Black Opal Dilemma

I love your idea for the setting if this two sided opal. I have to admit that opals are my second love after pearls... and quickly becoming my first love. Australian opal prices are out of my range for stones that are worth having. I discovered Ethiopian Welo opal. It's still affordable and some stones are very stable.
The one below is one I cut from the parcel I bought directly from Ethiopia. This stone is unreal. I will have it set properly once I have some money to spare... for now I attached it with the gold wire to a chain I had.
smallIMG_4117.jpg


those are other stones I cut from this parcel
sIMG_4110.jpg

I know that this forum is for pearls... but I was happy to learn that I'm not the only one that loves pearls AND opal....
Mother Nature IS making amazing things for us to see and appreciate.
 
Fabulous opals! I too am developing a yen for the Ethiopian ones--and yours are beauties--the first one is to die for! I am also glad that there is another opal lover on board!
 
Opals are hard to cut - bravo! Opals and pearls share qualities, like Steve's Ammolite. They're a natural match. ;)
 
pattye said:
Those opals are gorgeous, Ivona! How wonderful that you can cut your own! How are they different than the Australian variety? (Guess I could look it up!)
Click to expand...

Beside that they are way cheaper (LoL)... They are hydrophane...they are like sponges (exaggeration). When wet they look totally different: some look better, some worse. Cutting process is similar to cutting Australian opal.
I love those little gems. When they are nice, they are super nice.
And me cutting opal.. It all started because of pearls..... But this is another story....
http://www.mochakenya.com/opal/gonder/
 
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Ivona, that was a wonderful experience, reading the webpage and seeing the incredible photos. Great great photos! ;)
 
Just stunning. It definitely achieves the aim of showing off the opal! Love the sunshine shots. Love the process, lovingly detailed by the artist. Congratulations. It's almost like you gave birth! ;)
 
Thanks Blaire for those kind words. It was a long pregnancy!!:eek: but really worth the wait. Scott did a fantastic job on the setting-- insisting on nothing but perfection. He is an amazing artist and craftsman.
 
WOW !!!
I like it very much and I enjoyed all the pictures showing how it was done.
Thank you for sharing.
 
Thanks Caitlin and Ivona--Scott is a truly amazing talent. He loves what he does and it shows. I am so glad that my PG friends like this--I have such great respect for your opinions and taste. I am sure that Scott will be very excited that the PGers have said such nice things about his work.

Peace, Beth
 
Let me say again that it is a masterwork and very lovely. What kind of chain are you going to put it on?
 
Hi Blaire--I have several chains that I can use with it. I also have three wonderful diamond beads (almost 1.8 carats total) from Care--these are her special ones that are in the colorless/near colorless range, clear and specially cut. They also have somewhat larger holes so they can go over a .012 or .014 wire. Additionally I have quite a few beautiful--somewhat irregular but not overly baroque SS black, white and cream keishi pearls. I will really need to live with the pendant a little while to get a feel for it. However, Scott did make the enhancer to frame one of the diamond beads so of the keshis do not work out, I can rethink this. I always have the "plain chain" option as I have several 18k gold chains. The enhancer bail makes this pendant really flexible as to what I put it on.


Note that the ruby cab on the BACK of the enhancer clasp was actually a little "extra" luxury from Scott as were two little hand fabricated 18k gold tube beads that can sit on either side of the 1/2 carat plus diamond bead with the enhancer arms over them--so to do a special strand I only have to decide what goes around them. (Yes natural pearls would be nice!!!Must start saving my loose change again!!!)

So PG beaders--any suggestions for what to add to the diamond beads (one in center with the enhancer arms around it and sitting on the gold tube beads, and two stunning oval .6 carat clear white diamond beads on each side? Design suggestions are welcome (with the understanding that I hope to use things that I already have--).
 
I am impressed that you have specially made parts to space out the diamond beads and that the enhancer goes over the center diamond - sounds perfect! I have a strand of opal in matrix graduated round beads that would look good with your pendant. They are polished brown with flashes of blue and green. ;)
 
Hi Blaire: Those beads sound like good candidates. Sounds like I would really enjoy having a set of those--would you be willing to share a source?:)

Thanks Beth
 
Of course. Let me see if I can find mine and post a photo before you make a judgement. ;)
 
Hi Everybody! (and especially Beth and Caitlin) I'm new to your Pearl Forum. I'm Scott Schreiber (Two Claws Jewelry) and am the fortunate goldsmith/designer that Beth found to collaborate with to make this pendant a reality. I'm so happy that she is pleased with it! And that so many of you like it too! It was a challenging pleasure to make. Now.....I should just get busy designing and making something to showcase this designer pearl I bought a few years back.....(since this is the Pearl Forum!) Thanks again! Oh....and those graduated opal beads sound wonderful....boulder opal, perhaps?
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