I literally minutes ago received my crystal opal I purchased from yalls store. It is breathtaking. Can’t thank you and yours enough. It’s an upgrade for my wife’s wedding ring, and once we have it set in a custom band I’ll find a way to send y’all a pic. Thanks again from Texas😎🙏🏻
Working 8 months every year in Alaska I do not get to watch these. But when I am home I binge watch these . Some over and over again. What seperates opal from other stones is two are never alike. Around the world you have artists trying to create a masterpiece. Yet nature as far as I am concerned did it best with gems and rock formations. In the world of opal you have Picasso, Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Pollock, Michelangelo,, Rembrandt..You name it. But best of all we have stones that no artists have ever been able to match. If you ever get to go to Tuscan Tucson AZ and hit the gem show you will be amazed. You really will never wish to leave. For me there have been three times in my life I felt that way. When I lived in NSW Australia and went through my father in laws opals from years he spent at Lightning Ridge. The Tucson gem show , and the Smithsonian rock and gem exhibits. One opal I swear if everyone would just take a break and look at then the world would finally be at peace. People like Sir Justin make UA-cam a much better place to hang out.
I'm sure the opal miners are happy to sell to you, not only because of your decades long experience of cutting opals, but because you bring out the exquisite beauty of their opal products! Carry on! To you and the hard working miners!
Loved the vid best one I personally watch so far I like the black thru the stone I think it gives them character some times I think color is just plan opal by far is the prettiest stones on the planet
At 23:00, I thought that stone with the swirls of potch through it looked really cool. I think you should either cut it with those swirls left in, or add it to a beginner parcel, so someone else can enjoy it. Once the sand is off the edges, that would be a lovely large pendant stone that I'd gladly wear!
THIS. It breaks my heart to see him cut up pieces like that! I think he just needs to coin a term for these formations and market them as little works of art the same way dendritic opal and boulder opal are treated.
Loved the video. It really broke down for me the work and ambition of chasing that next impeccable gem. You hustle, buy, and look for the best rough opal that may give you a bigger reward. I see you find the challenge of it all as a reward all in itself and I appreciate that. As you mentioned that buying rough opal off EBay is more often than not rubbish it brought to me something in mind. This is random I know but believe it or not there is something often sold on eBay that is worth far more than Opal. It’s literally made of cardboard and cheap holo foil. Aka Pokémon Cards. A certain card made in the 90’s just recently sold for almost half a million dollars. You can’t make this up! 😂 Random I know. I really enjoyed this video! You’re a master of your craft, and as far as I’m concerned anyone who becomes a master of their work wether electrician, welder, pharmacist, and even skilled laborers such as miners or oilfield types it becomes a work of art.
Heartbreaking to see so many pieces not cutting anything, but nice to see you at least got a few stones out of it. On another note - and this may be a question born from ignorance - sometimes I see you grind away quite large portions of a piece to get at the better colour; have you ever thought of cutting off that low-quality material and selling it to amateurs and hobbyists? Maybe it would be more work than it’s worth, but instead of opal mud, some happy camper out there might get some material for practice and you get a little extra money in return. Could be a win-win if it’s viable (shipping costs might sink it).
When that color started flashing right about the 56 minute mark! Wow! Such a rush! Its so much fun watching the unveiling of such beautiful gems. It takes a real good eye to find them in stones like that. You are amazing at your craft!
Five cushion cut stones. That's more cushion cuts than you've done in the past 5 years. Beautiful gems, Justin. I much prefer this laid back video to the "I'm Goin' In" format you've been uploading of late. Thank you for the style that brought me to your channel years ago.
It's only when you allow us to see how much opal you work on and how much you choose to put aside becauseit doesn't meet with your high standard, that we realise how spectacular your gems are, and what a master of your trade you are. Your honesty is refreshing. Thank you for sharing your disappointments as well as your spectacular discoveries. You deserve your success.
Loved this video Justin, seeing you work, how your mind works was very interesting, it was so good to watch the master cut his gems. I loved every minute of it, revealing the gems. Thank you Black Opal Direct, more long videos like this would be fantastic.
Opal is an evil taskmaster. Most of the time is hard work and graft. But every now has again she throws you a stocker which reminds you why you are in the game. Great video and graphic example.
Thats right and 5am or 5pm is a good time for both coffee and beer as long as you're beginning or ending the day at each😁 Beautiful gem cutting as always!
Just love watching you work mate effortlessly guided by experience cutting what seams quick to new but shows skill to who know and gives joy to all , I thankyou knowing myself not always easy 👍
I'm fairly drooling on some of these, and it's not the little perfect gems! Every time you say it would be good for wire wrapping, my brain is saying "gimmie gimmie gimme!" 😂😂😂😅 Absolutely loved this session, the long ones are the best 💜 keep up the amazing work and thank you for sharing your gift with us.
I look forward to every video you post. I didn’t even know what opal was before I found your channel. But it is the most mesmerizing thing I’ve ever seen. Even rough opal. Sometimes I even prefer the way it looks as a rock. It’s crazy to think people pay money for boring diamonds when there are these.
@L B - I agree - I've never understood the attraction of diamonds - which is good because I'm very poor - lol!! other than Opals I love Amethyst the best and have a lovely Victorian brooch with three diamond cut Amethysts set in Pinchbeck (looks like rose gold but costs a lot less)
Tough parcel Justin ! ..... but you made the absolute best of it ....... Yay ! As a side note, I think that on some stones a swirl of black potch in the face adds some character and is still Beautiful .
The two stones from the 50:17 around that area of the video, I really loved those! They had such a confetti color to them that for me, the potch didn't take from their beauty. I was pleasantly surprised by the two stones you got from that. It just shows the kind of mastery you have with these sometimes fickle but beautiful gems.
I really liked the one with the potch line between 2 patterns. I would love that cyt with the line either centred or off centred showing off the beuty of a natural stone with such variation in a tiny area. Gorgeous
I love these videos. It's amazing to watch you roll through these stones and uncover, in some of them, fantastic little gems. You make such quick work of them that, if I stop watching for a minute, you go from a piece of rough into a pre- shaped gem ready for final smoothing and polishing. Thanks again for sharing. I have been trying to study the way you manipulate the stones on the wheels and then figuring out how to replicate that on dremel burrs and nova points.
Thanks Don yeah it will brake a fair amount longer to to get it right with a dremel but also it’s not that easy. I watched my dad do it for years in wonder until it became ingrained in me.
@@blackopaldirect here's the thing, Justin, I clamp my dremel in a photography tripod that used to belong to my brother. That way i can hold the stone, or dop stick, and manipulate it without having to hold the dremel. I've even built a water drip system using a plastic bottle, aquarium tubing, and an aquarium anti-siphon valve. It's not elegant, or pretty, but it works for until I can afford an actual machine for this express purpose.
Loved the video like this, your short ones where you talk us through some interesting pieces and this style being more quick fire was really enjoyable :D
Glad to see this one Justin, much more in line with the average opal, we buy. Sand and potch inclusions and waves bars, still there were some very nice stones cut from this parcel. Thanks for sharing
Justin, I absolutely love your videos and the knowledge that you share. Some amazing stones that I've seen you cut get me as excited as you so or more. As a cutter myself, I'm just itching to cut some like you cut. Keep up the great work and I look forward to many more videos.💯😎🍻🤠
Wow, I love the dark blue and green directional half crystal, half black square one. Lol, sometimes I yell wait or stop grinding! It's all good. You're the expert. I'm just the crazy fan 😅
I love the second one so much, I think it's beautiful ❤💎 all the stones from the mines in lightning ridge are really very beautiful, I love every single one of them 💎
Loved this, i always enjoy your videos but yea i think this is one of your best yet. I liked the calmness of it. I also enjoy the hyped up vids too so i guess variety is the spice of life.
Sweet! Looking forward to getting home from work this evening, and sitting in my recliner with a fatty, and watching this hour long cut! Looks like a banger!
@@blackopaldirect You don't create opal. You expose opal. With that said if it's not there nobody on the planet is going to find it. If my money was invested in a sack of rough there's nobody else but you that I would want exposing the opal! Also poor results hurts the business end but it is still quite fascinating and suspenseful to watch!
You've inspired me to start cutting opal.. I've always been obsessed with rocks, since I was a kid, and your videos really reawakened that in me. Hopefully all goes well and I see you around! Good luck out there, my friend!
