Opal Gemstone Industry
STUDYING YOUR OPAL
After I have selected a piece of rough, I study the stone to determine how best to begin carving. Keep in mind factors such as sand pockets, irregular surfaces, undulating fire lines, directionality of the fire and a final design that is pleasing to the eye. When you have exposed the heart of the opal by grinding away any opaque surface layers, begin planning on removing any extra potch or sand pockets while planning for an ìeye pleasingî final design that uses the fire lines or fire patterns to enhance the beauty of the gem. Yes, what you are thinking is correct this is the hard part! Some of my favorite shapes are geometrics, swirls, waves and shapes that ì suggest natural objects without too closely resembling them. This will remove the burden of trying to exactly reproduce plants, animals or scenery something that may require the skills only available with formal art training. You can purchase carbon neutral gemstone at grahamblackopal.com .
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