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Unset Opals
unset opals – boulder

Unset Opals

Unset opals are cut opals of any kind, which can be set into jewelry or kept as single pieces. It is a great option for buyers who want to choose the setting for their stone and not buy it already inlaid in a particular item of jewelry. The setting is optional – you can do it yourself or have your jeweler do it. Go to opalmine shop here

You are free to decide not only the design of the setting but also the kind of jewelry piece that you prefer. you can refer to the many designs featured here or on other pages of this blog. You can thus get a unique and exclusive piece from among a huge range of possibilities.

How unset opals are processed before setting

Completed stones are created by processing a rough opal piece. Here are some examples of ‘mine run’ as well as ‘rubbed’ or cleaned up rough opal. These pieces are cut and polished to enhance the play of color displayed by it.

The stone is first cleared of impurities and given a rough shape with a diamond cutter’s wheel. This is followed by fine cutting to give it a precise shape.

The cut stone is usually circular, tear-drop, dome or oval-shaped. Faceting may be done for some stones. It is then given a finish using sandpaper and a wet leather wheel is used to complete the polishing.

The final shape and orientation of the cut stone greatly influence the color and brilliance of the opal. The colors and patterns shown by the stone can be optimized by choosing a suitable cut. The stone is now an unset opal ready for processing further

Putting unset Opals into Jewelry

Stones may be of the standard size used in conventional jewelry such as these multiple choice parcels of pendants, or a free-flowing shape that follows the original shape of the rough opal. They can be used by a buyer in opal jewelry of their choice, such as necklaces, pendants, rings, tie pins, bracelets, brooches, hairpins etc.

They can also be inlaid into the dial, rim or belts of watches, or used to add exclusivity by inlaying in objects such as finger rings, pendants, footwear, spectacle frames, purses, belts, mobile phones etc.

18 Responses

  1. Peter I’m just going to stop in all of the jewelers in my area and offered to them as a specimen and at least I have a little bit of knowledge about it now, thanks to you!

    1. lisa sorry about not responding. for some reason i didnt get a notification. anyway, hope you do well. pleased to help at anytime. peter

  2. Peter, thank you so much for your valued thoughts on this Opal. Do you know how I would go about finding a buyer? This is probably the one in only Opal that I will ever need to sell, normally I just keep them on rings and necklaces:), so I have absolutely no idea of how to go about selling this.again thank you so much for all of your help! Lisa

  3. Peter, thank you so very much for looking at these pictures. I had to take them with my IPhone…I’m hoping it comes through okay. I highly doubt this Opal is real, but we can always hope!

    1. Lisa i am pretty sure the opal is real but of course crazed or cracked which puts it into the specimen category. This type of opal often comes from the 15 mile field at Coober Pedy although of course it could come from other areas. Looks like its a very large impressive piece. As a specimen its size is of interest and could be valued at around $500 although this is a guess and would depend on what a potential buyer is willing to pay as a collector. hope that helps peter

  4. Hello,

    I am trying to replace the opal in my grandmothers ring. It is only 5mm round. It was bright blue/green in color. It could be a boulder, doublet, or triplet. Thank you for your consideration.

    Tammi

    1. Tammy, if possible try to get a close up picture of the ring and send it by attachment email to me. i will take a look at it and make some suggestions. There are a wide variety of opal qualities and types, so i will need to find something to fit your budget. If you cant send a picture, let me know, is the stone set with claws or is it a rubbed over bezel. Bezels are always more expensive to fix than claws. will do what i can to help. Peter

  5. My Grandparents left me Austrialian opals, finished and in the raw. Some have outstanding breath taking fire, red, green and blue. What is your address and do you view and either buy or appraise opals?

    1. Larry, i will send you an email so that you can send me some pics. Maybe i can give you some advice about selling them. Do you know where the opals are from? Peter

  6. I am looking for small opals under 10mm in size for incorperating into blown glass, please contact me if you cary small opals, synthetic or natural

    thank you

    1. Shamus Parks. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. This time of year is very busy. Yes, we do carry opals of all sizes. Popular opal round sizes are 4mm, 5mm, 6mm. It is possible to get larger rounds but we dont usually carry them because our customers have these standard sizes and they are usually set into sterling silver or gold. Give me some sort of idea of your budget and i will know what to recommend. Triplet opal for example in C grades start from $2 or $3 each up to $10 each. Solid opal can go up to $20 each and if they are black opals up to $100 and more. so you can see there is a wide variety and if you need special sizes it doesnt pay us to just cut a few. so just give me a few more details. thanks Shamus. Peter

    1. Alaeden, please leave a message in the contacts section of this site and we can talk about unset opals. best wishes, Peter

    1. Rouhani: Just take a look at the opal shop and let me know which opals you are looking at. In the meantime, i will send you an email and we can talk further. Best wishes Rouhani. Peter

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