Crystal Opal Rough
Crystal Opal Rough
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Crystal Opal Rough Information
Crystal opal rough is the natural form of crystal opal extracted from a mine. Like all other opal rough it takes some cutting and polishing to highlight the play of colour.
Most of the worlds precious crystal opal rough comes from Coober Pedy in South Australia. The name Coober Pedy is an aboriginal term for ‘white man down a hole’. Crystal opal rough has a light body tone as opposed to black opal which has a dark or black body tone.
Identifying Crystal Opal Rough
Crystal opal rough is often milky white in appearance if it is opaque but if it is more translucent it is classified as crystal. As with all opal, the cutter just has to take a chance and make a cut to see whats there. All the time hoping not to cut across the face of the best part of the stone. For this reason, the opal cutting process with crystal or white opal often starts with the grindstone which removes some of the rubbish first before attempting to chase the color. Although the milky white opal in itself isn’t considered precious opal, it has a wide appeal to many and has been used very successfully to make milk opal beads. In recent years it has become rarer like most opal and is in great demand.
Cutting and Polishing Crystal Opal Rough
Crystal opal rough undergoes the same cutting and polishing techniques as all other rough opals. General cutting is done with a diamond slicing machine and then shaping takes place on a diamond grinding wheel as the cutter chases the colour. The final part of the process is polishing. The opal cutter uses progressively finer sandpapers until right the end he changes to a leather wheel with Cerium Oxide to bring out the final polish. A lot more information about the opal cutting procedure is found in our special section on opal cutting. You can also purchase the ‘opal for the ordinary bloke’ CD which will give you over 30 years experience of the opal industry as well as some really good tips on how to save money on opal cutting machinery.
Some opal collectors like to keep the cut and polished opal as a specimen, while others much prefer to wear it in the form of opal jewelry. Some even have a piece of jewelry made from crystal opal rough which has a natural look that is very appealing.
4 Responses to Crystal Opal Rough
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Hi Peter, I bought some crystal rough from you with the intention of perhaps starting a rewarding new hobby. I’ve never attempted anything like polishing an opal so obviously did some reading around the subject and a lot of surfing on sites. I have to say the whole experience, from buying rough on your site, getting it delivered at the estimated time, to actually sitting down and getting stuck in, has completly exceeded my expectations. I think I know, now, why people go out in the noon day sun looking for opals – and I haven’t even finished with the free gift samples yet!!! I will definitly be buying from you in the future. I was reading a blogg entry on your site last night that mentions a dremel kit (this is what I’m using) and you said you had some pointers for using dremels. I’ve got several nice bits of color(by my standards anyway) but I can’t raise them above the matt look. I see elsewhere you talk of a leather lap and tin oxide – is this all thats needed to give that final “fog clearer”?
Best regards
Brett
Brett, thanks so much for your kind words. if you get time you can also let folks know about us at http://www.trustgauge.com. just send me an email to peter@opalmine.com and i will send you some information on using dremels. i have a new opal movie just about commpleted as well. i will be giving this away free with rough opal as before so just keep this in mind for the future. In the meantime, make sure you check out all the information in the dropdown here: http://www.opalmine.com/opal-information/ There’s lots of good tips already there. thanks again Brett. Peter
dear sir, meri company ka name wazid gems h, hum australian natural white opal banate h, , aor hum chahte h ki aap humse contect kar sakte ho, humne net par aapki site dhekhi thi, aor hum itrasted h, aap hume bina fire, fire ,crystal opal, aal size and all price, ye mere no.9829860964 hum chahte h ki aap humse kaam kare
Abdul, please send me the message in your own language and i will try to interpret what you are tying to say. Pleased to help if i can. you have some opal for sale, or you want to buy some? Peter