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Let's Rock => Opal => Topic started by: vitzitziltecpatl on January 24, 2017, 06:18:49 AM

Title: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: vitzitziltecpatl on January 24, 2017, 06:18:49 AM

Well, I guess this will give all us opalholics something to shoot for. If any of our members here have a larger one, post it up here. I know we're waaaaay out of the running... .

http://www.geologyin.com/2017/01/its-official-this-227-kg-opal-is.html

Here's one photo from the article.

Title: Re: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: mirkaba on January 24, 2017, 09:34:25 AM

:)  Pretty nice Vince....................I think I would spend the rest of my life trying to decide what to do with it.

Title: Re: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: gemfeller on January 24, 2017, 10:27:12 AM

Vince, that's amazing -- almost 5 *pounds* of gem grade black!

The article mentions it was polished by Christine Rousel who tragically died far too young of cancer a few years ago.  I had a very enjoyable correspondence with Christine who shared with me some of her secrets for opal carving.  She also sent me images of some of her amazing work.  I'll share a couple here.

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Title: Re: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: vitzitziltecpatl on January 24, 2017, 04:22:18 PM

Those are fabulous images of Christine Rousel's work. As I remember it, she was a carver who was looked up to by others all over the world.

Title: Re: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: gemfeller on January 24, 2017, 05:23:53 PM

Yes, she had a worldwide reputation.  There are others in Oz and elsewhere who are very well known too but Christine was special IMO.  She was very down-to-earth and helpful to would-be carvers like me.  She did some amazing work.  She sat on the Lightning Ridge opal valuation group so had close connections with miners.  Most of her work was cutting opals, not carving them but the carving took on greater and greater importance as it became known.  Her passing was a great loss to the gem world.

Title: Re: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: Neural on January 25, 2017, 03:32:08 PM

Christine was truly gifted with carving opal.  Her work is just unmatched, in my opinion.

Title: Re: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: ileney on January 30, 2017, 06:42:25 AM

Beautiful!

Title: Re: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: ASO on September 14, 2017, 01:13:08 AM

One of my miners hit a thick seam of black opal several feet long and when it fell from the roof of the drive it broke into a few very large chunks.  The largest chunk is just a little bit smaller than that one but the overall weight for all the pieces has to be some sort of record, its being looked into now and all the specs are being tallied.  The whole set of stones is green blue all across the face from top to bottom and is much gemmyer and has a much better carving job.  Ill put some pics up and possibly a link to an article when were ready to release it to the world possibly some time around Tucson. 

Stay tuned
Adam A&S Opals LLC 

Title: Re: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: crashoveroide on November 01, 2017, 10:02:07 PM

Beautiful stone..!!

Title: Re: World's Largest Black Opal
Post by: Colette on November 02, 2017, 05:30:02 AM

That is gorgeous! and huge  :smiley: