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Fabulous Multicolour solid semi black opal Lightning Ridge

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Estimated average retail value (gemval_com) $261

Weight:1.58 carats Size:11.3 x 9.0 x 2.5 millimetres
Body tone:N6 Brilliance:3 out of 5
Colour: Beautiful rainbow multicolours right across the front, with valuable orange-red tones dominant. Medium grey body tone, with a small black opal marking visible.
Pattern:Brightly sparkling mix of pinfire patterns across the front. 
Cut:Classic oval-shaped cabochon with a low dome. Perfect for a beautiful jewellery piece.
Imperfections:Eye clean. Brightly patterned precious opal throughout. Polished natural medium grey opal back with several light opal matrix inclusions that are not visible from the front. No cracks, any lines are natural marbling or intersections between colours.
Opal field:World famous Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia.
Treatments:Absolutely none other than professional cutting and polishing. 100% natural earth mined solid opal.
Photo quality:Fair. Colours, pattern and brilliance are shown fairly accurately in the photos and video.

Comments: A sparkling 100% natural solid semi black opal that is ideal for a ring or pendant setting. Displaying lots of beautiful multicolours including rare and valuable orange-red tones and a sparkling pinfire pattern, this very pretty opal was mined in Lightning Ridge and professionally cut and polished by me. I estimate the retail value as about the same as the Gemval appraisal, around $250.

Postage and packaging: All my opals come individually boxed in attractive display cases, and are sent:

Opal valuations: Unlike most gemstones, valuing opals can be very subjective and is often influenced by the personal taste of the valuer. I use an online appraisal system (Gemval) to provide an estimate of the relative value of all my opals, and also provide my personal estimate of retail value based my 35+ years experience in the opal business.

Photographing opals: Photography is an enjoyable part of my opal hobby, and to make my photos as accurate as possible all my photos and videos are taken using a professional lighting system that replicates natural sunlight, and a digital SLR camera in standard mode. All photos and video are exactly how they came from the camera, with no enhanced settings or retouching in any way. Because every opal photographs differently, I also include in the description additional comments about the accuracy of the photos.

My risk-free guarantee: Buying online is a great way to find a bargain, but purchasing anything based on a photograph and description can be tricky. Despite the care I take in accurately photographing and describing my opals, differences in computer monitors and lighting can sometimes occur. If your opal does not meet your expectations in any way whatsoever please contact me as I am happy for you to return it for a full refund including postage both ways, and I will do everything else possible to immediately resolve any issues.

Opal classification: As recommended by the Australian Opal and Gem Industry Association

Body tone scale:

Image result for Opal Body Tone Scale

Brilliance Scale:

1 Faint, 2 Dull, 3 Bright, 4 Very Bright, 5 Brilliant - Gem Quality

About me: My name is Ken and I love opals. I have been cutting opals since 1971, including running my own opal wholesale business cutting and exporting thousands of opals to customers all over the world.

These days I've retired from the trade, but I still love the thrill of cutting and polishing opal, as unlike other gemstones you never really know how an opal will turn out until it is completely finished and polished.

I've made lots of friends and mining contacts on every opal field in Australia, and I can offer quality, professionally cut opals on eBay at bargain prices because I only cut opals for the pleasure as a hobby, not for the profit. It is not a business, and my opals often sell on eBay for less than the opal rough would have cost to buy.

Having friends and long time contacts on all of the opal fields also means I source quality opal rough easier and cheaper than others. I also still have a large quantity of rough opal that I have obtained over the years that I'm still working my through!

I also enjoy hearing from all those other opal lovers out there, so feel free to contact me with any questions


THANKS FOR LOOKING AND HAVE A GREAT DAY!