I lost most of this rough opal but cut an epic gem
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- čas přidán 13. 09. 2020
- Welcome to Black Opal Direct!
From a gigantic 40-carat rough nobby to a small but mighty gem.
It's been a while since I've taken you through my cutting process from start to finish, so I thought it was time I spill the beans once again. Watch how I take this messed up nobby from a face only a mother could love to a face fit for Vogue!
We'll cut this epic gem and chat about assessing rough, cutting tips, putting opal on a dop stick, using heat, and my best polishing tips!
This gets about as messy as eating a hard shell taco. The ending is just as delicious.
Full blog post here: blackopaldirect.com/blog/roug...
Thanks for watching!
Make sure to follow us on socials:
/ blackopaldirect
/ blackopaldirect
It's like Michelangelo taking a 400 ton piece of marble and creating a 6 ton David. It's not a waste of the 400 ton boulder. It's the joy of a 6 ton masterpiece!
When I saw the statue of David my wife said. Your bum looks like that haha.
@@blackopaldirect Close. My wife said "I wish your bum looked like that!"
@@michaellindsey1543 the trick is to see the statue and just remove all the rock that isn't statue! Same with opal...find the cab, remove the rest! ;)
When I saw it, I said, not Jewish.
If the statue David was the size of a pebble it wouldn't be as impressive
Me as an opal cutter: “that one is going in my collection” with every gem. 😍😍😍
Oh, I don't know, it works for me..
I have no intent of ever cutting stones or mining opal, but I love Your channel. It’s so interesting and captivating. You do beautiful work. Thank you.
So nova wheels are like people....
the more noise they make the less work they do! 😂
Hahahah spot on
Now that’s funny as hell.
He sells a lot.
Many times when I see the rough opals carved, ground and polished, there is a point where I see the unfinished stone with it's sand and imperfections as just as amazing as the final stone. Just as with people, it's not the perfect or beautiful that attracts my eye as much as how our flaws make us vastly more unique, complicated, and precious IMHO.
@landofahhs_1 - I agree, sometimes I would love to have the untouched original piece to keep as a beautiful natural specimen, especially with this one, that nobby was gorgeous!
The final gem was stunning, but the original piece had a wild, free beauty that had many stories to tell.
Those sand spots had no idea who they were dealing with😁😁
I completely agree a perfect stone is always better than a bigger stone👍👍
22:00 Thank you, Justin. You just gave me a lovely memory of my late mum. Whenever we did anything that required concentration, she always said "It's the way you hold your tongue that makes you do it right!". We lost her in 2013 and I still miss her every day! So... Thank you for the memory!
I don't have any experience with opals or cutting, but can agree with quality over quanitity. You are amazing, I am certain that your father would be so very proud of you! Thank you for sharing your wisdom, talents, and treasures!
I'm not a cutter or professional in the gem trade but completely agree with your logic. The smaller stone is so brilliant and beautiful that it definitely warrants the effort. Well done!
You have a masters’ eye for spotting the gem in the rough! Well done! It’s beautiful!
🙏
The finished work lasts forever and will represent the artist long after they're gone and forgotten. Why leave behind a "good" stone when you can leave behind a great one?
Yep, to me.. an absolute beginner, despite that having lovely colours. It looks like it would crack and break up into maybe 2-4 gem pieces that I would cut... but thats 40seconds in... so now I will sit back and watch how a pro does it! (thanks so much!). Edit: End of the video and I can see he did so much more than what I would have set out to do. I was thinking it would break (and I probably would hve heated it enough to break) into at least two probably three parts. So that is why I love these shows from a real expert. Every video helps. Thanks so much.
I was thinking similarly. Looked like he could carve one good stone off and still have a good or even great stone left to grind out. Gorgeous result.
Nerves of steel required, and that’s just me watching!
I can't believe how much you wasted there, you completely cut out all those lovely patches of brown opal 😉.
😆😆
Lol love it
Funnily enough, I agree...but Im a massive fan of boulder opal and not so much of clean cut stones...a tad odd considering Im an opal cutters kid. And sister...and Ive pottered with it myself. I think its just more rustic, which I really like. Wonderful stone though and all the equipment brings back memories.
Yeah! Gotta get me some of that quaity matrix! The red opal pill or the blue opal pill....?
Funny!
You come off so friendly and positive its hard to imagine you in serious negotiations for the purchase of a parcel.
I'm not even serious then haha
What a tiny beuty! Love how clear it is and that you managed to get a double sided cut, well done 👏
I am in loooove to Karen. It’s awesome and fell into my collection accidentally after I made the video. 😂
Can you do a video about the rough opal buying process? Do you always buy from the same miners? Do you have to go out to lightning ridge, or do they come to you? Do you barter, or do they just decide the final price? How many pieces are usually in a rough opal parcel? How often do you buy? Etc
Am very interested in this as well. Thank you.
I too would like some info on buying in the rough. It would be very helpful to anyone who is thinking of trying a first time experience of hand rubbing a stone. Love your videos!
That would be interesting.
Yes that would be interesting to see
Yes, That is a great idea!!!
