Swore off opals, but you are all incorrigible enablers...

[CaseyLouLou]

So here's an outdoor vid. Hmm... still not great. lol It's either my skills or my phone. It's still not picking up the brightness of colors I see in person. I think the direct sun might be blowing it out/making it hazy. I should have taken it indoors but in direct light. Next time! Perhaps I'll get a proper glamor shot when I have it set.

I knew I was going to love it. It’s perfect in my opinion. I can see the blue background and I think I would like that better myself. I’m so jealous! I didn’t even want an opal until I saw this one!

 

[Catmom]

Aww thank you for the vote of confidence! Ok, yes, I'll have my back to the window tomorrow, and we'll see how she does!! I saw her in natural light this morning (but was rushing to work). She looked fantastic!

I ran out of room in my free Vimeo account, lol, so here are 2 more Youtube shorts. They're getting worse, haa haa, so I'm going to stop for tonight. Blast these energy saving bulbs. But I wanted to show the north-south orientation both ways. I don't think she has a bad side. The first stone I ordered had all but 1 bad side!

P.S. I apologize for my stomach sounds! lol I'm starving!!

It's so gorgeous and bright and flashy and everything you could want in an opal! Congrats!!!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Thanks so much for the encouragement, @Avondale, @CaseyLouLou, and @Catmom!!

 

[CaseyLouLou]

I’m still so jealous and in love with your opal. Anyway, I saw this ring design and thought it would suit your opal if you are looking for setting ideas. It’s a vintage Art Nouveau ring.

 

[Autumn in New England]

I’m still so jealous and in love with your opal. Anyway, I saw this ring design and thought it would suit your opal if you are looking for setting ideas. It’s a vintage Art Nouveau ring.

Well isn't that lovely! It has a very organic aesthetic, which I am partial to. Thank you for sharing it! The coral is really pretty too. I shall keep it in mind.

 

[Autumn in New England]

P.S. @CaseyLouLou, it sounds like your next gem should be a new opal! You seem to really have an appreciation for them, which is awesome.

 

[SparklieBug]

Holy opal-ness! I love the look of your beauty! That is an opal that I would very happily wear, and I'm not a huge opal fan. Or I wasn't...

 

[Autumn in New England]

Holy opal-ness! I love the look of your beauty! That is an opal that I would very happily wear, and I'm not a huge opal fan. Or I wasn't...

Thank you for following my opal journey, and for the lovely comment! My first black opal from JustOpal was quite small (I think a 7x5mm... don't recall the weight... sold it a while back). It was super bright, but a peacock stone (only showing blue and green). I really wanted a very colorful stone this time. So this guy fills that role nicely! Next time, if there is one, I'd still like to try for an N1 body!

 

[icy_jade]

So here's an outdoor vid. Hmm... still not great. lol It's either my skills or my phone. It's still not picking up the brightness of colors I see in person. I think the direct sun might be blowing it out/making it hazy. I should have taken it indoors but in direct light. Next time! Perhaps I'll get a proper glamor shot when I have it set.

Can you take it out of the gem box, place it on the back of your hand and take some pics/vid?

I think it looks fab! Congrats!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Can you take it out of the gem box, place it on the back of your hand and take some pics/vid?

I think it looks fab! Congrats!

Knowing myself the way I do, I'll drop it. lol But I shall give it a go, maybe over some grass or a carpet!!

 

[icy_jade]

You can put sticky tape or blutack under to be safer

 

[CaseyLouLou]

P.S. @CaseyLouLou, it sounds like your next gem should be a new opal! You seem to really have an appreciation for them, which is awesome.

I appreciate the one you found. I don’t think I could ever find another one like it!

 

[2Neezers]

So here's an outdoor vid. Hmm... still not great. lol It's either my skills or my phone. It's still not picking up the brightness of colors I see in person. I think the direct sun might be blowing it out/making it hazy. I should have taken it indoors but in direct light. Next time! Perhaps I'll get a proper glamor shot when I have it set.

It’s gorgeous @Autumn in New England !! Wow! The color play is amazing!
The original opal was beautiful, but this one is stunning!!

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Thank you CaseyLouLou!

@fredflintstone Still thinking about you often. Any update? I really hope that your son will recover.

 

[Autumn in New England]

I appreciate the one you found. I don’t think I could ever find another one like it!

Oh I'm sure this guy has a brother or sister out there. May just take some looking. I will keep my eyes open!

 

[Autumn in New England]

It’s gorgeous @Autumn in New England !! Wow! The color play is amazing!
The original opal was beautiful, but this one is stunning!!

Thanks so much, @2Neezers! Hey how is your DK project coming along?

 

[2Neezers]

Thanks so much, @2Neezers! Hey how is your DK project coming along?

He wrote a couple of weeks ago to ask how I would like the prongs, but I haven’t heard anything since. I’m guessing it’s in the works and should be ready soonish

Knowing myself the way I do, I'll drop it. lol But I shall give it a go, maybe over some grass or a carpet!!

I have dropped and damaged stones doing the back of the hand thing! I moved my hand ever so slightly and I swear the stones jumped right off of my hand! I only lay loose stones on the palm side of my hand now with my hand slightly cupped, unless my hand is placed within a few inches over a soft surface.
I‘m so excited to see how you set your opal! A diamond halo will look gorgeous!!

 

[Autumn in New England]

He wrote a couple of weeks ago to ask how I would like the prongs, but I haven’t heard anything since. I’m guessing it’s in the works and should be ready soonish

Yay!

I have dropped and damaged stones doing the back of the hand thing! I moved my hand ever so slightly and I swear the stones jumped right off of my hand! I only lay loose stones on the palm side of my hand now with my hand slightly cupped, unless my hand is placed within a few inches over a soft surface.
I‘m so excited to see how you set your opal! A diamond halo will look gorgeous!!

Nooo! Ok, so my fear was justified. I like the cupped palm idea. These cabs are polished on all sides and kind of slippery. I feel like stones with pavilions nestle into the finger crevasse better. Thank you, my friend!

 

[cocotate]

Yay!

Nooo! Ok, so my fear was justified. I like the cupped palm idea. These cabs are polished on all sides and kind of slippery. I feel like stones with pavilions nestle into the finger crevasse better. Thank you, my friend!

As @icy_jade suggests, get the Loctite Fun-Tak tabs or blue tack.
The putty is readily removable and holds very tightly to gems, so I use a small piece of it to attach my opals in cases so they never fall off or move with the covers open.


As for the setting idea, I do vote for a chunky diamond halo but not the same-sized diamonds, but alternating big and smaller, or even with pear-shaped alternates may be more interesting.

Or another inspiration below? The accent stones are Thailand sapphires.

 

[icy_jade]

He wrote a couple of weeks ago to ask how I would like the prongs, but I haven’t heard anything since. I’m guessing it’s in the works and should be ready soonish



I have dropped and damaged stones doing the back of the hand thing! I moved my hand ever so slightly and I swear the stones jumped right off of my hand! I only lay loose stones on the palm side of my hand now with my hand slightly cupped, unless my hand is placed within a few inches over a soft surface.
I‘m so excited to see how you set your opal! A diamond halo will look gorgeous!!

I usually use the grooves between my fingers to give the stones a natural place to nestle between. Works so far for me.

Like so: