Victorian repro splendour from Black Opal Direct, M'sOpalWorld, and CvB - B&W opal/OEC earrings + bracelet

[yssie]

@mrs-b Thank you so much

I’m chuffed to have made you smile These have been a while coming! But, happily, very much worth the wait

Justin and Jordan were superb to work with!! I’d love to see more from them here on PS. Buying opals is like buying pearls without Mikimoto’s stabilizing influence - no standardization, no grading authorities. Justin and Jordan are both such honest and helpful vendors - they're islands in an ocean of verbal hyperbole and dissembling videography. If my thread steers anyone look for an opal toward either of them, well, I'd consider it a win

Y'know, I’ll probably buy another pair of symmetric earrings one day


@LLJsmom Thank you!!

Caysie’s workmanship is wonderful and she’s such a darling to work with!! I think I’ve found "my vendors" - the few that I know I can guarantee Happily Ever After with, across projects with varying aesthetics and priorities, hands-on and hands-off...

Now I just need a few more ears


@Tekate Thank you!!


Thank you @Bron357

Per the other half - no, I really, really don’t need another ring, nor will I be getting one but I did see your orange flash opal and she’s spectacular!! I can’t imagine you’ll have too much trouble re-homing her - fingers are crossed for speedy guilt-free enjoyment of your birthday beauty


@Rfisher Thank you!!

Finding pairs that worked together was definitely a bit of an adventure, and of course I wound up with more stones that I needed (but love all too much to part with any)! I knew I wanted something more formal for a nights out, and these opals and these settings were meant to be paired - all we really had to do was help them figure it out

 

[yssie]

@Weeivy73 Thank you so much!! I’m thrilled with them - they really couldn’t have turned out more perfectly! The look, the weight, the finish - they’re everything I’d hoped for


@ForteKitty - Thank you!!

You know how sometimes... you see your latest acquisition and your first thought is “are these really mine”? My RDG was first. Then my VCA Alhambra three-motif dangles. Then my Erika Winters studs. And now these. Not my most expensive pieces, but definitely my most treasured


@GliderPoss Thank you I couldn’t be happier with my experiences with both Justin and Jordan!! I just described them in another response a few seconds ago - scrolling back - “islands in an ocean of verbal hyperbole and dissembling videography”.

I actually originally bought a handful of opals from various vendors on OpalAuctions… just to see what was out there. One was a dreamy mackerel sky that I honestly didn’t believe was real, and solid, until it appraised positively. The other five… well, let’s just say I won’t ever be recommending Ebay-For-Opals.

Honesty and self-restraint really are all the more valuable when there’s no industry-wide standardization or regulation!


@Slick1 Thank you!!


Thank you @sunnyside74!!

I’ve never lost a piece of jewellery. Never. Nothing. Until I dropped one of the backs to these down a Hampton Inn drain in Idaho And thinking about how much worse it could have been makes me nauseous!

Healthy fear of drains has been restored, replacement earnuts are home, earrings are freshly cleaned and ready for tonight

 

[yssie]

Thank you @secretagentlaura!


@missy Thank you darling I’m thrilled with my opalicious opalooza!!

And my opalicious opalooza has a long way to go to catch up to your captivating Cartier!! Seeing your photos, and seeing my own photos of my stones, and now knowing a little bit more about how opals behave… I can start to imagine how spectacular your ring must be IRL!!


@Sparkles88 Thank you!! They’re delights to wear - unbelievably light and comfortable


Thank you @kathley!


@the_mother_thing Oh my goodness, thank you love I really couldn’t be happier with how these turned out!! They really are exceptionally well designed and crafted, your choice of wording is dead on!

This is probably going to sound strange, but my left ear faces forward a bit more than my right ear. It isn’t noticeable on naked ears, or when I’m wearing studs, but dangly earrings with clear planes of design highlight the asymmetry so all my dangly earrings are adjusted to be directional: bottom of the right earring is turned inward about five degrees. And the vendors that get it right and don’t look at me like I’m sprouting a third ear - VCA, Erika Winters, Caysie - well, they’re the ones I know I’ll go back to

… Apropos of nothing - I feel like lately I’ve been following you and @lovedogs around and just agreeing with everything you say. I’m not complaining I’d love to meet you both in-person one day!

 

[yssie]

@Dandi Thank you so much!! And of course my happiness here is being lucky enough to be able to photograph and wear these beauties


@yennyfire Thank you

Oh, believe me, I’m making special occasions out of the most unbelievably ordinary days

Sounds like a commercial. With these earrings, every day really is a special day! And they can be yours, right now, for just X installments of $Y.99, just pay shipping and handling…

Okay, terrible as that was, I’m laughing. I love these. They’re beautiful and wearable - a flighty, fickle juxtaposition that I honestly can’t ascribe to the majority of my dangly earrings. I wish I’d discovered opals years ago!!!


Thank you @Alex T!! I went to Caysie with stones and this paintjob:



And told her that I wanted "light", "Victorian", and "to obfuscate the slight differences in stone dimensions and dome height". This aesthetic is so very her - she read my mind, and found other wishes I didn't know to elucidate, and her first sketches were exactly what I wanted and hadn't envisioned

I can't recommend her enough!! She's an incredible designer and a dream to work with

 

[AntiqueSparkle]

*Sigh*... just coming back to drool over their beauty once again. They really are just so stunning.

 

[yssie]

@Bonfire Thank you!!

I had initially reached out to another vendor who had a stock bezel design that I liked, but she wasn’t comfortable setting my opals as she felt that precisely-shaped, precisely-sized bezels would only highlight the differences between the stones - and after she explained, well, I agreed with her. One of my priorities with Caysie was to visually minimize those disparities and she did a really extraordinary job of it!

I think this style is inherently quite forgiving - stones weren’t precision-cut during the period we reproduced, so some asymmetry was just the expectation. I actually originally wanted genuine old cuts, to embrace the unpredictability, but Yoram’s OECs were much more cost-effective… learning (after the fact!) that his aren't cut identically and have exactly the nuanced variance I’d wanted all along was a terrific surprise


@luv2sparkle You’re spot on: I think IRL more people have commented on these earrings than any other pair I own! Which I honestly wasn’t expecting at all - opals are so subtle compared to diamonds, and I’d have thought they’d command commensurate(ly less) attention…

Thank you so much I love them and I feel very special wearing them!


@arkieb1 Thank you!! And yes, I’ve noticed opals gaining popularity on here the last couple of years - I’d love to see them take off!!

You know I lived in Queensland for nearly half a decade? Why I’m only discovering opals now, from across the world


@elizat Thank you!! They’re gorgeous stones in-person - my photos really don’t do them justice. Much closer to Justin’s and Jordan’s videos than mine!


Thank you @bright ice! These four opals come to life at night; my last two are breathtaking during daytime. Their personalities are so different, and so vivid - the challenge was creating mounts that let them tell their stories, but even that wasn’t nearly as much of a challenge as it could have been - these stones speak loudly and clearly

 

[yssie]

Thank you @whitewave!!


@RockOnReen Oh my goodness I remember your tanzanite from eons ago!!!

How awesome to finally “meet” you!! And thank you so much for your kind words here!


@soxfan Thank you!!

I’m so glad you saw this thread - I told Caysie I wanted my halos to look just like your old cluster ring So now I’ve finally checked “soxfan cluster” off my list - it’s been on there for a very long time


@Queenie60 As someone who appreciates the many, many one-of-a-kind pieces you’ve had made over the years - thank you


@Catmom!! My sister in opal and diamond dangly earrings - thank you!! I confess I hope to have a few bugs coming my way later this year, too

 

[yssie]

@MakingTheGrade Thank you!! I’ll take “killer combo of vintage and quirky” as my win

The inspiration for asymmetry of colour came from VCA’s butterfly earrings - I figured if high-end jewellers get away with it, well, why not?
https://www.vancleefarpels.com/us/e...terfly/vcaro3m600-two-butterfly-earclips.html

And now that I’ve had a couple of successes with “asymmetry” - I seem to have developed something of an allergy for symmetry


@m-2-b Thank you!!

Though I have it on good authority that my collection still wants to be yours when it grows up


@dreamer_dachsie Thank you love!! The different colours absolutely make these earrings - I don’t think they’d be nearly as special uniform


Thank you @MissGotRocks


@liaerfbv I wish my other half had that reaction when I open PS threads!! I think he’s too worried I’ll immediately Go Out And Acquire to appreciate whatever I’m showing him

Thank you so much everything you point out is everything I love about them!! They were a bit of a risk... now I’m very happily cashing out on an exceptional reward

 

[soxfan]

Thank you @whitewave!!


@RockOnReen Oh my goodness I remember your tanzanite from eons ago!!!

How awesome to finally “meet” you!! And thank you so much for your kind words here!


@soxfan Thank you!!

I’m so glad you saw this thread - I told Caysie I wanted my halos to look just like your old cluster ring So now I’ve finally checked “soxfan cluster” off my list - it’s been on there for a very long time


@Queenie60 As someone who appreciates the many, many one-of-a-kind pieces you’ve had made over the years - thank you


@Catmom!! My sister in opal and diamond dangly earrings - thank you!! I confess I hope to have a few bugs coming my way later this year, too

I can't believe how absolutely perfect they are under macro pics!

 

[yssie]

@Crystal_Dreams, @Natylad Thank you darlings, both Your posts made me smile and I’m still smiling

The larger black is such a beautiful stone - my photos really don’t do it justice! Justin’s video is a completely accurate real-world portrayal of how this stone plays with light

In photos the earrings hang straight, but on the ear the top stone is angled downward a little, and the bottom stone is angled inward a little, and the result is that it’s difficult to tell that the stones don’t match because the eyes are actively expecting the angular difference to change apparent colour! But… given that I didn’t want to wait indefinitely to find matching rough - and wasn’t confident I’d be able to afford whatever Justin might come up with at some future date - I’m honestly “getting away with” taking more shortcuts than I ever expected to!



@Crystal_Dreams I love the idea that an exact match isn't necessary because they’re supposed to be asymmetric! If, at some point, the colour difference between the blacks bothers me, I’ll re-read your post and remember why in the middle of July 2019 I didn’t care one whit

@Natylad please tell your dear daughter that she’s made *me* feel like a princess this evening

 

[yssie]

Thank you @Madam Bijoux


@Lucy-In-The-Sky Thank you! And yes, you certainly do want opals, right now…


@TweetyBird23 Thank you!!


@icy_jade Thank you!!

I had so much fun taking these photos - these opals are so easy to photograph!! Not a bad angle to be found The only difficulty was waiting for the rain to stop long enough to set up outside!


@lissyflo Thank you!

I wound up buying, looking at, and returning a handful of opals last year - being able to look at several specimens in-person was every bit as helpful as one might imagine!

What surprised me was how differently various opals play with light, and how different stones really come alive in different lighting conditions - well, just like any other coloured stone I suppose I posted this video in an earlier response - the four opals on the bottom went into these earrings, and the two on top are still loose. Caysie’s got them - I don’t know what to do with them yet! . This video was taken outside on a cloudy day, and it does nothing at all for the opals in these earrings, but the top two look magnificent and the other video I’ve got (of all six indoors at night) shows exactly the opposite effect

Such unique and unpredictable stones

 

[yssie]

@lambskin Thank you!! And I know the sorts of B&W pearl pieces you’re talking about!

I completely agree re. having one earring of each type letting you appreciate them all - if I had one pair of blacks and one pair of whites I’d probably always reach for one or the other, for who knows what reasons

I was concerned the top two opals would be much too small, but I’m very happy with the proportions of opals + diamond halos. Just as you said - the size worked out really well!


Thank you @telephone89


Thank you @D&T!! And thank you again @TweetyBird23!!


@soxfan Yes!! These earrings are glorious under magnification! My ears, however… that’s where I draw the macro line


@mwang05 Thank you!! I really do love them, they turned out so perfectly

 

[liaerfbv]

@yssie My ears are also unmatched! My dad used to say "one car door was left slightly open." I've never thought about adjusting my earrings to accommodate said open car door and it's why I really only wear studs. You've opened a dangle door for me here.....

 

[yssie]

My dad used to say "one car door was left slightly open."

And yes!! I wore only studs for the longest time!!

Anything with one or two jump rings connecting what’s dangling to whatever goes into your ear is a breeze, just twist the jump ring(s) a little! I’ve done this at home with needle-nose pliers

If there are more jump rings, or there’s chain, or there’s no articulation between motifs, I’ve had more success with adjusting the angle of the stud portion and letting the remainder hang however it wants. Here’s what VCA did - it works beautifully!

 

[Catmom]

Thank you @whitewave!!


@RockOnReen Oh my goodness I remember your tanzanite from eons ago!!!

How awesome to finally “meet” you!! And thank you so much for your kind words here!


@soxfan Thank you!!

I’m so glad you saw this thread - I told Caysie I wanted my halos to look just like your old cluster ring So now I’ve finally checked “soxfan cluster” off my list - it’s been on there for a very long time


@Queenie60 As someone who appreciates the many, many one-of-a-kind pieces you’ve had made over the years - thank you


@Catmom!! My sister in opal and diamond dangly earrings - thank you!! I confess I hope to have a few bugs coming my way later this year, too

Oh I can't wait!! I'm eying a new one myself, lol.

 

[Crystal_Dreams]

I just wanted to say again that these stones are the most stunning opals I have ever seen. Honestly. That, coupled with Caysie’s AMAZING work just has me coming back to this thread over and over.

I actually went to dig out the one pair of earrings (Vesta) that I bought from Caysie years ago because of this. I love them though they’re nothing compared to yours! I’ve only ever worn them out twice because the hooks were too thick for my piercings... my piercings have been stretched out a little by my current studs though, so now they don’t hurt!

Because of your gorgeous earrings (I’m green with envy here), I have been wearing my Vestas around the house, in my PJs, while studying. My husband took one look at me yesterday and went ‘I thought you were meant to be studying... not playing in your jewellery box’. I had to explain that I had to wear them because I saw some BEAUTIFUL earrings that I want very badly, so I needed a dose of CVB fabulousness TO study and not look up opals.

 

[Acinom]

Out
Of
This
World

What a stunning set. These earrings are so beautifully made with amazing opals. Looks gorgeous on you. Great proportions

 

[yssie]

Oh I can't wait!! I'm eying a new one myself, lol.

Well of course you are, you're our resident gemological entomologist
So has this twinkle in the eye materialized yet?

Out
Of
This
World

What a stunning set. These earrings are so beautifully made with amazing opals. Looks gorgeous on you. Great proportions

Thank you so much @Acinom ! That means a lot from you, you have a spectacular collection of colour!

One of the reasons I shy from coloured stones is that my wardrobe is black, brown, grey, beige, and white - my clothing has so little colour that I'd have next to nothing to accessorize most gemstones with! White diamonds are easy - they match everything. I love these opals because they've got so much of every colour that they effectively serve the same function - I still don't have to commit to any one colour

 

[yssie]

I just wanted to say again that these stones are the most stunning opals I have ever seen. Honestly. That, coupled with Caysie’s AMAZING work just has me coming back to this thread over and over.

I actually went to dig out the one pair of earrings (Vesta) that I bought from Caysie years ago because of this. I love them though they’re nothing compared to yours! I’ve only ever worn them out twice because the hooks were too thick for my piercings... my piercings have been stretched out a little by my current studs though, so now they don’t hurt!

Because of your gorgeous earrings (I’m green with envy here), I have been wearing my Vestas around the house, in my PJs, while studying. My husband took one look at me yesterday and went ‘I thought you were meant to be studying... not playing in your jewellery box’. I had to explain that I had to wear them because I saw some BEAUTIFUL earrings that I want very badly, so I needed a dose of CVB fabulousness TO study and not look up opals.

Everything about this story makes me happy @Crystal_Dreams!!

Are you the origin of those earrings? I've always liked them! I was considering a pair for myself a few months ago when Caysie put them up on LT, but they were just too similar to other earrings I've already got to justify - #SelfControl is unsatisfying sometimes

I laughed out loud - your sparkle friends understand, even when our husbands don't!! Some people take TV breaks. We take bling breaks

I'm seeing Caysie in-person tomorrow!! I can't wait - I feel like I'm meeting a celebrity I got a rose cut oval from her a few months ago and she's been looking for a mate for me, and she thinks she's found the right company to cut it and with that I'm done with earrings! Done, I say!

I hope your studying (and the paper(s) you were studying for?) went well!!

 

[Crystal_Dreams]

Oh my goodness I’m SO jealous you’re meeting Caysie! I only wish I could! It’s a little far for me though!! What project do you have planned with the rose cuts?! I swear all your projects are always AMAZING!

If I had earrings as fabulous as your gorgeous opal and diamond earrings, I would wear THEM around the house in pyjamas while studying too!!

I sat the exam yesterday! No idea how it ended up going... fingers crossed I managed to get through it! I have spent the last 6 months of my life on this and I really want it back!

Unfortunately, I am not the origin of the Vesta earrings. I do believe I (may) have the original pair though! I nabbed them when Caysie had one of her flash sales years ago and I’m pretty sure she described having just created them as a new design in that listing! These earrings are HEFTY for me though! They weigh a total of 12g (that seems so little when I write it out) but for me, is a pretty decent weight! Back when my piercings were too small for the wires, the weight would tear at my ears and they would hurt now that they’re a little bigger though, the weight feels almost... luxurious? I’m always aware of them, that’s for sure!

 

[Weeivy73]

Yssie, I am obsessed with opals now because of you and Bron357. Decided to get a big 35ct crystal/jelly opal cut into 2 pieces to put aside for earrings. My husband actually said "Why do you need another pair of earrings?" "You only have one pair of ears!" I was of course stammering (read justifying) saying well this lovely woman on pricescope got these amazing opal and diamond earrings made....sigh.
I honestly come back to this thread so often.

 

[Catmom]

Well of course you are, you're our resident gemological entomologist
So has this twinkle in the eye materialized yet?

Not yet. I have to see what happens in FL in a couple weeks. I will be visiting my favorite shop down there and who knows what can happen, lol.

 

[junebug17]

@yssie, I thought these earrings were beautiful when I saw the initial pics...but I gasped when I saw the pics of you wearing them, they look absolutely gorgeous on you. Pure perfection!

 

[yssie]

Reviving this thread a year later... And the wonderful PS moderators changed the title for me...

 

[yssie]

Deleting duplicate*

 

[yssie]

Oh my goodness I’m SO jealous you’re meeting Caysie! I only wish I could! It’s a little far for me though!! What project do you have planned with the rose cuts?! I swear all your projects are always AMAZING!

If I had earrings as fabulous as your gorgeous opal and diamond earrings, I would wear THEM around the house in pyjamas while studying too!!

I sat the exam yesterday! No idea how it ended up going... fingers crossed I managed to get through it! I have spent the last 6 months of my life on this and I really want it back!

Unfortunately, I am not the origin of the Vesta earrings. I do believe I (may) have the original pair though! I nabbed them when Caysie had one of her flash sales years ago and I’m pretty sure she described having just created them as a new design in that listing! These earrings are HEFTY for me though! They weigh a total of 12g (that seems so little when I write it out) but for me, is a pretty decent weight! Back when my piercings were too small for the wires, the weight would tear at my ears and they would hurt now that they’re a little bigger though, the weight feels almost... luxurious? I’m always aware of them, that’s for sure!

I used to travel so much pre-COVID! Goodness, I miss it. Two of my accounts for work are based in San Francisco so I'd planned on seeing Caysie and Hisano fairly frequently one day when the world is back to normal!!


I'm laughing reading your commentary about your piercings. A year later - have you been wearing earrings? Have you been wearing dangly earrings?

I'm always careful with earring weight, but pre-COVID I felt that my piercings had stretched - I was actually starting to think about surgical repair... Post-COVID, well, I've been working from home, and my already-casual work environment has become even more casual, and I haven't worn earrings in six months. My ears were pierced when I was three years old. Exactly thirty years ago. Somehow those thirty year old piercings have healed to the point where my usual 18-gauge posts and hooks just won't go through Which is amazing and wonderful and marvellous!! And also completely aggravating - all my favourite earrings are on 1mm thick wire and I really don't want to spend a small fortune to have them all switched, but if the alternative is re-stretching those piercings...

I hope life down in your part of the world is going well @Crystal_Dreams ❤ We need to catch up properly

 

[yssie]

Yssie, I am obsessed with opals now because of you and Bron357. Decided to get a big 35ct crystal/jelly opal cut into 2 pieces to put aside for earrings. My husband actually said "Why do you need another pair of earrings?" "You only have one pair of ears!" I was of course stammering (read justifying) saying well this lovely woman on pricescope got these amazing opal and diamond earrings made....sigh.
I honestly come back to this thread so often.

My other half also insists on the thoroughly-unreasonable presumption that one pair of ears is incapable of hosting numerous disparate decorations. I've offered to have a second pair grafted on - he consistently declines. Just can't please 'em sometimes

Thank you so much! Thanks to COVID I haven't worn earrings in months - I put these on today for the first time in much too long. My piercings have shrunk noticeably - these posts are just thin enough to wiggle through! Once they're in, though, they're apparently still light enough and comfortable enough to "forget about" - because I did in fact forget, and I wore them grocery shopping with shorts and a T shirt

I had to check to see if there were any updates on your big opal - looks like you haven't been on PS in some time, I do hope you come back and share them one day

 

[yssie]

Deleting duplicate*

 

[yssie]

@yssie, I thought these earrings were beautiful when I saw the initial pics...but I gasped when I saw the pics of you wearing them, they look absolutely gorgeous on you. Pure perfection!

Please accept a very late and apologetic "thank you" @junebug17! ❤

 

[yssie]

Deleting duplicate*