Opals from Dan

[brandy_z28]

The stats:

STONE: Opal
WEIGHT: .56 Cts.
CUT: Freeform Egg Shaped Cabochon
DIMENSIONS: 5.97 x 7.93 mm
ORIGIN: Lightning Ridge, Australia
TREATMENT: None
COLOR: White Base with Multicolor Fire
CLARITY: Opaque
COMMENTS: This opal has a lot of multicolor fire in it, including red, green, gold, orange and blue

STONE: Opal
WEIGHT: 1.77 Cts.
CUT: Freeform Oval Cabochon
DIMENSIONS: 8.19 x 10.88 mm
ORIGIN: Lightning Ridge, Australia
TREATMENT: None
COLOR: Darker Gray Base with Blue Fire
CLARITY: Translucent
COMMENTS: This stone photographed to show a bit more blue than it usually does in person, with the possible exception of direct sunlight. It''s fairly close, but usually not quite so saturated.
Wow! Opals are so hard to photograph!! Here''s a few shots of them anyway.

I''m thinking bezel pendant incorporating both stones into one piece. Maybe even find a way to incorporate my orange (believed to be) opal from intergem in with them...

 

[brandy_z28]

 

[brandy_z28]

 

[LD]

Brandy - opals are a nightmare to photograph. I''ve found I get the best photos indoors under electric light. The camera picks up more of the colour play than outdoors.

I love opals but for some reason don''t wear mine often - note to self: wear them more!!!

 

[kas baby]

I think putting both of them in a pendant could look very stunning. I just love opals... but somehow have yet to purchase one. I think my 'wish list' just got longer

more pics??

ETA: can we see them both with your orange? and a possible line-up for the pendant project?

 

[LD]

Is your orange opal a Fire Opal by any chance? They remind me of mini volcanos/lava but the ones I''ve seen have limited colour play. I do love them though because they look "hot" if that makes sense!!!!?

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Nice opals! I have a couple of Dan''s opals as well and I love them.

 

[miraclesrule]

Those are beautiful!! That just reminded me that a former boss brought each of us office gals a loose opal from his trip in New Zealand in the early 80''s. I have saved mine all this time somewhere in a little clasp purse never knowing what to do with it. Now, I am going to obsess all day over finding where the heck that little thing is, because now I want to set it. Oh what PS does to a person.

 

[oddoneout]

Very pretty. I''ve never seen an opal like the blue one before.

 

[ma re]

No design suggestion from me, just wanted to say those are pretty stones - but opals have always been among my favorites so...

 

[brandy_z28]

Date: 11/14/2009 4:21:12 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
Brandy - opals are a nightmare to photograph. I''ve found I get the best photos indoors under electric light. The camera picks up more of the colour play than outdoors.

I love opals but for some reason don''t wear mine often - note to self: wear them more!!!

Thanks for the tip LD! I''m almost afraid to ask if you have pictures of your opals...but do you? I''m still in awe of your paraiba and tanzanite collections...you are one lucky lady!!

 

[brandy_z28]

Date: 11/14/2009 5:43:53 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
Is your orange opal a Fire Opal by any chance? They remind me of mini volcanos/lava but the ones I''ve seen have limited colour play. I do love them though because they look ''hot'' if that makes sense!!!!?

I *think* it is a fire opal. I bought it at the intergem show as a spess but I don''t think it is one.

Group photo with the orange stone.

 

[brandy_z28]

Date: 11/14/2009 6:52:12 PM
Author: miraclesrule
Those are beautiful!! That just reminded me that a former boss brought each of us office gals a loose opal from his trip in New Zealand in the early 80''s. I have saved mine all this time somewhere in a little clasp purse never knowing what to do with it. Now, I am going to obsess all day over finding where the heck that little thing is, because now I want to set it. Oh what PS does to a person.

Thanks! I hope you find your opal AND post pics for us!!

 

[brandy_z28]

Thank you kas, Lady_Disdain, oddoneout, and ma re!

one more photo:

 

[LD]

Hi Brandy - that orange stone looks like a jelly/water opal rather than a Fire Opal. Fire Opals are slightly denser in colour and more red/orange. Jelly/water opals (they''re called both) can be clear or can have a honey sort of colour.

Yes I do have opals but am not going to threadjack!!! However, I do have one that looks similar to your mystery orange stone (IRL it''s more orange than the photo has made it look) so here it is for you to compare - does yours have any colour play?

 

[brandy_z28]

Date: 11/15/2009 4:26:26 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
Hi Brandy - that orange stone looks like a jelly/water opal rather than a Fire Opal. Fire Opals are slightly denser in colour and more red/orange. Jelly/water opals (they''re called both) can be clear or can have a honey sort of colour.


Yes I do have opals but am not going to threadjack!!! However, I do have one that looks similar to your mystery orange stone (IRL it''s more orange than the photo has made it look) so here it is for you to compare - does yours have any colour play?

That is gorgeous LD!

I wish that my orange stone had play of color like yours. I really can''t see any play of color in it. I have much to learn about opals. I was thinking the fire term referred to the orangy color. Does contra luz mean play of color as well? It''s not really threadjacking. I wouldn''t say so anyway.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Well I really like all three of those stones. I haven''t ever seen blue opal before. Does it have color play??? It''d be interesting to know for sure what the orange stone is.

I do like your pendant idea! Congrats on your purchases.

 

[Cind11]

All three opals are very pretty. I particularly like the blue stone.

 

[Catmom]

Very niiiice, but I have to say I really love that blue opal!!!

 

[jstarfireb]

I love opals! They''re beautiful, especially that blue one!

 

[brandy_z28]

Date: 11/15/2009 10:53:49 PM
Author: Stone Hunter
Well I really like all three of those stones. I haven''t ever seen blue opal before. Does it have color play??? It''d be interesting to know for sure what the orange stone is.

I do like your pendant idea! Congrats on your purchases.

Thank you! The darker opal has a dark grey base with a mix of purple/violet in some areas and the fire it puts off is blue.

Pretty cool stone for sure!

 

[brandy_z28]

Thank you Cind11, Michelle, and jstarfireb!

 

[brandy_z28]

Date: 11/14/2009 4:51:51 PM
Author: kas baby
I think putting both of them in a pendant could look very stunning. I just love opals... but somehow have yet to purchase one. I think my ''wish list'' just got longer

more pics??

ETA: can we see them both with your orange? and a possible line-up for the pendant project?

Oohhh, you NEED an opal!

Any suggestions on the pendant? I really don''t know how to tie them together...or maybe I shouldn''t try and cram that much into one piece.

Just thought it would be kind of cool to show different varieties of opal all in one piece. I wonder if JKT could do a DBTY style necklace with opals? Then again the big dome on the orange opal could pose a problem with flipping and the backs of the opals would show then...any suggestions or ideas are welcome!

 

[kas baby]

Date: 11/16/2009 2:12:06 PM
Author: brandy_z28

Date: 11/14/2009 4:51:51 PM

Author: kas baby

I think putting both of them in a pendant could look very stunning. I just love opals... but somehow have yet to purchase one. I think my ''wish list'' just got longer

more pics??

ETA: can we see them both with your orange? and a possible line-up for the pendant project?

Oohhh, you NEED an opal!

Any suggestions on the pendant? I really don''t know how to tie them together...or maybe I shouldn''t try and cram that much into one piece.

Just thought it would be kind of cool to show different varieties of opal all in one piece. I wonder if JKT could do a DBTY style necklace with opals? Then again the big dome on the orange opal could pose a problem with flipping and the backs of the opals would show then...any suggestions or ideas are welcome!

Enabler!!

lol, PS could be very bad for me if I didn''t have such good will power

I don''t know if I would do a DBTY, I''d want the colors to show some symmetry with something like that i.e. white, blue, orange, blue, white. If you could find two more white and blue opals I think that would look divine. I''m sure JKT can come up with something fabulous, I just love her sketches. Do you want them to drop in a row? MTG''s pendant from JKT comes to mind... Or you could have them clustered more? I don''t know, just throwing out ideas

 

[ma re]

That first pic in which you hold all three in line - there''s your pendant design! The largest one on top, the smallest at the bottom, the blue one in the middle, maybe some diamonds between them, maybe have them all dangle individually for more movement, maybe a different metal finish for each of the settings cause they''re all quite different stones eventhough they''re in the family...need more?