had cut and polished and mounted in a ring. When he returned to the UK he proposed, and she accepted. I know some people regard opals as unlucky, I just think they are one of the most beautiful of stones.
It's quite hard to imagine the raw stone first shown, could turn out so appealing and wonderfully colourful, I bet the guy who returned it is kicking himself now!
Mollie It’s called the royal peacock opal mine. I tried to paste the link but I couldn’t 🤷♀️ Search “public opal mining in Nevada” and all the sites will come up 😊👍🏻
I went to the opal mine in Nevada that you are talking about. Basically it’s a scam. The opals are so fragile, that if you pick one up, they crumble. The place they took us to dig has almost nothing. They scatter a few worthless “finds” on top of the ground for people to discover, but they are too fragile to be worth anything. In their office, they have a large, beautiful cylinder of opal sitting in an aquarium filled with water. The opal has to be kept submerged so it won’t fall apart. Going there was a complete waste of time and money. We spent $300 and came back with nothing but sore backs.
Fantastic job, I do love that colour. How do you not sand your fingers off on those wheels though, while still grinding down a stone. I couldn't believe you actually touched the running wheels.
My parents do a ton of rock polishing. The wheels aren’t that bad. The corser ones are like nail files, so even when you touch them it’s not like getting cut like with a knife. Unless you hit the side, then the cut is more knife like lol.
You are a true professional, sir! I know that many people in the gem field do not want to help anyone...including their customer who they may consider "competition ". Well done Justin! 😇❤️
Amazing how something not so pretty turn in to a beautiful stone. I’m sure you had a lot to do with bringing out its beauty. I love the free form cut of the stone
Some say passive aggressive, but I say, A classy way to show you the error of your ways and limits of your skills. Its easy to get mad.... it takes patience and skill to show you otherwise. ✊️👌
I am just the end of the line opal addict, meaning I'm the one who pays for the beauties you guys work so hard to grind, polish, and set. And I appreciate all your hard work gladly paying the Mark up on the finished product. Thank you for making this video I've always wondered how you work your magic. Lovely stone you got outta the knobby, I buy Ethiopian opal as I came afford the rare Australian also I like the way Welo opals colour play and the multi colours in most stones. Do you see the Ethiopian opal's cost going up soon I know they are very cheap right now I'm just wondering how much to stock up on for future payoffs. If you work on Well opal also will you make a video like this one with them, please.
HI Lexinitro Thanks for the comments. You will never see me dealing or working on welo opal. Unfortunately it is to volatile to work on and once the opal has been set can still crack in the setting. Not a chance I would like to take I am afraid. Also the amount of treated opal out there is bad for the industry. I get emails every week of people asking if they have ha real opal and unfortunately a lot of the time it is the treated black opal that they bought. I vowed only to deal in Australian opal as it can't be treated like hydrophane opal can be.I t is cheaper opal for a reason.
@@blackopaldirect For me, the Australian opal outshines the Ethiopian every time. Your comments only confirm my decision to only purchase Australian. Keep up the great work!
I have to say, although I'm in no way associated with this field, from a business/marketing standpoint, I'm incredibly impressed that this man is responding to comments more than 5 years after releasing his video! Kudos to you, sir! Hopefully one day soon, I will be in the market for such a stone, and would be honoured to buy from you, or to find someone with your integrity! (I subscribed for now!
@@blackopaldirect I may be a rare breed these days, but as past, and hopefully future business person myself, it's the small, but crucial things like answering questions, that will retain a customer for life! A response may only take a few seconds, but it tells me, that you care, and even if it takes me five or ten years to be in a position to have that black opal ring I've always wanted, I now know where I will begin my search! Huggles, from Nova Scotia, Canada!
This is so interesting! My husband and I have just bought a lot in Florida. We hope to go gem hunting and cutting some of the stones! They actually have two gems societies right by us. One is in Orlando and the other is in Cocoa Beach. I haven’t checked thoroughly into it but it looks like if you join the society you get so many hours in the room working on your gems. So this is very exciting!!!!!
Today I bought a piece of white opal seam with orange fire colour. I started to scrape the red and white sediment away. Then I watched your video on how to hand polish an opal. It will take me some time but I plan to work on it every night until I have a gem. It will be mine like no other gem I own, because I will have uncovered its beauty. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Love watching an amazing stone emerge like this. I was very fortunate a number of years ago to acquire an Oz fire opal roughly this size, and it is my most treasured piece of jewelry after my engagement ring (which isn't diamond).
The guy who returned it obviously knew that the stone was a little above his experience and skill. Evident from the fact that he asked OP to make a video on how to shape it, so he could learn. It's not a passive-aggressive exchange, it's healthy communication between two people in the same field.
Totally agree, he just didn't want to screw it, so he send it back
True that.
May be he should have returned it but offered to pay a straight fee for it to be cut. I think he would still have made a good profit instead of getting a refund.
Orrr hes just being an overall good guy asking him to make a video instead of doing a silent commission for his own gain
Or he made up a plausible story because the returners buyer backed out. Trying to tease out the moral of the story from a business transaction is pointless.
Very interesting video. I've never really understood why people prize diamonds over opals. Opals are, in my opinion, far more beautiful and spectacular. Diamonds are relatively easy to find and even to manufacture.
SelfGoverned EXACTLY
YES! it's called the marketing! I would love to meet the marketing person who decided to start selling black diamonds too. absolute genuises!
SelfGoverned yep spot on. it's sad really. opals have so much more variety and character than diamonds. honestly I think diamonds are pretty bland. a coober pedy opal however? DROOL
amazing end product by the way. wish I lived within even a 200 mile radius of a place I could go, to noodle for opals. so jealous! 😎
Amanda: I am more impressed at the marketing genius who rebranded ugly brown diamonds as, "chocolate diamonds". Fucking. Brilliant.
I'm not even into stone cutting or jewelry making, but that was so damn interesting to watch.
Same
Same
same!
same,
Yeah Im not quite sure how I got here, but it was an interesting watch..
I've worked in online retail and I know how much of a pain in the rear returns can be... but I also kinda admire a person who won't risk mangling a piece. Especially since with opal, as opposed to other gems, each piece is totally unique. To know enough to know that you don't know is a skill in itself
The fact that the buyer had enough sense to return the stone speaks volumes about him as well , someone else may have really butchered that stone and wasted millions of years of natures beautiful creation .
That last sentence in your comment really hit home... Wish more people looked at it that way
@@latishaanthony912 I am a manufacturing jeweller , I only design and make one of hand crafted pieces in gold, platinum, and silver, I have set plenty of black opal in my time , the fire and play of this one after polishing was beautiful and it would have been a waste if it wasn't cut Proper. I have even seen some magnificent coloured precious gems that have been ruined by bad faceting , I remember a beautiful saphire that had the colour centre cut away from the cullet basically turning it into a piece of glass.
@@latishaanthony912 its a trait of true wisdom in my mind. Cause it requires you to look and reflect on yourself like a self assesment. Something surprisingly not a lot of people do
Can you imagine being the person who first discovered opals ? What an absolute thrill that must have been . Opals are magical
To be fair, opals grow all over the world and information doesn't become universal once it's known... So there have probably been hundreds or thousands of people through history discovering opal stones when they had no idea that such a thing existed. I'm sure many have happened on one and have been like "OMG a crystal rainbow, what does this even MEAN?! This mist be the most precious substance on earth."
The part I'm trying to imagine is when they polished it up to that beautiful green color and then proclaimed it a black opal.
@@Josef_R Well black opals aren't all green. "black" vs white opal refers to the background tone of the stone around all those colourful flecks that lends it either a really rich appearance, as seen here in the case of "black" or a more shimmery transparent appearance in the case of "white". Black opals can be much darker as a base, or more varied in colour too. Similarly "fire opal" doesn't always refer to opals in warm colours.
Opals are pretty nice cars.
@@dehdesh Close, but no cigar! The little German car's are Opel. Wikipedia article says that they started out as a manufacturer of sewing machine & later bicycles eventually car's. (is.gd/PdKBPg)
Him: I'll get the torch.
Me: excited. Fire!!!
Him: grabs flashlight.
Me: disappointed. No fire.
Same here hahaha
I thought the same thing!
haha same. I had to reread the title after seeing a flashlight. I forgot in Australia and UK a torch is what a flashlight is called.
Wendy Garcia me too
😂😂😂 you guys are funny! Why wouldn’t you think it’s light he needs instead of fire? I hadn’t even realised he could have meant a flame torch! But then again I’m Aussie and we don’t say flash light, that’s literally a flash for us: like one a camera. Crazy US English. 😂
I was stationed in Ubon, Thailand in the USAF in 1970, and there was a lapidary shop on base, and rough opal could be purchased there. I spent many hours of my off time in the "rock shop" cutting and polishing opal. The quality of the opal was low, but it was a lot of fun to see what was hidden inside. A number of times I was excited with the possible look as I cut it down, only to have the thin layer of color disappear. But, it was still fun to do.
800 dollars for the rough stone. 3 grand for the skill to finish it like that....seems reasonable. I wonder how many stones he destroyed before he got that good.
BrianBell4073 good point. This piece is a highlight of how opal can turn out at its best. There are many many more that don’t cut anything at all. This was a bit of a gamble which def went in my favour. The experience needed is quite high for pieces like this.
3 grand for the tools ! ... and being able to see what others cannot.
@@blackopaldirect just exactly so! I've been cutting opal for nearly 20 years now and I like to compare it to buying and cutting jade from the rough. It takes a lot of experience to even guess at what the finished stone will look like when judging it from the rough, no matter how much experience you have. No matter how many pieces of Lightning Ridge rough you've studied then cut, it could have hidden pockets of potch or sand, or the color could have grown in one direction for a few millennia, changed direction for a few more, then changed yet again. I can't possibly count the number of times I've faced a stone, began polishing, then changed direction because I noticed a better, brighter color bar running at a different angle. It always results in a smaller stone, but the finished stone is worth 3 or more times per carat than it would have been at twice the size.
It's not only skill and experience that makes a finished stone far more valuable than rough. Equipment costs a fortune! Wear and tear on Galaxy wheels is brutal, and replacing them is expensive. In fact, all jewelry related tools are insanely priced. Why? Because quality gemstones fetch high prices, and equipment manufacturers expect you'll make money from their tools. Search out prices on even simple tools like jewellers' needle nose pliers and you'll see what I mean. They're no different from other pliers except they typically have smooth jaws instead of grooved ones...but you'll have to pay through the nose to get them unless you're VERY handy at grinding them smooth while still being able to meet squarely. But skills and knowledge do figure in heavily. After all, if it were easy, anyone could do it.
@@jamesthe-doctor8981 Thank you
JazlDazl you're welcome.
It is lovely that the customer respected the stone and the skill it takes to shape it and returned it for a video instead.
I wince watching him using the grinding wheel knowing my own fingers would be bloodied and without nails after the first few passes.
@Pete Mason You are writing to a man who has difficulty changing a pillow case, and power tools in my hands are lethal weapons - to myself.
i was actually thinking "damn he has really nice hands". was expecting his hands to be all beaten up
@@TheMrFrontera I suppose the constant grinding removes dead skin, leaving his hand soft and smooth. :-)
@@57thorns and if you ever need anyone to do a bank job... ;)
@@scottloar whats with being proud of no common sense and manual dexterity.....id be ashamed to admit that
It turned out beautiful. Watching you work and explaining things as you go is a learning experience as valuable and more valuable than the finished product for everyone watching to learn how. Thank you all so much for these videos and the lessons.
Opals are just gorgeous! I have a blue opal that belonged to my great x3 nonna and it's by far my favorite piece, not just because it's a family heirloom but because opals are just plain beautiful. Great video, your skill is impressive
How amazing! What a gorgeous heirloom to have been handed down. Sentimental and beautiful.
Fascinating! I'm a simple truck driver from London but this sort of video really grabs my attention. Just watching a professional, in any field, do their stuff is so satisfying, and I loved this one. Thanks :)
Thank you I'm glad you liked
cracks me up how many "experts" are on youtube..... you did an awesome job on that stone and no your asking price isn't out of park at all.
Its cheaper to just take a bunch of re-bagged unwrapped jolly ranchers smack them with a smooth meat hammer to break them, dump them on a wax papered baking sheet and set the oven to a low heat. Then let them melt into a single sheet and beat again after cooking.
One I can afford, the other I cannot. However I may not be an expert but, I would assume there are many similar costs to repair teeth in either case.
what
@@rottnlove get help
I've been welding my whole life.. only 30 now, but started at age 10. All I've ever wanted to do is make jewelry and other stuff like it. Once I discovered opals thats what my eyes have been on. I wish I could learn from someone in person.. and have the funds to buy all the equipment needed. I live in wisconsin and don't know anyone near me that did it..there is an older guy down in spring green, wisconsin that does just opals. He said he flies to Australia every 6 months to pick up more opal.. your videos have shown me a lot, so thank you.
This came up in my recommendations, and as I've never seen any gemstone cut before I thought: "Why not?" It was absolutely riveting, I'm presuming the customer who returned it is now kicking himself rather hard. A great video, thank you!
Glad you liked Mark and thanks for watching
Black opals are the most ah-MAZ-ing stones! That will make a show-stopping pendant for some lucky lady... Also enlightening to see how much work - and skill - goes into taking a stone from rough to finished product. This video randomly popped up in my "You may enjoy" list and, sure enough, I did. Cheers from Texas!
The rich indigo blue on that brilliant green is a gorgeous contrast. Beautiful stone.
I adore opals, being my birthstone notwithstanding, simply because it's like holding a piece of magic in your palm.
I’ve been watching Justin’s magical hands turn stones into beautiful gems over the past month or so (August/September 2023). I can see a big difference in how much better the picture quality is in his newer videos verses this older one. It is always a pleasure watching Justin, almost hypnotic, use his talent to make our world a more beautiful place!
I inherited my grandmothers opal set my grandfather gave to her. Absolutely gorgeous one of my prized possessions. I adore opals.
Its like if the northern lights were trapped in a stone 😍😲
Perfect analogy!
Best description of an opal I have ever heard!
Meleigha Garcon ... Wonderful description... Or in this instance Southern light Opals. Good name for a company.
exactly!
Brilliant POST!!!
Hi Justin, I sow this video a cople of years ago and made me fall in love with opal. Since then I've done my homework and learned to apreciate opal for it's real value. This year I finally aforded my very first stones, 3 Ethiopian and a semiblack Australian. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for making the video that started me on opals. I hope that in the future I'll be able to buy one of yours. All the best of luck to you mate and thanks again.
Cristian Neacsu you are most welcome my friend. I am glad to be able to inspire. It warms my heart that you ha e been
Hi Justin if you looking for ethiopian opals i have some which i have cut myself... Would love to share pics
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and skill. All my life, I've wanted to see how a black opal gem is 'born' from a piece of rough! What a privilege to witness this beautiful discovery - thanks again!
What a delight to see a knowledgeable man ply his craft. Kudos.
Could you make a video about different types of opals?! I would like to know how to tell apart a white fire opal from a brazilian opal. and how to tell if it's good quality or not.
No answer yet???
Really a very nice demo from a very experienced cutter. One of the best I've seen of an opal cutting demo. I just happened upon this while grading some of the stones I've cut over the years. Glad I found it. Great job.
Best to you.
Gerry Manning g
Thank you so much for sharing! I have seen precious stones cut. I have never seen gorgeous opals polished. It's such a beauriful art!
i have been enjoying the opal hunters on tv and often thought they were mining what looked like a piece of slightly coloured gravel but now I see where the value is in a rough piece of rock. Absolutely fascinating.
there are currently 1.6k comments , and you’ve managed to give almost each and every one , a heart. god bless you
Thank you I try :-)
As a teen, I learned a little about lapidary and silver smithing . I wish I would have continued with it.
I sure wished I could make jewelry. You guys make it look so easy. I guess if I can quilt, I can make jewelry. My daughter got me a set of tools and a bunch of how to tutorials.. I just make my jewelry by taking old broken scraps and make what I like. My girls love to come over and make jewelry, cookies, you name it. It's fun for me.
im just starting out at 66 and have a lot to learn i like his work im learning a lot thanks
I just sat here for 21 minutes totally fascinated with this process.I always wondered how gems were cut,now I have an idea how they cut opals.Thanks for posting all those years ago.
Thank you for sharing the process with the world. I really appreciate people who freely offer knowledge. Well done... keep up the great work!!!!
