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

[Catmom]

So this is totally just me hogging my own thread at this point, but they're on their way out to Caysie...

I expect this whole thing will take several months so I took a couple more pics to tide myself over... I scotch taped the new baby red on top of the old blue - SO much better, oh my goodness! I had to force myself to stop gawking!!

Can't wait to see the finished earrings!

 

[Slickk]

@yssie I totally agree, the new one really is a better match and I admire your patience and perseverance on this project! They’re amazing earrings/pieces of art!!

ETA I never appreciated opals (my own birthstone) prior to your project! Probably because I’ve never seen such gorgeous specimens.

 

[yssie]

@yssie I totally agree, the new one really is a better match and I admire your patience and perseverance on this project! They’re amazing earrings/pieces of art!!

I *much* prefer “patience and perseverance” to “lengths to which some will go in the quest for mind-clean”

It took me years and years and years to appreciate opals and pearls!! They’re so subtle, and I spent ages only wanting diamond-esque flash and #InYourFace-edness. But there’s something magical about gemstones that are formed ready to go, no work involved except to uncover whatever nature created… They feel very honest. Faceting won’t improve anything, what you see is what you get

Of course, if a lil’ snip snip could’ve fixed up my mismatch problem that would have been a heck of a lot faster and cheaper. Hoist by my own petard on this one, it seems

 

[yssie]

Boring little nothing update but I can't seem to not overshare, I'm super excited about this redo
Caysie's sending the new opal out to Sako's dad to be shaved down to 5.9-6.0mm long. She didn't love the thought of recasting the tops, as that would change melee fit, so when we get newbie back - depending on how it looks - we might play some games with blackening the interior of the basket to give the visual of a chubbier shape...

 

[Rfisher]

What a glorious pair of earrings these are and will be.


I’ll admit in more than a few of the pics you showed with the much better match opal choice,
I was like ‘wait…. what ?!?!? how is that a better match…I must be blind I just don’t see it’
And chalked it up to my monitor or just having little experiences with opal.

Your videos. My goodness.
They really do show the difference and (not that it matters) I can now see and appreciate what you are meaning in the color match.

Your pictures are always impeccably done. Now it’s videos too.

Thank you for letting us ride along with you on this journey for your earrings. It’s interesting, entertaining and wonderful eye candy.
Outrageously gorgeous earrings.

 

[yssie]

@Rfisher You are just the sweetest!! Thank you!!

And I *totally* get not seeing WTH I’m talking about. It’s not some sort of big night-and-day difference. Even IRL!! Let’s be real, this is the type of improvement we should really stash in the “she’s obsessing” file, goodness knows my husband definitely has - I think he's so sick of me talking about these stones that he's willing to pay for the redo just to shut me up

Even though both the old small back and the new small black are N4 body, and B5 brightness, the new looks lighter bodied to me. I don't know if it actually is lighter, maybe it's on the lighter end of the N4 range and the old small is on the darker end of the same range... Or if the red/purple body is changing my perception of body tone... I'm so glad the videos were helpful in conveying what my eyes are seeing!! I'm actually interested to hear that the videos were much more helpful than the photos, I tend to operate with a StillPicturesAreBest mentality. So I'll definitely have to get some decent videos when they're all done!!

I'm actually really excited about being able to take photos of them again. Even more than actually wearing them. I know that sounds pretty crazy! But so much of what I enjoy about my bling is being able to photograph it, and look at all those pretty pictures. In my earlier pics I kinda avoided direct head-on shots, outside of very specific lighting types, because those views mostly highlighted the difference between the blacks. And they're such pretty earrings - it's so easy to find other more flattering angles, y'know? But with them all fixed up like this there will be nothing to avoid. They'll be as perfect as I can possibly get, within my real-world constraints of finite budget and patience, and I'll be so happy to be able to show them off without any secret hesitations

 

[diamondyes]

I totally understand the obsessing over jewelry type of modifications

 

[yssie]

Y'all.

Four years after my first attempt... I've got my #Forever final earrings.

Words cannot convey how satisfied I am. Completely, thoroughly, wholly, fully satisfied. No more niggling "I wish, but I can live with it...", no more "let me just see what else is available...", no more compromises.

The way I described it to my husband: Before it kinda looked like I saw something amazing in a big brand's display and had an inspired-by made; now I think it looks more like I just bought the display piece.

My opal year in summary:
I bought a replacement for the old top black opal (to better match the bottom black's colour), had Sako recut it to match the top white opal's length, he also recut the top white to match the new black's width and depth, and then Caysie recast the top halos. The CADs show how the shape changed (ignore the CAD opal colours!) - I much prefer the new oval-er tops!!




And the blacks match so well now!! That purple undertone, those deep red flashes - apparently it's a rather rare opal colour. I mean, I guess I can validate that, given that it took three years to find a second stone that I could afford and that was big enough to recut to the dimensions I needed



The top white looks a little more green than the bottom white in most of the pics. This is true IRL too, in many (not all, but many) lighting conditions, but the photos exaggerate the colour difference compared to viewing with two eyes, and tilting it downward a little (when it's worn in the earlobe) actually brings out the pink. They're close enough to be genuinely mind clean for me.

... And Caysie's CAD artist and bench agree

 

[yssie]

Bunches of pics in different lighting conditions



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[yssie]

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[yssie]

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[yssie]

And my very last opal piece!! At least, for the forseeable-several-times-over future

Our @diamondseeker2006 bought a white opal from Black Opal Direct several years ago and ended up taking her project in a different direction. When she mentioned she might rehome it, well, I'm basically her personal scavenger in all things #bling, so...

From Black Opal Direct's original listing:

3.02ct, 12 x 8 x 4.5mm
Lighting Ridge
Body tone: N7
Brightness: B3
Dome: Medium
Predominant Colours: Orange

And the listing photo:



Caysie sat on it for nearly two years whilst I waffled. Until last year, when I had her Prima halo made for my MIL with a turquoise cab, and it was so obviously exactly what I needed as well

 

[yssie]

Prima with 14k unplated WG bezel and 14k RG halo - metals chosen for colour

Caysie's photos:



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[yssie]

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Outside FedEx

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[yssie]

Couple more randoms with my cuff - that show the (very!!) different flavours of colour play - I'll never pair the cuff with ring or earrings.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

What do you even say after seeing perfection like this?

Just put them all on me while I'm out.

 

[LilAlex]

The way I described this redo to my husband: Before it kinda looked like I saw something amazing in a big brand's display and had an inspired-by made; now I think it looks more like I just bought the display piece.

Wow, those are just spectacular! The opals are individually gorgeous and even more amazing as a pair of pairs.

And kudos on the salesmanship!

I am pretty confident that one has already been designated the left one and the other the right one -- tell me I'm wrong.

 

[LilAlex]

And: what an incredible ring!



This looks 100 years old in the best possible way! Congratulations! Amazing vision and execution.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Couple more randoms with my cuff - that show the (very!!) different flavours of colour play - I'll never pair the cuff with ring or earrings.

The earrings are sublime but the ring on your hand made me gasp.

 

[lovedogs]

I gasped when I saw the pic with the cuff, earrings, and ring. Swooooon

 

[SparklieBug]

Can we have a triple “heart“ button option, rather than just one?!

The ring is especially outstanding! Your earrings are also gorgeously executed…but the ring!!!

 

[empliau]

I love opals - in fact, my first piece of jewelry that I chose and wore for many years was an opal ring. Your opals are the crown jewels. They are exquisite, fabulous. I should be getting ready, but I am just mesmerized by this thread.

OMG they're so lovely. I thought the earrings were stunning to begin with, and I have never been a person who matches things - my sister for years described me as the one who wears plaid with stripes - and yet once the new black opal was brought to its rightful home, those earrings soar. They ascend the firmament.

The ring is gorgeous. The rose and white gold bring out the subtleties of the fire. And on your hand, wow!

But the bracelet. Those two stones (it's hard for me to think of opals as stones - they look more like living things) in the Cora are so wonderful. Something about it just speaks to me. (That's not me, looking for Cora on CVB's Instagram. Not when I have grading to finish. Absolutely not.)

If we ever have a GTG here on the east coast, I will come a very long way to see any of your collection!

 

[yssie]

What do you even say after seeing perfection like this?

Just put them all on me while I'm out.

Not if you’re planning to topple down stairs with them

For real though, I was thinking earlier today, now to make sure nothing ever happens to them because there is absolutely *no* possibility I’ll ever be up for trying this project again! Matching opals is actually worse than matching pearls

The earrings are sublime but the ring on your hand made me gasp.

Thank you!! I went through so many ideas - normal halo, double halo, side stones, coloured stones… But then I saw the my MIL’s ring and it was a total cartoon popup lightbulb moment

Here’s her ring, I was blown away when I saw it and she adores it and wears it daily

 

[maru8888777]

Not if you’re planning to topple down stairs with them

For real though, I was thinking earlier today, now to make sure nothing ever happens to them because there is absolutely *no* possibility I’ll ever be up for trying this project again! Matching opals is actually worse than matching pearls




Thank you!! I went through so many ideas - normal halo, double halo, side stones, coloured stones… But then I saw the my MIL’s ring and it was a total cartoon popup lightbulb moment

Here’s her ring, I was blown away when I saw it and she adores it and wears it daily

Oh my goodness... I don't even wear turquoise but this is divine!

 

[Catmom]

I'm dying here, absolutely dying of opal envy. Your pieces are all magnificent. I just can't.............sigh.

 

[LightBright]

I really appreciate reading your meticulous and inspired adventures creating with genius artisans! Your visionary collection is marvelous. Thanks for once again sharing.

 

[yssie]

Wow, those are just spectacular! The opals are individually gorgeous and even more amazing as a pair of pairs.

And kudos on the salesmanship!

I am pretty confident that one has already been designated the left one and the other the right one -- tell me I'm wrong.

#WhiteyRighty, you're not wrong The ring is a RHR so all the whites on the same side. I told my husband I needed another black in a ring. He politely declined to buy me one

The ring turned out so well. Even better than I'd expected. I was originally leaning toward a rose cut halo but... It would have worked. It would certainly have worked. But I wouldn't have loved it. Caysie told me not to do the halo, she was right

Can we have a triple “heart“ button option, rather than just one?!

The ring is especially outstanding! Your earrings are also gorgeously executed…but the ring!!!

Thank you so much!!

 

[yssie]

I gasped when I saw the pic with the cuff, earrings, and ring. Swooooon

It is so difficult to take photos of all three!! The play of colour is SO dang different - they all #sing in such different ways! The bracelet black used to be my favourite but I’ve got a new gemcrush on the pair of blacks - something about the fact that it’s such a well-mated *pair* totally does it for me

Oh my goodness... I don't even wear turquoise but this is divine!

Isn’t it though!?

And the bright greeney blue suits MIL so well, it really glows on her I can’t wear turquoise, I’m too muted and it washes me out. I need more boring colours

I'm dying here, absolutely dying of opal envy. Your pieces are all magnificent. I just can't.............sigh.

THIS from PS’ Queen of Opals!! Um, yeah, I showed my husband this comment. He’s seen your pieces and remembers your little eight-armed fellow.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Prima with 14k unplated WG bezel and 14k RG halo - metals chosen for colour

Caysie's photos:



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major swoon

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Not if you’re planning to topple down stairs with them

For real though, I was thinking earlier today, now to make sure nothing ever happens to them because there is absolutely *no* possibility I’ll ever be up for trying this project again! Matching opals is actually worse than matching pearls




Thank you!! I went through so many ideas - normal halo, double halo, side stones, coloured stones… But then I saw the my MIL’s ring and it was a total cartoon popup lightbulb moment

Here’s her ring, I was blown away when I saw it and she adores it and wears it daily

major swoon #2