Anyone worked with uncut Opals?

I am considering buying a couple of ~10 carat uncut Ethiopian opals that I would like to eventually cut and polish for use in a ring and a pendant.

Anyone have experience who can offer input on whether or not any of this opal work is feasible in JSM?

Thanks!

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“worked” might be a stretch, I hit it with a hammer :slight_smile:

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Does JSM have a wet wheel? I too am interested in stone/gem shaping/polishing. A Dremel is a messy slow way of doing it.

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The plan is to start lapidary capability after expansion.

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@Kati has done lapidary work. She can speak more on opals.

The plan as I recall is lapidary capabilities sometime after expansion, but don’t know details beyond that

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Lapidary was unanimously voted on as a SIG 3 mos ago with funding. :hugs:

Nadari and Myself are acting chairs.

The original plan 4 mos ago was to buy equipment with funds agreed on. That was shelved for a new kiln first meeting, and at the next meeting Nadari donated her genie. At last meeting we discussed that if we were not operational (able to host a teach the teachers at least) by the next meeting we would move ahead with buying equipment.

As is stands we have 2 genies, a 6” trim saw, 8” polish station, and a 10” trim saw all on loan. We need a few new wheels and blades and we should be good. Trim saw and genies should be operational soon as we get them to the space and check them out. :+1:t3:

Genie is 6x6” wheel machine made by Diamond Pacific. With a footprint approximately 12x24” excellent machines, tho the bigger brother with 8” wheels would suit the space better.

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My stepfather spent a little time casting silver and trying to set a couple of opals into settings for my mother years ago. One thing I can tell you is that Opal is one of the most fragile gemstones out there and it won’t take much if any pressure. It tends to fragment far easier than other precious and semi-precious stones do. Practice on smaller stuff you are willing to lose to build your skill would be my recommendation.

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Thanks! I just purchased two uncut stones (10 and 9 carats) for $60 that I plan to practice on. What I have seen online does suggest that opals can fracture pretty easily.

I appreciate the suggestion, thanks!

Scott

I can show you how to back them for strength. Generally dark epoxy or a host stone slab is used. Seeing how u have epoxy experience, that would be a good route. I back all my turquoise with epoxy, for the same reasons as well. Terms to search “backing stones” “opal doublets” fairly easy process.

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I should the gemstones this coming Weds. I’ll try to read up before I try anything.

Note that while most opals (Australian, Mexican, Peruvian) are cut wet, Ethiopian opals are recommended to work dry. The guy I know who has done a lot of Ethiopian mostly uses wet/dry sandpaper manually, works it dry. The matrix is very soft and does not require a lot of work. Unlike some of the other opal matrix.

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I have an opal pendant that my dad ground and “mounted”. He used a chain “basket”, which he was able to do because of the shape of the opal. It’s an alternate approach to mounting, but it doesn’t put any stress on the opal. (and it would likely be difficult to make a “bezel” that would match).

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