Thank you
Sent here by TH-cam for whatever reason! I think what makes this video is due to the stone having a backstory, which makes the whole thing far more interesting. It's a quirky little tale of how a stone was passed over and ended up in the hands of someone who could see the beauty inside but lacked the ability to bring it out, so sent it back and asked for a video so he could see that beauty manifested (and probably even learn in the process).
That is one of the most beautiful stones ever! I love making jewelry and that would make either a gorgeous cabochon or a lovely ring setting.
Great video Justin you’ve come a long way with your video editing mate but this vid gave a real type of feel to you cutting. but your opals have not changed are still absolutely outstanding. Loyal viewer from Lake Macquarie NSW👍
I appreciate that! Steve
Wow this was an amazing video! I enjoyed watching you work. Too bad that guy didn't know how to cut this stone the way you did. You make cutting and polishing look easy though. I would love to see more how to videos from you, this was just really fun to watch! I learned a lot too!
+C. C. C Thanks for the kind words :-)
Great skill shown here! Once that sand layer went....ka-boom beauty of a black opal. Keep up the good work. The guy who sent it back clearly knew it was a bit above his skill level, instead of ruining a gorgeous stone he sent it back to get cut by someone who could handle it, humble is a word that comes to mind!
Opals are perhaps the most beautiful gem stones of all.
My god, that opal is gorgeous. Gives me butterflies. I don't think I'll ever grow tired of opals. They're wonderful
Good buy-back. Love opals a lot more than diamonds due to the beautiful colours. It is my birthstone.
8:20 I wish that there was sound at the dob stick but, it comes back by the 9 minute mark.
Absolutely fascinating video. Great camera work, great narration and I may have found a new hobby :-) Thank you.
paynemaine Haha be careful once you start you will never stop Regards Justin
I just took a master class in 21 minutes. Pretty sure I could do this well with your training. This was an excellent tutorial.
Wow very very interesting video and you really know your opals. You make it look easy, thanks for sharing and what a beautiful stone, the guy that sent that back blew it big time.
You're a great stone smith!
Watching you work is pleasing.
Thanks for sharing and helping others to learn your trade.
Welcome sheeple
This video gives a good understanding of how to.. Thank you for sharing, and I bet the folks who sent it back after watching were guttered. Anyway best wishes for your future adventures.
The opal is my birthstone, so of course this grabbed my attention. What a beauty! Both in the rough & as a finished piece. When I was younger, I wanted to live in Coober Pedy...how exciting it was to me to imagine living underground & in the process of building my home, finding opals all around me! Beautiful job on a beautiful stone. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you :-)
Wow that is some luscious color and I was so worried about that pit being too deep but there was PLENTY of color around still , fabulous job working through that little challenge I was a little worried but it gave you a pass this time :)
Really informative video - as someone who knows next to nothing about stones, stone cutting and polishing etc, this was great to watch!
Really enjoyed watching you create beauty from a rock - thankx!
I can't believe it was returned! It's absolutely beautiful!!!
That was fascinating. It really was. You do good work, sir.
Finding a cutter that knows how to cut various gems is worth the weight if the gem stone. I wanted to be a cutter my whole life, and a pilot. Being a traveling musician is what i ended up being in this lifetime so im not complaining. Thanks for your vid
I like the stones more before they are cut. I'd rather have a pendant made from a polished uncut stone. I think the only thing i would try to do is blast the sand pockets out somehow.
That would be sexy
I agree, Wire wrapping the original in to a pendant would have been awesome. That being said amazing to watch him work. True skill and mad respect!!!
I'm with you! While the polished version is very nice, I do like that 'raw look' some gems have when they're simply washed and/or polished! I LOVE natural stones and have continuously been fascinated how they're made! ^^
You would prefer "tumbled" stones. Not quite what you are explaining, but retains most of the natural look and can get some shine etc.
Im in between on that...i think some need to stay semi natural(free form)..and some can be amazing jewelry peices....although i do like free form better...
Cool! Gem cutting must be tricky work. I admire the guy who returned it cos he didnt wanna mess it up. Nice job friend!
I love you videos. I am practicing on labradorite. It is much cheaper than opal. I am at a point where I am confident in my skills. Still much more to learn.
Thats cool...i got some of that to work on as well...very cool stuff
Never seen that done before. Reminded me of a story. A colleague's boyfriend back in the 60s was working in Australia for the UK government. He got a licence and found an opal, whiche he had cut and polished and mounted in a ring. When he returned to the UK he proposed, and she accepted. I know some people regard opals as unlucky, I just think they are one of the most beautiful of stones.
