What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3 ct?

[duker]

What would be the price of an opal, crystal clear, oval cut, faceted, with all the rainbow colours -specially red in the centre-, and the colours can be seen with normal interior incandescent valve light 60 watts, sparkling nicely?

3.x carats. Aigs Certified. Please give me some rate.

The red, which is almost in the centre, is what some call "stars pattern" like this one http://www.opalinda.com/images/stories/wollostarass.jpg, but with many colours around, with other patterns.

 

[chrono]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Every slight nuance of colouration, transparency, background colour and more will have an impact on pricing. To guess based on an example picture means being possibly VERY far off the mark. Posting an actual picture goes a long way in getting a better estimate and receiving responses.

 

[duker]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Here are some images, of the same opal with different angles -so it shows many different colours and patterns-. All were taken without flash, only with inner house incandescent bulb light, without windows lights or something like that.






As I know, opals are more colourful when they are under sun light or other more powerful lights. So, I think that the fact that with inner house incandescent light the opal have so many colours, increases its value. I hope.

Now I hope you can give me some appraisal. Thank you.

 

[Starzin]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Duker I would think it's nigh impossible for someone on PS to give you an idea of the value of this stone online. If you have bought it, or have it for evaluation, your best bet is to take it to a qualified appraiser who is familiar with opals.

 

[chrono]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Is the entire opal polished and faceted or only a portion? The sides all around the opal looks "rough". Also, a dark background greatly enhances colour play. Any pictures on a neutral white background?

 

[duker]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Is the entire opal polished and faceted or only a portion? The sides all around the opal looks "rough". Also, a dark background greatly enhances colour play. Any pictures on a neutral white background?

It is faceted and polished, in oval cut, entirely. I think it has the same transparency from every side, but because of the cut the edges portion looks different, as I took the photos focused on the main face, and the edges have a cut with different angles. That could explain your perception. But if I change the angle of view, or move the opal, I can see through, as with the main face.

I will get some other pictures with different background tonight. Even if I think that white is not really neutral, but the opposite extreme, if black is an extreme.

 

[ieatbugs]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

What would be the price of an opal, crystal clear, oval cut, faceted, with all the rainbow colours -specially red in the centre-, and the colours can be seen with normal interior incandescent valve light 60 watts, sparkling nicely?

3.x carats. Aigs Certified. Please give me some rate.

The red, which is almost in the centre, is what some call "stars pattern" like this one http://www.opalinda.com/images/stories/wollostarass.jpg, but with many colours around, with other patterns.

For what purpose are you trying to determine its value?

 

[duker]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Is the entire opal polished and faceted or only a portion? The sides all around the opal looks "rough". Also, a dark background greatly enhances colour play. Any pictures on a neutral white background?

Here I have a new set of photos, this time with the same light conditions (only incandescent valve, inner house, no windows, no flash), but with a white sheet of paper of background. I present the photos without any colour enhance, and, as you can see, due to light conditions, paper does not seem white, and it is very dark... So, as I am not sure about what you request, I also present some photos with automatic colour correction, to make the background seem whiter.







Also I did the transparency test of looking black letters through the opal to prove it is crystal clear:


I have to say that the colours visible here are less that the ones I could see when I took the photos; so, in live, the stone is more colourful. Taking photos to an opal is pretty hard, I had discovered...

 

[chrono]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Thank you. The reason I asked is to find out the body colour, which is actually white and to note the transparency. With a dark background, it makes it difficult to evaluate that. That said, I do understand that colour play is notoriously difficult to photograph. Any idea of the origin of the opal? I'm just wondering if it is stable or is at risk for crazing.

I second the question about valuation. Are you trying to find out if you got ripped off / found a bargain or wondering about insurance purposes?

 

[duker]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Thank you. The reason I asked is to find out the body colour, which is actually white and to note the transparency. With a dark background, it makes it difficult to evaluate that. That said, I do understand that colour play is notoriously difficult to photograph. Any idea of the origin of the opal? I'm just wondering if it is stable or is at risk for crazing.

They say it is from Welo Ethiopia, but the report does not state it, so I am not sure. Is there any test for the stability? Would a mohs scale test show it? Or is stability different from mohs scale? Also I think that this should have been tested at the lab when the report was made -it was a "full" report-. But the report does not say the mohs scale.

Also, what does it mean that it is white? If I can see through it, does it still have colour?
Is it good to be white?

 

[duker]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

I second the question about valuation. Are you trying to find out if you got ripped off / found a bargain or wondering about insurance purposes?

For what purpose are you trying to determine its value?

I will buy it from someone I know here, and after I will sell it set in a gold pendant with diamonds, else I will probably keep it.

So I want to know a price to buy it and sell it. At least, the common market price of this stone in common stores.

 

[ieatbugs]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

I second the question about valuation. Are you trying to find out if you got ripped off / found a bargain or wondering about insurance purposes?

For what purpose are you trying to determine its value?

I will buy it from someone I know here, and after I will sell it set in a gold pendant with diamonds, else I will probably keep it.

So I want to know a price to buy it and sell it. At least, the common market price of this stone in common stores.

If you want to know the common market price of this stone in common stores then it's probably better to go do a survey of stores.

I don't really think it's fair to request a price that came from an internet forum to be honored.

 

[chrono]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Welo opals are generally stable so no worries there. MOH has nothing to do with the possible risk factor of crazing. This is not something that labs typically test for. Yes, the body colour can be considered white, the transparency can be considered transparent to transclucent. Opals from that region generally have a white body colour.

I feel uncomfortable in giving an estimate for the purpose of reselling. Worse yet, there is little standardized pricing on Welos but if pressed, I'd say Welos are around 1/4 the price of an equivalent Australian opal. Welos probably will remain a low valued and niche market item.

 

[duker]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

If you want to know the common market price of this stone in common stores then it's probably better to go do a survey of stores.
I don't really think it's fair to request a price that came from an internet forum to be honored.

I feel uncomfortable in giving an estimate for the purpose of reselling. Worse yet, there is little standardized pricing on Welos but if pressed, I'd say Welos are around 1/4 the price of an equivalent Australian opal. Welos probably will remain a low valued and niche market item.

I will buy this because he needs the money, and I want to pay him some decent quantity.

Also stores near here only have doublets and stuff like that, so I don't have access to good opal stores, I though you have some idea of the prices, that is why I ask here.

Please do not feel uncomfortable, there is not reason to do it. I am not trying to use this as a certificated appraisal to justify prices, I only want to have some ideas of the approximate market value.

 

[chrono]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Let me put it this way - what is his asking price? I feel better this way to tell you if it is a fair price, low or too high. I can tell you that it is not worth very much though.

 

[duker]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Let me put it this way - what is his asking price? I feel better this way to tell you if it is a fair price, low or too high. I can tell you that it is not worth very much though.

Approx. $410 USD.

 

[chrono]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

That's a bit on the high side. My estimate would have been around $200, then again, I am basing it on what I see in your pictures and not with the stone in hand.

 

[ChrisA222]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Chrono, can you shed some light on why the Welo Opals have such low value compared to the Australian material? Some of the Welos are pretty amazing.

There's a huge disparity with the Aussie Opals. You see these god-awful white things, with no transparency/translucency, and little specks of color. These are the ones you see inthe dept stores. Those look nowhere near as nice as the Welo Opals like the one the OP posted, int he low price range ($100/ct or whatever).

Im not talking about the Lightening Ridge Black Opal...

Why do they seem to be so low-priced and undervalued even if their color-play is leaps and bounds better than the low end commercial Aussie stuff which is priced comparably?

I am admittedly far from an Opal expert...but I am curious in your opinion, Chrono.

Pic represents the Aussie Opal that Im referring to, probably costing similar to what the OP has posted.

 

[chrono]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Hey now, the picture you showed is the cheap mall type that is vastly overpriced! If you tried to buy it online, it probably costs a fraction of the asking price too.

I agree that some Welos are simply too beautiful for words with unbelievable colour play. The "problem", if you want to put it that way, is that the market is very niche one. Many jewellers and gemstone sellers refuse to stock them. There is no proper handling and distribution line for this, much the same way Mexican opals used to experience.

 

[duker]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

Hey now, the picture you showed is the cheap mall type that is vastly overpriced! If you tried to buy it online, it probably costs a fraction of the asking price too.

I agree that some Welos are simply too beautiful for words with unbelievable colour play. The "problem", if you want to put it that way, is that the market is very niche one. Many jewellers and gemstone sellers refuse to stock them. There is no proper handling and distribution line for this, much the same way Mexican opals used to experience.

Then is this a marketing tactic to keep australian opals as the only ones, in a monopoly worldwide?

 

[chrono]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

There is no attempt to deliberately monopolize one opal type over the other. It is only due to not having a good distribution pipeline, lack of exposure, marketing and illegal smuggling.

 

[Starzin]

Re: What is the price of crystal clear oval cut facet opal 3

While Welo and Australian opal are vastly different and therefore priced differently, folk reading this thread may be interested in this site http://www.opalsdownunder.com.au/learn-about-opals/introductory/how-opal-valued. They also have videos and lots of info about each opal for comparison.

Chris: Not only body colour but pattern of colour is extremely important in Australian opal valuation. See also http://www.opalauctions.com/docs/opal-information/black-opal-brightness-and-pattern-charts.

I just discovered a whole page on that site for judging Welo, so that might help Duker http://www.opalauctions.com/docs/opal-information/ethiopian-opals-grading-chart

I believe Welo is also far more water sensitive than Australian opal as it has a quite different structure I think. As it dries out can go quite cloudy. This doesn't really happen to Aussie opal that I'm aware of.

This was the first faceted opal (probably Welo) that I had seen, online or anywhere else and I thought it was outstanding. It was on an auction site and long gone