I think that we can Greenpeace with the gray streaks that are waived right through the color is just absolutely gorgeous as is it could be beautifully hung as a pendant as is
I don't mind if there are some slight imperfections, especially if the color is good and it's a fairly deep pattern. A lot of these seemed to have really thin bars that weren't all in line with the grain of the stones.
Most people can't afford the large Opals you carve out. I myself can only afford the small Opal you shaped, 1/2 to 1 caret. That one could be put in a gold chain. I personally liked the larger one with the black running down the middle. Now that was beautiful. Don't always count out the black in the Opal, sometimes it can add to the beauty of the stone. Mary from New Hampshire, U.S.A.
Seems like it would be easier to imagine the color bars traipsing out of sight with both ends to observe. Thanks for sharing the "chasing bars" process again.
I literally minutes ago received my crystal opal I purchased from yalls store. It is breathtaking. Can’t thank you and yours enough. It’s an upgrade for my wife’s wedding ring, and once we have it set in a custom band I’ll find a way to send y’all a pic. Thanks again from Texas😎🙏🏻
Congratulations!
Yeeehaaaw I’m happy to hear that. 🙏🙏🙏
@@blackopaldirect she loves it beyond belief. The gem is stunning, and the C”citrus sent was a very nice surprise. You have a costumer for life.
@@blackopaldirect I liked the 'cloudy' look of the opal you polished.
I really like crystal.
Working 8 months every year in Alaska I do not get to watch these. But when I am home I binge watch these . Some over and over again. What seperates opal from other stones is two are never alike.
Around the world you have artists trying to create a masterpiece. Yet nature as far as I am concerned did it best with gems and rock formations.
In the world of opal you have Picasso, Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Pollock, Michelangelo,, Rembrandt..You name it. But best of all we have stones that no artists have ever been able to match.
If you ever get to go to Tuscan Tucson AZ and hit the gem show you will be amazed. You really will never wish to leave. For me there have been three times in my life I felt that way. When I lived in NSW Australia and went through my father in laws opals from years he spent at Lightning Ridge. The Tucson gem show , and the Smithsonian rock and gem exhibits.
One opal I swear if everyone would just take a break and look at then the world would finally be at peace.
People like Sir Justin make UA-cam a much better place to hang out.
I still think the ones with the black potch swirled through the color are beautiful. I'd pay for one of those.
And that is part of the beauty of opals. Personal preference plays a huge part in how people react to the different patterns, colours, shapes etc.
That one with the black triangle was very pretty. The contrast of black and the beautiful opal was nice.
Same. The contrast is so pretty.
Same! They look very beachy
Bgg Bhutto
Thee most honest cutting I've ever seen, the good, bad, and ugly. Executive decisions made on the fly....well done Justin. Enjoyed this immensely.
I love the swirls of jet black potch in amongst the color, "Story Stones"
Thank you Michael
Interesting to see a bunch of opal one after another with out anything too spectacular. A glimpse into the workaday life of an opal cutter. Thank you!
This Here. This is what we want. You doing you and us watching a master at work.
I'm sure the opal miners are happy to sell to you, not only because of your decades long experience of cutting opals, but because you bring out the exquisite beauty of their opal products! Carry on! To you and the hard working miners!
Loved the vid best one I personally watch so far I like the black thru the stone I think it gives them character some times I think color is just plan opal by far is the prettiest stones on the planet
ALL CAME OUT BEAUTIFUL !
This was a great video. No music, just the sound of the grinder and your voice. Perfect!
At 23:00, I thought that stone with the swirls of potch through it looked really cool. I think you should either cut it with those swirls left in, or add it to a beginner parcel, so someone else can enjoy it. Once the sand is off the edges, that would be a lovely large pendant stone that I'd gladly wear!
THIS. It breaks my heart to see him cut up pieces like that! I think he just needs to coin a term for these formations and market them as little works of art the same way dendritic opal and boulder opal are treated.
I LOVE that fade-to-black half n half. Hypnotic.
