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Let's Rock => Opal => Topic started by: sealdaddy on February 06, 2016, 08:07:55 AM

Title: How should I cut this?
Post by: sealdaddy on February 06, 2016, 08:07:55 AM

your thoughts would be appreciated

http://www.ebay.com/itm/122g-Top-Athiopischer-Welo-Opal-Rohstein-AAA-7908-/172080360831?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=cL7g5fcqSKFIpYjmO1L1toc7wso%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Title: Re: How should I cut this?
Post by: vitzitziltecpatl on February 06, 2016, 04:51:19 PM

Looks like you'd be hoping to get translucent cabs from that. Just start from the top rind and hope you hit clean translucent material underneath. If you find deeper pockets or areas of rind once you start hitting clean material then chunk it up by sawing through the deeper matrix pockets. Finish the individual chunks from there.

Title: Re: How should I cut this?
Post by: sealdaddy on February 07, 2016, 07:55:27 PM

Apparently not the "typical" welo opal material.
No flash...correct?

Title: Re: How should I cut this?
Post by: vitzitziltecpatl on February 07, 2016, 08:28:26 PM

Yeah, some similar looking material was being sold a couple of years ago under the name "Balkan Opal" or some similar name. Have never seen any Ethiopian that looked like that in my relatively limited experience with it.

Maybe some of the other members here can help out on that. My last three brain cells aren't coming up with any more than that, and I couldn't find anything by that name in my searches after seeing your post.

Title: Re: How should I cut this?
Post by: Neural on February 08, 2016, 07:41:21 AM

I'm wondering what the chemical composition of that is, and where it gets its color from.  That's a pretty strong green.  Would be interesting to know if it is similar to the blue potch that they get out of Lightning Ridge.

Title: Re: How should I cut this?
Post by: sealdaddy on February 08, 2016, 08:31:50 AM

Quote from: Neural on February 08, 2016, 07:41:21 AM

I'm wondering what the chemical composition of that is, and where it gets its color from.  That's a pretty strong green.  Would be interesting to know if it is similar to the blue potch that they get out of Lightning Ridge.

I have no idea.
The stone looked interesting at that price...so, I bid and won.
Hopefully someone who knows about this material will chime in.
(I just missed getting one that said there were blue flashes in it)