[Jewelry making - Article 00030] - Re: [Orchid] Opal Setting?

[coralnut]

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Blain

    There are in my mind, two types of opal.  The first is the kind one
    buys, and it may be either rough OR a finished stone, for the purpose
    of pure love of the stone, or in another view, as an investment.
    These may be the $3-5k a carat blacks or maybe an outstanding
    harlequin that will simply lay around for years to be picked up and
    admired now and then but never put into a piece of jewelry and
    displayed.  They are something private, mysterious even. One note
    here, there are few who can afford to purchase this type of stone
    (opal or anything else) but now and then someone will simply 'run
    across a great deal' and can't walk away from it. 

    The second kinds of opal are those that may be neither mysterious
    nor terribly expensive.  I finished cutting one of those a few months
    ago.  Its a white base but the color is exquisite broad flash at
    about a 4.5 and it cut out nice and thick at 22 cts.  Not a stone I
    would want to sock away in some dark place.  Its too beautiful for
    that and it is a show stone and is meant to be worn and seen.  I've
    already begun gathering the makings for a very special setting. 

    By the way, I purchased the rough nearly 20 years ago for  $300! 
    You can't imagine what it would bring today!! 

    Cheers from Don at The Charles Belle Studio in SOFL where simple
    elegance IS fine jewelry! dcdietz AT attbi.com  

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