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In today’s video, I’m cutting what could be one of the most beautiful black opals I’ve seen in a long time. But, of course, this one is not giving itself up without a fight. From the moment I put it on the wheel, I knew this was going to be a challenge. The inclusions running through this gem had me second-guessing every single decision. Do I go deeper and risk losing that incredible green and blue color? Do I play it safe and leave the flaws in? Or do I take the biggest risk of my cutting life and keep going until I get a perfectly clean gem?
This one had me stressed from start to finish. And just when I thought I’d won, more inclusions showed up. If you’ve ever worked hard for something only to have it keep pushing back, you’ll know exactly how I felt sitting at that wheel. But I kept going. And what came out the other side is something I’m incredibly proud of. A clean and stunning 7 carat Australian black opal worth US$21,000. I lost 2 carats fighting for it, and I’d do it again every time.
As always, let me know in the comments whether you could see the inclusions? Did I make the right calls? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and if you’re a cutter yourself, tell me what you would have done differently.
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From Gerard in Ireland
I’m not a common viewer, but this stone is Easily the most beautiful opal I’ve ever seen.
Haha! I actually prefer a rather abrupt ending to a video. Those long, drawn-out ending that have montages of what was in the video or some other standard ending that every video from that creator places at the end in order to add twenty seconds to video is just a way to tell me it's time to click away to watch something else.
A quick. "Thanks for watching, see you soon" is about the maximum of an outro a video needs. A quick statement of "That's all" and that is literally where the video ends is perfect in my opinion.
That's all.
I know there are times when you don't have much of an option but to create a "love heart" (other than slicing the stone in half) … but, in my opinion, I would pay more for an oval that is a bit smaller than buy a shaped stone that's in a heart shape or flower shape… and if a hole has been filled with a colored gem, those totally turn me off to the point if I see a stone with gorgeous color, but there's a diamond or emerald set into the stone to fill a hole, I move on to another stone.
Square, rectangle, triangles, rounds or ovals are pretty much the types of stones/gems I look for. Once they start looking like they are formed into an unnatural shape (heart, lightning bolt, butterfly, etc.) is when I move along to the next one to see.*
I'm glad you didn't choose the love heart shape.
* I get it, some people love those shapes, especially for a pendant/drop focal on a necklace. As is everything, it's all in the eye of the beholder.
Can you facet opal?
Just because you put your thumb over it at the end doesn't mean we didn't see that last little guy 😢 so beautiful tho
Such a lovely gem, those flashes of purple with the greens are gorgeous!
Master at work 🙌
finding out that our entire reality is a manufactured lie honestly terrified me. read the book The Silent Dominion by Damian Cross. the fact that the government scrubbed his identity just validates everything he wrote.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I still see a small surface inclusion during the outro….!
Well Justin when you say "I'm going in" this time you said "I'm going all in" and you won. A stunning gem!
If it is a hole in the gem why can’t you just fill it with some epoxy in a case where you can’t save the gem. I think as long as you declare it people would be ok
LEAVE THE NEEDLES IN-ITS NATURE
Should by a wire stone cutter its on the market so no flat parts on your gem. For other jobs.
Beautiful
Stunning gem 😅
The heart shape is very niche, to be honest with you. I think you made the right choice to keep it an oval. It’s a stunning gem. 😊
"I hate when youtube video's just stop… you are hilarious. 💝
So glad you managed to get them all out in the end! They were definitely still very visible to my untrained eye after that first polish
Thats one of those 'Captured Planet' Gems 😍😍
Stunning!
Could you please explain in one of your videos what distinguishes a black opal from a crystal opal or knobby opal or some other generic opal type? Also, how do you decide on the value per carat after you're finished with the cut?
Justin, just the thumbnail slayed me!! 💜💜💜 ok, jaw in lap now. ::sigh:: the purple and bright green… ❤ whoa grinding again 🫨🥵 if I ever win the lottery 😊
These new machines makes even more noise than the older ones beautiful gem
As a rather "typical" girl who loves pretty things, decor and glitter… 😁 Even I am begging you: PLEASE don’t ever cut an absolutely gorgeous opal into a heart. Just don’t… ❤️❤️❤️
So glad you didn't make it a heart I only cut heart when absolutely necessary to save amazing color but I prefer the perfect oval
8:50 dark or black pitch is not necessary to make a black opal. Black crystal from lightning ridge is a case where the color bar itself is dark. I have a black opal that sits on light grey porch but the bar is so dark it made it black. That was a fun cut! 6 CTS and absolutely amazing.
yea i do
One of the prettier big ones!!!!! Are you keeping it??
Justin, your attention to detail and quest for the best 🌟is amazing 🤩 this was an amazing rough opal and now you made it into a beauty 🥰
I love doing the final wipe, when u did that final wipe absolutely beautiful. Who said green and blue should never be seen together.
After months of watching your videos I finally learnt that your grinding machine is called a cabbing machine. My brother looks for opal around Opalton Qld and has a friend with one and I didn't know what the term "cabbing" was until he explained it. Interesting 🧐. Also just wondering how much is your CabKing worth?
In my opinion, a flatter cabochon with no inclusions is 100X better than a high dome cabochon with inclusions. You made the right decision to lose the 2ct for a cleaner final finish 🙂
I think those little inclusions are the reason you and I have the exact same hair cut 😂