Any Opal lovers out there? Show and Tell please.

[missy]

Here they are @missy
I suck at ear shots and again I can't capture how they look in person, but I did what I could, including a few fuzzy pics that seem to show a little more of the fire colors but nowhere as intense.
But they also tend to look pretty washed out in most well lit indoor light, so that's why I was not happy with them. I discovered last night that they look the best under somewhat dimmer lighting where the opals look more saturated and deeper in color.

They look gorgeous on you Love them.

 

[blueMA]

I really should stop buying earrings (because I wear my diamond studs) and gemstones, but I can't stop looking for opals thanks to your ring @missy
I have 4 opal dealers looking for a stone similar to yours for me but so far crickets.

 

[KristinTech]

Beautiful, @blueMA ! Diamonds and all gemstones look so different when worn on the ears due to shadowing from the face and hair when actually worn. It’s deceiving to view them from a jewelry box or storage case! It can get frustrating for me, and a little like a wild goose chase, hah. I love these earrings.

 

[blueMA]

This is exactly why I will not buy Ethiopian opals. Have a couple like that which looked great on a black background, but show skin in real life.

Yep, watch out for Ethiopian or Welo opals or semi-clear ones that you can easily see though... They do look better once set and on top of black background, but they still look like opaque iridescent jellybeans from an angle or sides. Wasted some money on these
Australian stones are the way to go

 

[Sagebrush]

28.43 carat Lightning Ridge Black opal pendant in hand fabricated 18/22k setting & handmade chain by R. W. Wise, Goldsmiths. Cora N. Miller Collection, Yale Mineralogical Museum.

 

[pwsg07]

I should probably take back what I said about semi-clear opals. I put these away because I was disappointed when I initially received the stones, but the more I look at them they're growing on me and they have reddish orange fires all around and deeper greenish ocean blues in person that I can't capture through photos for the life of me.
Opals are definitely like chameleons.

I love your earrings. The problem I have with opal is the brightness of the play of colour. Some opals look dull because the play of colour is not bright. I am now looking for highly transparent opals. I suggest you can look at the Austrialian crystal opals. They are expensive but amazing.

 

[blueMA]

I love your earrings. The problem I have with opal is the brightness of the play of colour. Some opals look dull because the play of colour is not bright. I am now looking for highly transparent opals. I suggest you can look at the Austrialian crystal opals. They are expensive but amazing.

Looked up Australian crystal opals and they look very similar to Ethiopian opals to me.
My strong preference, at least for now, is Lightening Ridge black opals with strong color saturation, because I have that exact problem you've mentioned that most opals lack in play of color and look kind of blah and washed out especially in bright indoor light.

 

[missy]

I really should stop buying earrings (because I wear my diamond studs) and gemstones, but I can't stop looking for opals thanks to your ring @missy
I have 4 opal dealers looking for a stone similar to yours for me but so far crickets.

Aww I'm sorry @blueMA and I hope you can find just what you are dreaming of and with 4 opal dealers searching you have a good chance. Fingers crossed! Sending opalicious thoughts and dust your way.

(my parents paid a lot for the ring in 1972 and when I checked the equivalent to what that translates to today it was 100K fyi....and that matches with what they told me at the Cartier store when I resized it...we did not insure it though as it is too much to insure especially when added to what I am paying to insure my ER which I do wear every day..so the opal ring remains a special occasion ring only).

 

[blueMA]

Aww I'm sorry @blueMA and I hope you can find just what you are dreaming of and with 4 opal dealers searching you have a good chance. Fingers crossed! Sending opalicious thoughts and dust your way.

(my parents paid a lot for the ring in 1972 and when I checked the equivalent to what that translates to today it was 100K fyi....and that matches with what they told me at the Cartier store when I resized it...we did not insure it though as it is too much to insure especially when added to what I am paying to insure my ER which I do wear every day..so the opal ring remains a special occasion ring only).

Thanks @missy I expect no less of a quote from Cartier.
I used to shop at the store as a youngster but I've turned into a bargain hunter.

I found similar stones but just not as thick and perfectly oval so far, so I'm holding out for the right one.

 

[pwsg07]

Looked up Australian crystal opals and they look very similar to Ethiopian opals to me.
My strong preference, at least for now, is Lightening Ridge black opals with strong color saturation, because I have that exact problem you've mentioned that most opals lack in play of color and look kind of blah and washed out especially in bright indoor light.

This is a crystal opal from Australia I have not seen much Ethiopian opals in this quality

 

[blueMA]

This is a crystal opal from Australia I have not seen much Ethiopian opals in this quality

That one does have more colors and look more glassy than typical plastic-y Ethiopian opals - still I'd need to see it in a plain indoor light in person to decide whether it's as good.

I actually took a chance on another Ethiopian opal purely due to its 5.5 cts size (17mm long) after having the seller send me a bunch of photos and videos to verify it doesn't look too transparent. I hope this one will be better because I like the cool shade of the opal, although probably not very saturated it might still look nice as a simple bezel pendant when set with a solid backing. I'll report back if this ends up being another dud...

 

[Amphoteric]

Victorian opal heart ring I acquired recently.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

For my newest opal project.............[bad, bad cell phone pics]

Has this been set yet??

 

[Catmom]

Has this been set yet??

Unfortunately that was the one they cracked that was in my vintage pendant.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Unfortunately that was the one they cracked that was in my vintage pendant.

Oy, heartbreaker! The new pendant looks gorgeous though!

 

[userangl28212003]

This is a crystal opal from Australia I have not seen much Ethiopian opals in this quality

That is a beautiful opal. I have an Ethiopian opal that is top gem with bright Colors of the rainbow at every angle, although my Camera phone suCks and makes the Colors more pastle .

 

[lovedogs]

Anyone have new opals to share, or general advice on buying black opals? I somehow have only seen or noticed the white kinds, which aren't my style at all. Realizing there are black/dark/green/blue ones has totally changed my mind and I'm trying to learn as much as I can!

 

[lambskin]

IIRC, didn't PintoBean have a fab opal ring custom made not too long ago? Any pics?

 

[userangl28212003]

Anyone have new opals to share, or general advice on buying black opals? I somehow have only seen or noticed the white kinds, which aren't my style at all. Realizing there are black/dark/green/blue ones has totally changed my mind and I'm trying to learn as much as I can!

Buy from trustworthy vendors like Black Opal Direct, and buy loose if you can, since you can examine and make sure it not a doublet. If already set in a ring make sure you can the back for if it has sand on the potch (if so chances it is not a doublet). Here are some pictures of my black Australian opal ring and my semi black/dark Ethiopian opal (deep caramel color)

 

[ilovegemstones]

Here is my lightning Ridge almost black opal ring! It is a stunning little opal
.

 

[lovedogs]

Thanks for all the advice!!! On a related note, is there anything "wrong" with doublets, other then a vendor potentially charging for solid but actually selling a doublet? It seems like a decent way to save $, since (of course) I seem to like the insanely pricey lightening ridge ones with tons of color. But I'm a total newbie w this stone so don't have any idea.

 

[userangl28212003]

Thanks for all the advice!!! On a related note, is there anything "wrong" with doublets, other then a vendor potentially charging for solid but actually selling a doublet? It seems like a decent way to save $, since (of course) I seem to like the insanely pricey lightening ridge ones with tons of color. But I'm a total newbie w this stone so don't have any idea.

Nope there is nothing wrong with a doublet (as it is a nice way to get a real crystal opal to look like a black opal for much lower cost) as long as you are paying doublet prices and not being fooled into paying a solid back opal price. Also you I remember reading solid Australian opals are fine in water, but you shouldn't soak doublets since it is glued to a baking.

 

[lovedogs]

For example, I'm dying over this

 

[2Neesers]

My DH gave me this opal doublet diamond halo necklace from my local jeweler for Christmas and I love it @lovedogs

I also have a couple of solid opals to add to the thread.
This Ethiopian opal purchased from my local jeweler set in a Stuller setting with a tiny meralani mint garnet accent from Yvonne. It has tons of green and orange pinfire that I couldn’t capture with my camera.

And a lovely black opal purchased from PS’s own @jordyonbass , set in a delicate jewelryhoo2 setting.

 

[lovedogs]

My DH gave me this opal doublet diamond halo necklace from my local jeweler for Christmas and I love it @lovedogs

I have also have a couple of solid opals to add to the thread.
This Ethiopian opal purchased from my local jeweler set in a Stuller setting with a tiny meralani mint garnet accent from Yvonne. It has tons of green and orange pinfire that I couldn’t capture with my camera.

And a lovely black opal purchased from PS’s own @jordyonbass , set in a delicate jewelryhoo2 setting.

Omg the doublet is beautiful!!!! Did he source the stone from the local jeweler as well? Thanks for sharing these lovely pics! Sadly my phone isn't showing the 3rd one, but love the first 2!

 

[2Neesers]

Omg the doublet is beautiful!!!! Did he source the stone from the local jeweler as well? Thanks for sharing these lovely pics! Sadly my phone isn't showing the 3rd one, but love the first 2!

The jeweler had the necklace ready made in stock and it caught my husbands eye. It was his first fine jewelry purchase for me in almost 20 years of marriage, but he did good .
I’m not sure why the third picture with Jordy’s stone isn’t showing, I can see it on my phone, but he has beautiful stones if you haven’t already checked out his Etsy store.

 

[lovedogs]

The jeweler had the necklace ready made in stock and it caught my husbands eye. It was his first fine jewelry purchase for me in almost 20 years of marriage, but he did good .
I’m not sure why the third picture with Jordy’s stone isn’t showing, I can see it on my phone, but he has beautiful stones if you haven’t already checked out his Etsy store.

Oooh what's his Etsy store??

 

[2Neesers]

Oooh what's his Etsy store??

Here you go! If you see something you like you could get in touch with him before buying so he can look after you
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MsOpalWorld

 

[bludiva]

Hi opal fans...can you tell me what kind of stone these yellow opals are and where I might look for one? I can't find the picture but I've seen photos of a ring with a similar stone that had almost a "liquidy" look to it rather than "speckly." TIA!

 

[lovedogs]

Strongly considering some opal doublets after seeing all of these beauties. They are inexpensive vs solid, and just as gorgeous for the nice ones (imho as a non expert).

What do you think between these 2 (middle two in the video of 4).

Next to a ruler for scale: