daniiopal
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2008
- Messages
- 57
Date: 2/23/2009 4:28:56 AM
Author: daniiopal
but sadly since my template crumbled to pieces, now i guess no cutting for a few...
Date: 2/23/2009 10:35:02 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain
Those are fantastic. You really could find a market for them. I know I would like them!
Date: 2/23/2009 10:52:35 AM
Author: Richard M.
Date: 2/23/2009 4:28:56 AM
If I knew where to send it I''d get you a new template. What kind are you looking for? Just shapes or do you want it calibrated in mm? Round, oval, square, ??
Have you tested your opals for stability? How are the first ones you cut doing? Any signs of crazing? Are you mining the opal or working with surface material? If mining, at what depth? Most of the material you''ve posted appears to be full-spectrum crystal opal with differing potch colors. The play of color is very fine. The stones you''ve cut appear to be very fine material.
Richard M.
Thank you Richard and i appreciate the offer.
To be honest, i just usually use which ever shape fits best to the rough i want to cut, to get the most out of it. The one template i had was rather large but had so many shapes; ovals, round, squares hearts etc.
I am curious to know what stability tests are the most effective myself but yes i have done some tests i thought to be helpful i found on the internet.
The first ones i cut are up to now stable. No signs of crazing nor cracks. I once left some of the stones on my dashboard n couldn''t touch them for a minute... got hot as the leather in the african sun... but nothing!!!
Concerning the mining, I started off with surface material, mostly the ones found in nodules but found that most don''t last not more than a few weeks. Some do.
But this particular fissure variety is quite stable. more than 90% if not more of my finds has been good to me, up until now.
But save from a ''mexican fire'' opal variety, of which 5% turns out to be stable, ... but unlike those i''ve seen on most pictures on the net, these have concentrated ''pinfire'' and not just a fiery red base color. i''ll post some of the stable ones.
Concerning depth, well i don''t mine as a profession, just as a hobby, i usually go around with my pickaxe, no machinery, n ''mine'' by this river cut gorge with steep walls of maybe 30meters high, somewhat weathered into a cavern.
I really don''t know what a full spectrum crystal is... they''re just puurrtty to me.
All of the opals i find are bright in color if not sometimes more spectacular.
The base colors are different and in an assorted variety. But i usually have to go further upriver for the brown variety, which i usually find an excuse not to
Other than that though Richard, thank you for your comments on the color. I would have appreciated any comments on the cut, especially from a rockhound like you, but i guess you can''t win the hearts of all of them.
I would appreciate any and all tips on the mining, stability testing, cutting or anything related to opals if you''d be nice enough.
Date: 2/24/2009 2:05:49 PM
Author: Richard M.
Daniiopal,
''Crystal'' opal is any transparent opal with such intense play of color you can''t easily see through it. ''Jelly'' opal is transparent but has less intense play of color and is easily seen through. ''Full spectrum'' means that all rainbow (spectrum) colors are visible. Some opals show only one or maybe 2 or 3 spectral colors. Some are full spectrum multicolors. In others the predominant color like red, green, orange etc. determines whether a stone is ''red crystal,'' ''green crystal,'' etc.
Richard, what is the name of this variety by any chance?
Date: 3/4/2009 7:01:55 PM
Author: Richard M.
Judging from the image I''d call it Orange Crystal. Opal of this type without spectral play of color is found in Mexico, Brazil, the USA and elsewhere, and the yellow-orange-red varieties are called fire opal.
Sometimes those potch colors also display play of color and they''re often mistakenly called fire opal as well. Opals with orange and other potch colors displaying spectral color play are also found in many places besides Mexico. To prevent confusion opal experts recommend that they be be named first for the potch color (in this case orange) and then ''crystal,'' which distinguishes them from fire opal. Typical names include ''black crystal,'' ''yellow crystal,'' ''green crystal,'' etc. Transparent clear opal with intense color play is simply called ''crystal.''
These terms follow a fairly new comprehensive opal nomenclature system put forward in Australia. If adopted worldwide I think it would greatly lessen the confusion surrounding opal types and their names.
Date: 3/5/2009 1:15:44 AM
Author: redfaerythinker
Want want want want want! Opals are my birthstone too and yours are just about the prettiest i've ever seen! I'd be glad to take some 'mistakes' off your hands.Have you thought about an Etsy store? I think it might be easier than ebay for you.
Oh this one is just gorgeous!Date: 2/19/2009 11:08:10 AM
Author: daniiopal
thanks all... i just can''t stop taking pictures as i see a new color or smthin new on it at it snap ....