The one at 55min is absolutely amazing my favorite for sure the colors are incredible
Loved the video. It really broke down for me the work and ambition of chasing that next impeccable gem. You hustle, buy, and look for the best rough opal that may give you a bigger reward. I see you find the challenge of it all as a reward all in itself and I appreciate that. As you mentioned that buying rough opal off EBay is more often than not rubbish it brought to me something in mind. This is random I know but believe it or not there is something often sold on eBay that is worth far more than Opal. It’s literally made of cardboard and cheap holo foil. Aka Pokémon Cards. A certain card made in the 90’s just recently sold for almost half a million dollars. You can’t make this up! 😂 Random I know. I really enjoyed this video! You’re a master of your craft, and as far as I’m concerned anyone who becomes a master of their work wether electrician, welder, pharmacist, and even skilled laborers such as miners or oilfield types it becomes a work of art.
Texas here. My eyes kept popping wide as you were grinding the trapezoid shaped first stone. Surprises galore!
And they just kept getting more stunning
It's not just opal you are enjoying to listen to, you have such a pleasent dermeaner
Heartbreaking to see so many pieces not cutting anything, but nice to see you at least got a few stones out of it.
On another note - and this may be a question born from ignorance - sometimes I see you grind away quite large portions of a piece to get at the better colour; have you ever thought of cutting off that low-quality material and selling it to amateurs and hobbyists? Maybe it would be more work than it’s worth, but instead of opal mud, some happy camper out there might get some material for practice and you get a little extra money in return. Could be a win-win if it’s viable (shipping costs might sink it).
The ones with the black through them are so pretty too. I love them, they have character. Love watching you.
🌹🦋❤️☮️🇺🇸
I learn quite a lot watching how you deal with challenging parcels. Thank you for posting this!
Glad it was helpful!
Justin, I love how you can read a stone before you even touch the wheel. Magic. Watching old videos again, I'm hooked.x
When that color started flashing right about the 56 minute mark! Wow! Such a rush! Its so much fun watching the unveiling of such beautiful gems. It takes a real good eye to find them in stones like that. You are amazing at your craft!
Sand spots maybe, but a gorgeous stone with beautiful nature. Thank you, Justin. Taking us through the ups and downs of seam opal.
My pleasure!
Five cushion cut stones. That's more cushion cuts than you've done in the past 5 years. Beautiful gems, Justin.
I much prefer this laid back video to the "I'm Goin' In" format you've been uploading of late.
Thank you for the style that brought me to your channel years ago.
The big egg/oval one was pretty with the potch swirling through it was stunning and would look great as a big pendant!
i agree, i think that stone at about 8:05 is gorgeous. how do you find stones like this for sale on their website?
A true master Justin you were taught well
It's only when you allow us to see how much opal you work on and how much you choose to put aside becauseit doesn't meet with your high standard, that we realise how spectacular your gems are, and what a master of your trade you are. Your honesty is refreshing. Thank you for sharing your disappointments as well as your spectacular discoveries. You deserve your success.
Thank you Lorraine I appreciate the kind words
FANTASTIC, Seeing that sometimes its not all smoke and mirrors ...Thanks Justin.
Loved this video Justin, seeing you work, how your mind works was very interesting, it was so good to watch the master cut his gems. I loved every minute of it, revealing the gems. Thank you Black Opal Direct, more long videos like this would be fantastic.
Welcome again top cat glad you enjoyed
Opal is an evil taskmaster. Most of the time is hard work and graft. But every now has again she throws you a stocker which reminds you why you are in the game. Great video and graphic example.
Fantastic episode. More like this please
Thats right and 5am or 5pm is a good time for both coffee and beer as long as you're beginning or ending the day at each😁
Beautiful gem cutting as always!
Welcome 🙏
@@blackopaldirect the little gem at 46ish minutes made me wonder if youve ever had a potch centre surrounded completely by color?
@@soulshiversasmr sure have
Showing your talent once again, bring the best from these stones to light.
Just love watching you work mate effortlessly guided by experience cutting what seams quick to new but shows skill to who know and gives joy to all , I thankyou knowing myself not always easy 👍
Such gifted hand and eyes I could watch you all day. Amazing !
I'm fairly drooling on some of these, and it's not the little perfect gems! Every time you say it would be good for wire wrapping, my brain is saying "gimmie gimmie gimme!" 😂😂😂😅
Absolutely loved this session, the long ones are the best 💜 keep up the amazing work and thank you for sharing your gift with us.
Glad you enjoyed Lisa
@@blackopaldirect I'm still enjoying, Haven't made it all the way through yet 💜
I look forward to every video you post. I didn’t even know what opal was before I found your channel. But it is the most mesmerizing thing I’ve ever seen. Even rough opal. Sometimes I even prefer the way it looks as a rock. It’s crazy to think people pay money for boring diamonds when there are these.
@L B - I agree - I've never understood the attraction of diamonds - which is good because I'm very poor - lol!!
other than Opals I love Amethyst the best and have a lovely Victorian brooch with three diamond cut Amethysts set in Pinchbeck (looks like rose gold but costs a lot less)
Couldn’t agree more!
It was fun just watching it ou cut stones!!! They were all beautiful but I loved the cushion cut ones!!! Do this type of video again!!!!
Tough parcel Justin ! ..... but you made the absolute best of it ....... Yay ! As a side note, I think that on some stones a swirl of black potch in the face adds some character and is still Beautiful .
Thank you 🙏
Loved every minute of it. Watching is so calming after working all day!!! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
wow, just goes to show how unlucky one can get and how lucky we are that your almost always showing us the good stuff:)
Danger Danger Danger silica beware the Outback OVAL Hunter is on the loose!!!! Love It I could watch this all day!!
Lol
22:51
Perfect stone for a table!
Thank you Justin for an amazing hour of opal therapy! These are very beautiful gems. The square one is almost purple! Beautiful! Cheers!
Welcome Jon
Seems that several of us see beauty in the imperfections.
The two stones from the 50:17 around that area of the video, I really loved those! They had such a confetti color to them that for me, the potch didn't take from their beauty. I was pleasantly surprised by the two stones you got from that. It just shows the kind of mastery you have with these sometimes fickle but beautiful gems.
Wow 😳 right on! That's crazy color right 👍 on..
Really enjoyed the longer video! Gave a great idea of what going through a parcel is like, ups and downs.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Much respect. Good on you.
I appreciate that
My favorite type of video! I learn a lot from these!
I’m am happy it is 😊
I really liked the one with the potch line between 2 patterns. I would love that cyt with the line either centred or off centred showing off the beuty of a natural stone with such variation in a tiny area. Gorgeous
I love these videos. It's amazing to watch you roll through these stones and uncover, in some of them, fantastic little gems. You make such quick work of them that, if I stop watching for a minute, you go from a piece of rough into a pre- shaped gem ready for final smoothing and polishing.
Thanks again for sharing. I have been trying to study the way you manipulate the stones on the wheels and then figuring out how to replicate that on dremel burrs and nova points.
Thanks Don yeah it will brake a fair amount longer to to get it right with a dremel but also it’s not that easy. I watched my dad do it for years in wonder until it became ingrained in me.
@@blackopaldirect here's the thing, Justin, I clamp my dremel in a photography tripod that used to belong to my brother. That way i can hold the stone, or dop stick, and manipulate it without having to hold the dremel. I've even built a water drip system using a plastic bottle, aquarium tubing, and an aquarium anti-siphon valve. It's not elegant, or pretty, but it works for until I can afford an actual machine for this express purpose.
Loved the video like this, your short ones where you talk us through some interesting pieces and this style being more quick fire was really enjoyable :D
Thank you. I make all types of videos
@@blackopaldirect yeah I found your channel a year or two ago and binge watched all your videos, those are just my favourite of your vids 😀
I get going for the perfect stone but sometimes I like the unusual too like the blue with a black bar down the center, lovely!
Tough batch to go through !!!
Justin great to see you don’t give up until you’re sure! At least you found a few nice pieces.
Thanks 👍
Glad to see this one Justin, much more in line with the average opal, we buy. Sand and potch inclusions and waves bars, still there were some very nice stones cut from this parcel. Thanks for sharing
Welcome Jeff
Great sesion!!!
A bit more words & its perfect. Thankssss jastin
Justin, I absolutely love your videos and the knowledge that you share. Some amazing stones that I've seen you cut get me as excited as you so or more. As a cutter myself, I'm just itching to cut some like you cut. Keep up the great work and I look forward to many more videos.💯😎🍻🤠
Min 2301 that black potch looks stellar it's still opal but a much more unique
Gday mate, loved this video watching you explain and cut the opal, more long videos like this where I can watch and learn would be great, cheers
Thank you so much for the content!!!!! I absolutely look forward to your videos
Mesmerizing….. I love this!!!
good job thank you for sharing the adventure.
