Opal Pearls

[Pearling Technologies]

Some pictures of one of my clients production - Opal Pearls. I wasn't too successful on the 'upload' so I have included the following link.
http://www.pearlingtechnologies.com/id19.html

 

[pattye]

Com'mon George,

Don't leave us hanging! Just what is it and how'd they do that (sorta?) I'm sure it's a big secret------looks very interesting.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Hi Pattye......The farmers use opals sourced from South Australia and implant them into the pearl shells. They are farmed for about 14 months and then are harvested in a similar manner to mabe's. They then grind the MOP of the top to reveal the opal and either distribute as such or have them made into finished pieces.

Not sure if there is much more I can tell you other than they are using Pteria Penguin for the production.

 

[pattye]

The bronzey-beige effect of the mabe shell part had me stumped. Has to be rather expensive; those opals are not cheap. I could tell the MOP on the ring. The overall look is very attractive.

At first I was thinking perhaps the opal was being used as nucleus in a pearl. So instead of the regular mabe form, opal is used and left in, rather than being removed and replaced as in traditional mabe production.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Pattye, you're spot on. The opals are used as the mabe nuclei and left in rather than removed. I can remember seeing other SP gems used as round nuclei and then once the pearl has grown, part of the nacre is removed to reveal the inner gem.

The opal pearls I have seen are expensive but apparently the opals are solid and not doublets or triplets, etc. Just another twist on pearl production that may appeal to some and may not appeal to others.

 

[Valeria101]

The opal looks allot nicer then would have expected for mabe rough material!

Do you know what are they using? (perhaps inlay material, or...)

 

[Pearling Technologies]

They are supposedly using fairly high quality opals. Suffice to say that when they lose a pearl net or two, they are not very happy.....at all!

 

[pattye]

They are certainly getting a different look with differentiation between the materials, rather than the flush look of opal inlaid into MOP, which could be lovely also! Always interesting to see what's new and what is being tried-----

 

[laurenb]

They are supposedly using fairly high quality opals.

Perhaps high quality opals contain less water and are more dense? My initial question when I saw them was whether or not the opals had to have a surface treatment to make them less porous. Some porosity is probably ideal though, to let the nacre form a strong bond.

 

[Valeria101]

Perhaps high quality opals contain less water and are more dense?

Yes [see 'properties' down the page HERE]... Synthetics can be both by a big margin. [there's some variety of them - I have not followed the subject much; a report from the Australian Gemology Association compares the production and properties of the more popular kinds]

I can't quite guess the sizes of the opal stones in the pictures, and given their position with the edges and back buried in nacre, it is not possible to see if the opals are doublets (i.e. a sliver of inlay-worthy semi-crystal by all appearance, set on top of some reinforcing base). Would definitely not criticize the use of doublets! This sounds like a better use for them then most and the opal is nice indeed... Same goes for boulder opal.

If the mabes are large-ish and the opals solid in those colors, the experiment must have taken quite some leap of faith, I imagine.

Just thinking out loud here. The objects are quite surprising!

 

[Pearling Technologies]

I can confirm that the opals are not doublets but solid.

 

[MistofCassiopeia]

Wow! my two favourites - pearls and opals! this is cool

 

[SteveM]

I can confirm that the opals are not doublets but solid.

Solid opal seems like a bit of a waste, and if the pricing reflects this then a certification would be nice (ie X-Ray, like natural pearls). The question of wasted usage would remain.

 

[claudenancy]

So what is the thickness of the implanted opal?

My understanding is that if an opal is artifically attached to a backing it is technically a doublet.
I assume the opals here are attached to some backing--either the shell itself or something else after harvest. If solid opal is implanted, in the end, wouldn't the opal become a doublet with this process?

Or is my assumption of a backing in the finished product incorrect--is it somehow the case that there is no backing on the opal at the end of the process?

 

[SteveM]

My understanding is that if an opal is artifically attached to a backing it is technically a doublet.

Having studied a bit about ammolite recently, I believe that doublet is a term similarly used whether the gem material remains attached to its natural matrix (ironstone, sandstone, etc) or is artificially backed. The concept being that it is one-sided.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Technically then I guess it would be a doublet. The opal is attached to the shell and this remains intact when removed for further processing.

 

[SteveM]

Technically then I guess it would be a doublet. The opal is attached to the shell and this remains intact when removed for further processing.

This has been clear. It is the quality of the opal prior to its glueing to the oyster's shell that is in question. A solid opal would not seem to make sense.

Edit: Opal learning curve in progress…it seems that opals are considered 'solid' when still with the natural matrix ('potch') provided a minimum thickness. One vs. two sides not the defining factor.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

Whilst one person may consider using a high quality gem for such a purpose a waste, others may find it the opposite. I imagine it would also depend on input costs for the gem and the resulting market price for such a finished piece versus the same piece with a lesser grade gem. Plus of course the potential demand for the item.

 

[Valeria101]

Whilst one person may consider using a high quality gem for such a purpose a waste, others may find it the opposite.

Which makes the objects a bit unnerving to someone already 'into' opal... But may mean little to everyone else. The question may be whether the 'opal' or the 'pearl' bit in the name is what ends up selling these things; I would imagine that the opals have been put there for their reputation as well as looks, but how exactly that works for the intended buying lot - who knows...


[PS: The mabes fealt familiar somewhat and took a bit of thinking to realize why: Yovah 'nut' opals! - There is some resemblance between the pools of precious opal occurring notched in matrix, and these made to happen wrapped in nacre. Maybe worth pairing the two kinds to build up a story for the style? Both kinds are exotic enough. And fine Yovah 'nuts' may be more legend then reality already. Anyway... ]

I imagine it would also depend on input costs for the gem and the resulting market price for such a finished piece versus the same piece with a lesser grade gem. Plus of course the potential demand for the item.

... and whether praising the opal involved would get the mabes interpreted as a sort-of-opal or sort-of-pearl or something else entirely in the end.

 

[Pearling Technologies]

I think you can also add to the mix that they are Australian Opals featured within Australian pearls so there is perhaps an effort to appeal to the tourist market as well. These may well and truly be a niche product or short time production line. Again, what appeals to some will not appeal to others.....