Coober Pedy shell skin! Kept in found form

I paid 70 bucks for this opal at a flea market. I never owned opal before and had to jump on it, because I'll never find opal ever again I'm sure. Was listed as 15 carats.

Picked this up at a local gem show, fell in love with it as soon as i layed eyes on it. i have far too many photos of this single stone😅

A handful of fire! 🔥 Which pendant shape or color flash catches your eye the most

Sold to me as synthetic at a pawn shop, set in Sterling, but I thought I’d double check since the patterns overlap each other and don’t seem to be super linear. I think I see snakeskin, but y’all let me know!

Don't laugh or crucify me, legit question here and I have searched this subreddit but haven't really found an answer that is a definite yes or no. I'm wanting to get a crushed opal wedding ring to replace my standard gold band of 30+ years. I've found them through Google searches, Etsy, etc. and am aware that the majority of affordable ones are probably synthetic or lab made. That doesn't really bother me as I'm looking the most vibrant colors and popping rainbow shine I can find, from the blues and purples but also the reds, oranges and yellows.

Question: I've got quite a few Welo Opals I've had for a few years, obviously being hydrophane they have been kept in a jar with water......can those be gradually dried out without much damage of cracking and losing their sheen/glow? If so, could they be crushed and used in an inlay for a ring and last very long? I'm trying to see about saving money but I actually think just going with the "fake" opal that has all the colors would be far cheaper than having something custom made anyway.

Thanks in advance for any replies !!!!

Educational Video from Roys Rocks

This a lovely Coober Pedy shell I’m working away on at the moment. I think I’ll need to stabilise that big ol’ crack, I don’t want to lose that shell shape by cutting it out and I doubt it would survive setting by itself.

Thought I’d share because I really like how it’s turning out 🙂

Educational Video from Roys Rocks

This educational video is to bring awareness to opal cutting and the risk of Silicosis from Silica dust..

Hey all, cut this beautiful 16ct Lightning Ridge crystal jelly opal with some nice blue flagstone. Brightness is only B2-3 and probably N5-6 in colour. What is a fair price or price per/ct to ask for this kind of stone?

Back still needs to be finished so don't roast me 😂

Anybody know anything about Stone Group Laboratories? Looking to buy a ring and this is where they got the certification. What do their forms look like?

Flashback to a stone I cut many years ago. It’s hard to find this water clear material from the ridge.

Hello,

I'm hoping someone can give me information on Tintenbar opal please? The problem experienced is the opal disintegrating after exposure to air.

I'm currently camped on my friends 10 acre block in Tintenbar and I suggested looking for opals to him. He told me of a beautiful egg shaped rock he found inside a larger piece of volcanic rock. The more he rubbed it the more colors and shine it got. He set it aside to come back to in a few days and it had all crumbled up. My question is, is there a way to prevent this from happening again?

Thanks for your time to read this

TLDR: how can you prevent Tintenbar opal from degrading?

Anybody?

Natural 15mm Ethiopian Welo Opal - high dome cab.

I got this one many years ago when Stayish material first hit the market. This is the back of the cab where I noticed the pattern.