Enjoyed another repeat performance. Solo nice Maestro.
I really like the one with the black line down the center. To bad most won't want the black left in . Thanks for sharing 👍
True
Really enjoyed this rough out! Thank you 💕
Glad you enjoyed
You're so amazingly talented! Your videos are the best, thank you for posting ❤💜
Thank you Gina
I actually love the one with the potch in it 22:27. The black makes a nice contrast to the blues.
This is my kind of episode.
😊
Wow, I love the dark blue and green directional half crystal, half black square one. Lol, sometimes I yell wait or stop grinding! It's all good. You're the expert. I'm just the crazy fan 😅
I love the second one so much, I think it's beautiful ❤💎 all the stones from the mines in lightning ridge are really very beautiful, I love every single one of them 💎
Loved this, i always enjoy your videos but yea i think this is one of your best yet. I liked the calmness of it. I also enjoy the hyped up vids too so i guess variety is the spice of life.
Oh this is wonderful Justin and I love to watch you work your magic on those opals! It's interesting and exciting, good luck Justin and BOD!
Love the swirly black potch opal
If I could get even a beaten by sand stone from you, because you worked the stone I would be sooooo happy, you are very good at what you do.
Wow! You’re good Justin!
57:14 I wouldn’t even notice any pitch spots- amazing stone
Sweet! Looking forward to getting home from work this evening, and sitting in my recliner with a fatty, and watching this hour long cut! Looks like a banger!
wake n bake n coffee n stones here hehehehehehe
I got a note from the doctors hehehehehe legit
@@offyarocka I work at a dispensary. Hehehehehe
@@redeyestones3738 🤪🥰🤪
Great episode thanks Justin
Fastest hour on the internet! Very entertaining! Not sure about the risk vs. reward on seam opal but you're still the King!
Glad you enjoyed Michael it was not the best hour of exposing opal
@@blackopaldirect You don't create opal. You expose opal. With that said if it's not there nobody on the planet is going to find it. If my money was invested in a sack of rough there's nobody else but you that I would want exposing the opal! Also poor results hurts the business end but it is still quite fascinating and suspenseful to watch!
Going to have to call you Stirling Moss of the opal cutters. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
A pleasure as always,ty
Nice to be able to watch you grind away without talking and explanation. We get to see you just get down to business.
I like the small one with green and blue..the one that's so bright.. I can't wait to see them polished
Enjoyed it as always Trevor
You've inspired me to start cutting opal.. I've always been obsessed with rocks, since I was a kid, and your videos really reawakened that in me. Hopefully all goes well and I see you around! Good luck out there, my friend!
That is awesome!
Good working nice gemstone
I think that we can Greenpeace with the gray streaks that are waived right through the color is just absolutely gorgeous as is it could be beautifully hung as a pendant as is
I don't mind if there are some slight imperfections, especially if the color is good and it's a fairly deep pattern. A lot of these seemed to have really thin bars that weren't all in line with the grain of the stones.
Hi! Another very relaxing to watch and interesting video. I love your vids 😊Best regards from Germany
Markus 👍
@56:00 the color is so gorgeous, and so many colors, hope you can save it
Most people can't afford the large Opals you carve out. I myself can only afford the small Opal you shaped, 1/2 to 1 caret. That one could be put in a gold chain. I personally liked the larger one with the black running down the middle. Now that was beautiful. Don't always count out the black in the Opal, sometimes it can add to the beauty of the stone. Mary from New Hampshire, U.S.A.
Realy. Well done.
You're absolutely right it's 5:00 a.m. right now perfect time to start drinking
😂😂😂
Seems like it would be easier to imagine the color bars traipsing out of sight with both ends to observe. Thanks for sharing the "chasing bars" process again.
Welcome. Doggie dog
This parcel of seam opal had fun patterns, but so much wavy sand and potch running through. Such is Opal life
Yeah it was like that. Wavy potch is painful
what a nice work on that 16:00 stone
Amazingly beautiful ♥️✌️I love opal!
I really like the little square ones.
thanks for reminding us that everyone gets bad parcels once in a while, no matter who you are.
I really like the one that was blue and aqua green with the really black potch going thru it
I love this video thank you I would love to see them finished with weights and prices as a follow up video.