So crazy how something so small can warrant such a high price tag. Although, opal is priceless. Food for thought
I seem to be the only one who finds this satisfyingly relaxing, not anxiety provoking lol
I love the comment about holding your tongue in the right place. I hold my tongue out every time I concentrate. My parents said I staeted that before I was one year old. Still doing it at age 73. New subscriber.
It honestly works.. haha.. welcome to our channel Janise!
Content is king and Justin is wearing the crown.
Like a tiara or something? 😆
Am I the only one of us that honestly has anxiety when watching Justin’s videos. He’s incredible at doing this. I thought that piece was gone along time then whamo an another absolutely gorgeous gem is made.
I know that I'm years late, but NICE save and a real gemy stone. OpAl.. one of my favorite obsessions ! I'm NO pro like you but I have actually won awards for cutting.. in high school 1/2 a century ago and some fond memories. Life gets in the way of dreams. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. 👍
Been waiting to see a rough turned into an all around gem! Beautiful result.
It's amazing to think about how long it has taken these pieces to form in the earth. Just beautiful.
That was an amazing Lesson Justin. Thank you so much, can not wait to have all my tools to start cutting opals of my own.
Justin to us: "you're going to be okay. You're going to be okay!"
Your crazy 4 or 5 grand
I am glad to hear you're keeping this one. It's truly superb.
mother nature is such a tease sometimes mixing such great colour with so many challenges :-)
Beautiful gem..been waiting "patiently" all week and you never disappoint.
I love this show because it is a real adventure into what can be created out of some pretty rough looking stones. This gem is just beautiful!
You are making me fall in love with opals even more, this is incredible! I would love to learn how to do that myself one day.
What a pleasure to watch that magic gem come outa that mess of sand throughout it at the start! I would be keeping it too haha!
I love your passion for opal! It's what keeps me coming back. This one turned out magnificent.
The passion is infectious
That was amazing... I was looking at the the piece thinking where is the gem and you showed us exactly what was there. Double sided too - what a beautiful gem. Thanks for taking us on the journey!
Whoever tells you, too much was cut, you did it wrong or anything negative, they have never been you. Ignore their comments. I love what you do!!!
Thank you 🙏 Obie
I always get so excited when I see there’s a new video from you! Yay!
🙏🙏❤️
The color always looks amazing when the stones 2 jacked up 2 cut love these videos
Once again, an amazing transformation. I'm surprised anything came out of the mess you started with. You are a genius.
That was an awesome Journey! I'm glad that you kept it in your collection, a true gem. I would hope to see the collection someday.
Exceptional content! Thank you for educating us on the wonderful world of Opal. Keep up the great work!
Look forward to buying some Opal from you soon, would be an honour to buy from you in person if I’m ever in Australia 😊
A fan from the UK ✌️
God bless you
"How to turn a rock into a multicolored m&m".... :-)
Skittle
Mmmmm skittles......
@@blackopaldirect Used to be called "Smarties" when I was a kid.
@@ianrobertson2282
They are still called "Smarties" here in Germany.
And it's still impossible to just eat a handful...
10 mins later the cat eats it >.
So beautiful done, love the colors and opals too!
Justin you did it again. A spectacular job on cutting the bad parts off the original piece.
well done as usual , keep the uploads coming sir
Thanks John
Absolutely stunning gem, that will bring you or its future owner much enjoyment.
Watching you do your craft is so enjoyable and makes me so happy to see someone like you that really loves what they do and is so proud of what they create.
Who argues with the master! Awsum job Justin. Weĺl done really enjoyed it. Worth the wait.x
I literally just got around to checking your channel today for a new video!
Yay 😁
That's like using a vegetable peeler on a large carrot and ending up with a single carrot stick
I did end up with a single carat.....
But what a TASTY carrot stick it will be!
I kept going back to the beginning and it was such a pretty piece to start would have made such a nice necklace.
That opal turned out beautiful with such amazing play of colour. I knew you had the confidence to turn a piece of rough into a gem. That flame from your burner was mesmerising. Well done Justin
I'll take 50% of awesome any day over 100% of crappy 😎 I've sacrificed some 75% Of really beautiful TOURMALINE to get even a nice 10mm stone.but it's worth it every time...
Well said
awesome
just got my cabbing machine and I'd like to say " stop making it look so easy". At least drop it a few times so we know your human. lol. Love your show mate
😆😆😆❤️❤️🙏🙏
Wonderful! Many times less is more!
Always enjoy your play by play analysis.
Love your work. Thank you for everything you do and the work you put in to teach us about opals and gem cutting.
For a minute I thought you were going to cut a emerald or Cushing cut opal. Then I thought a cube shaped opal. Then I thought a trillion cut. Then pear shape cut. Then from the rock just like that a beautiful “flippy” (I like to call them that) gem opal.
Haha
What's up justin looks great!
Enjoy
It's the blue sweater! Great color for you. Nice gem!!
I'm not a gemologist, I just love watching your videos. Around 1/4 of the way through I was like "oohs green/blue!! Cut there, grind away!" Lol and then that's what you did! Thanks for a beautiful stone!