That was so interesting; never seen that before.
I had a ruby and diamond ring from Tiffany and gave it away.
Wish I hadn't.
It's quite hard to imagine the raw stone first shown, could turn out so appealing and wonderfully colourful, I bet the guy who returned it is kicking himself now!
There’s a place in Nevada where u can mine for black opals. Now I’m like bucket list road trip!
Do you know the name of it? Id love to do that someday too!
Mollie It’s called the royal peacock opal mine. I tried to paste the link but I couldn’t 🤷♀️
Search “public opal mining in Nevada” and all the sites will come up 😊👍🏻
Thanks, Mary!!!! ❤️
I went to the opal mine in Nevada that you are talking about. Basically it’s a scam. The opals are so fragile, that if you pick one up, they crumble. The place they took us to dig has almost nothing. They scatter a few worthless “finds” on top of the ground for people to discover, but they are too fragile to be worth anything. In their office, they have a large, beautiful cylinder of opal sitting in an aquarium filled with water. The opal has to be kept submerged so it won’t fall apart. Going there was a complete waste of time and money. We spent $300 and came back with nothing but sore backs.
candicevee1 Oh wow, who knew that would be a scam? Thx for the heads up 👍🏻
So impressed with you and your stunning teaching skills.
Fantastic job, I do love that colour. How do you not sand your fingers off on those wheels though, while still grinding down a stone. I couldn't believe you actually touched the running wheels.
SheyD78 hahah I do sand them away but they grow back
SheyD78 i suppose you’d get thick skin the same way you do after playing guitar or other stringed instruments for a while (i play bass :3)
How can you get thick skin by sanding it away?
Joe D i meant that it would grow back thicker
My parents do a ton of rock polishing. The wheels aren’t that bad. The corser ones are like nail files, so even when you touch them it’s not like getting cut like with a knife. Unless you hit the side, then the cut is more knife like lol.
You are a true professional, sir! I know that many people in the gem field do not want to help anyone...including their customer who they may consider "competition ". Well done Justin! 😇❤️
Nice stone and great info watching you polish
Thank you for this excellent video. I can appreciate my aunt's opal ring much better now.
The Aussie says
“let me get a torch”. This American immediately visualizes grabbing a Lit 🔥 Blowtorch....
Absolutely breathtaking. Very enjoyable to watch the process. Thank you for making and posting this video.
you should name it "The Mermaid's Scale" 😂
Perfect name!😊
Sek
Amazing how something not so pretty turn in to a beautiful stone. I’m sure you had a lot to do with bringing out its beauty. I love the free form cut of the stone
To The Comments Section:
Wow! I thought the beauty guru followers were bad.. ya'll so petty and catty..
It's a beautiful stone! Appreciate it!!
One of the better vids I’ve seen on lapidary work... I will apply what I’ve learned to my work. Thanks, Justin. Also, subscribed.
Glad you learned something and enjoyed :-)
Some say passive aggressive, but I say, A classy way to show you the error of your ways and limits of your skills. Its easy to get mad.... it takes patience and skill to show you otherwise. ✊️👌
I hope and pray to get just half as good as you are at lapidary work! I love watching your videos! Thanks so much!
I am just the end of the line opal addict, meaning I'm the one who pays for the beauties you guys work so hard to grind, polish, and set. And I appreciate all your hard work gladly paying the Mark up on the finished product. Thank you for making this video I've always wondered how you work your magic. Lovely stone you got outta the knobby, I buy Ethiopian opal as I came afford the rare Australian also I like the way Welo opals colour play and the multi colours in most stones. Do you see the Ethiopian opal's cost going up soon I know they are very cheap right now I'm just wondering how much to stock up on for future payoffs. If you work on Well opal also will you make a video like this one with them, please.
HI Lexinitro Thanks for the comments. You will never see me dealing or working on welo opal. Unfortunately it is to volatile to work on and once the opal has been set can still crack in the setting. Not a chance I would like to take I am afraid. Also the amount of treated opal out there is bad for the industry. I get emails every week of people asking if they have ha real opal and unfortunately a lot of the time it is the treated black opal that they bought. I vowed only to deal in Australian opal as it can't be treated like hydrophane opal can be.I t is cheaper opal for a reason.
Thanks for the tip!I was wondering about that very thing!
@@blackopaldirect For me, the Australian opal outshines the Ethiopian every time. Your comments only confirm my decision to only purchase Australian. Keep up the great work!
@@blackopaldirect how did i get here
@@ChicknSandwich
I'm wondering how I got here AND why am i reading the comments.😳
You sir are an artist, a virtual phenom! Thank you for allowing us to witness you practicing your craft
You are welcome 🙏
So will you sell anyone one of those "rough nobby's" and where would you sell a finished stone like that?
I have to say, although I'm in no way associated with this field, from a business/marketing standpoint, I'm incredibly impressed that this man is responding to comments more than 5 years after releasing his video! Kudos to you, sir! Hopefully one day soon, I will be in the market for such a stone, and would be honoured to buy from you, or to find someone with your integrity! (I subscribed for now!
Wow wow what a lovely comment and thank you. It warms my heart to see that people notice.
@@blackopaldirect
I may be a rare breed these days, but as past, and hopefully future business person myself, it's the small, but crucial things like answering questions, that will retain a customer for life! A response may only take a few seconds, but it tells me, that you care, and even if it takes me five or ten years to be in a position to have that black opal ring I've always wanted, I now know where I will begin my search! Huggles, from Nova Scotia, Canada!
watching a master at work
wow
A real pleasure to watch an expert at work on a delicate problem!
Wow wow wow what gives it that color?
+Jewish Royalty The silica spheres that make up opal have to be the same size and stacked evenly to make color. It really is a miracle that it happens
Black Opal Direct how amazing, the wonders of the world
What a lovely stone. Great work once more Justin
I bet the guy who wanted a refund is kicking himself in the button. Great video and a very beautiful jewel
if it was to difficult or the buyer was just not sure how to do it...
Imagine destroying that stone by not knowing what you were doing. I would start with cheaper stones until I knew what I was doing.
He just kept friendly bashing him so hard lol
He was quite smug at the end there lol
I bet the guy who got the refund enjoyed learning from this video and not ruining such a beautiful stone for lack of experience.
Having no experience with stones other than enjoying them, your video was therapeutically relaxing to watch.
Yep...eight hundred's a reasonable for that stone. OMG It's a beauty though isn't it ?
Very beautiful. A pleasure to watch. I love opals, my favourite gem 💎 👍🇬🇧👍
The finished stone perfectly matches your shirt :P
hahaha
This is so interesting! My husband and I have just bought a lot in Florida. We hope to go gem hunting and cutting some of the stones! They actually have two gems societies right by us. One is in Orlando and the other is in Cocoa Beach. I haven’t checked thoroughly into it but it looks like if you join the society you get so many hours in the room working on your gems. So this is very exciting!!!!!
Wow, made that real pretty
Today I bought a piece of white opal seam with orange fire colour. I started to scrape the red and white sediment away. Then I watched your video on how to hand polish an opal. It will take me some time but I plan to work on it every night until I have a gem. It will be mine like no other gem I own, because I will have uncovered its beauty. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I'm just glad that the guy returned it instead of screwing up something so beautiful. What are y'all bitchin about. Everyone in this story won. 😆
Hope the guy who returned the gorgeous stone saw this video and wished he had kept it for himself!
Maestro, re-visited some oldies but goodies. Emerald color, great irregular shape, size perfect for large ring. The master delivers again.
I love black opal they are just awesome
wow, what a beautiful tone !! you make it look so easy. you must be a wizard !!
Stunning! He should have kept it! Your gain, his loss.
What a privilege to watch you do your work and to listen to your explanations as things progressed. Very interesting and impressive! Thank you.
This was a very nice "na na na na na na" video. Ha! Gotta love the Aussies.
Love watching an amazing stone emerge like this. I was very fortunate a number of years ago to acquire an Oz fire opal roughly this size, and it is my most treasured piece of jewelry after my engagement ring (which isn't diamond).
Why did the guy ask for a refund when the rock turned into a 2-4k stone?
He didnt have the confidence to cut it
he didnt want to destroy the stone, thats why he asked for a video so he could learn how to approach a possible 2-4k stone without destroying it.