I love watching your technique. I am retired bench jeweler but taught myself how to take customers damaged opals and recut and polish. I just used a dipping stick and held the stone with crazy glue until the job was finished. You have gorgeous opal .
6:25 It's in its prime right there.
my friend first dremils the sand out then he makes the shapes... he says its a better 3d view
Absolutely fascinating! You have really turned me into a opal lover!
opals are mesmerising but watching you work on them is spellbinding. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, and at the risk of sounding demanding; more please!
Haha Max I’m not going anywhere and thank you
Sure looked like a loser piece of rough. I think I would have just scrolled passed it to the next piece. Besides the sand it also looks like a breaker with all the sharp corners and the broken faces. Nice little beauty there Justin.
Holy cow that is AMAZING! Thank you for sharing.
The details you show is amazing! Great camera work.
Thanks mate. Sharing knowledge is the only way to keep the olds ways alive, you're doing a good thing. Keep up the good work.
Much appreciated
You can't have regrets. Nor can you judge. The artist is in a position we can never be in. Beautiful opal!
Love the purple and red in that amazing gem. 😍
Exellent work ! 👏
(It's a keeper) 😁
Absolutely love these videos! Best part of my day. Please keep these long videos coming, its therapeutic 🥰
Glad you like them John
Out of chaos and madness comes serenity and beauty. The explanations were very useful. Your tips are always pertinent to the stone and more to follow. Thanks for sharing such a magnificent trip. Be safe and stay healthy 😁⚒
This was my first opal experience, eventually cracked as well so I tumbled the chips and small oval pieces I hand sanded without machines, the rock tumbler was able to shake out all those sand spots leading to an opal gem,
15$ is extremely cheap for an Ethiopian opal and your struggles with this one really reminded me of my experience with my first gem.
Thank you so much for this awesome video.
It turned out gorgeous, thanks for sharing your time.
That was amazing!
When you started cutting that nobbie, I had no idea how you would proceed, which side you were going to choose.
But you, being the "Yoda of opal cutting" made exactly the right choices! 👍
And what a wonderful little gem you found in there!
Congratulations, Justin! 👏
Hey I resemble that yoda comment 😆 thank you
Beautiful job, it looks absolutely stunning!
Awesome!!👍👍👍 You did it again, Justin👌
I've learned so much about opal watching your channel. Recently got back into gem / rock collecting, not done it since I was a kid and spent quite a lot so far. Hope to get a nice big rough opal specimen some day. Maybe from you :D
I enjoy all of your videos and I love the confidence that you bring to the video when cutting your opals I've watched some other people try and it's interesting is all I will say I really enjoy your expertise and your cutting experience it is driving my want to learn how to cut and polish opal for myself . I have been bitten by your opal fever when I have enough time and money I will be buying my first parcel through you if possible please lol lots of love from Justin T and my boys , in Portland Oregon.
Thanks Justin for the kind words.
I love your video because I am learning from you the things my father would not teach me because of his lack of patiences, thank you for such a gift I can never tell you how much it means to me to watch you.
Stunning and beautiful before and especially after, just gorgeous!
I feel I am experienced from your all of your experience in all your videos. You are a master craftsman...an artist. You have the eye for it and thank you for sharing your craft.
The sand giveth.
And the sand taketh away.
I bet there are days where you’d just love to take a ball bat to the sand lol.
But your patience and perseverance paid off.
Very beautiful gem, a true master at work.
Hate to say it, but the uncut rock with its suggestions of greatness was to me worth more than the tiny pure opal that you finally found. So sad to grind away so much beauty.
Love how quickly you get through this with the gemmasta where as if I were recording this one for my channel I'd spend a week on it with the rotary tool! =)
Thank you for another wonderful video. This opal is amazing! ❤️
Stunning, well done coaxing that beautiful piece out of such a difficult nobby!
Thank you! Cheers!
Thanks for the fascinating education in the complexities of cutting opals.
That looked like a really difficult one with all those bits of sandstone running through the gorgeous colour.
I can imagine that sometimes even with the best skill and intentions the stone occasionally just will not co-operate and release the fantastic gem you are looking to find within.
That one did work out and the gem was beautiful in the end, great job!
Ahhh that would irritate me to the sand spots, even though it may have been good anyway I'd be still thinking about it a week later. So glad it worked out for you. Skills to aspire to thanks so much 💎💜
Hello from Southern Louisiana,, USA.
You can certainly tell that you have a wealth of experience... the way your hands work magic of bringing these gems to life... love watching your videos
Beautiful gem!
🙏
Wow the colours are spectacular. What a beautiful Opal
That is gorgeous!!!!! You definitely made the right decision.
Wow! What a gem! It is absolutely stunning!
Another great video Justin!!!! Love em
🙏❤️
Thank you for sharing your knowledge...
I'm learning a lot and I am considering purchasing my first opal in the raw ....!
The final polish was mesmerizing.
hey Justin!? I just got home from my first lapidary class, and boy oh boy....what HAVE you started!? i think you may have shown me the career path that I've been looking for all these years. you bloody beauty!
LOVE YOUR WORK!
Great job as always!