Buying opals is an excellent method to enjoy the pastime of collecting gemstones. You may acquire rough opal for sale at the exact low cost as you would for finished opal by finding it for sale.
Rough opals are raw opals extracted directly from the mines or through the agitation process of washing and tumbling. Rough opal is available in two varieties: rough and rubbed.
Beginners can purchase rough potch opal to become familiar with lapidary equipment without worrying about polishing hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of opal.
Buying rough opal for sale might be problematic since you’ll almost certainly get a bunch of ordinary potch mixed in with your shipment. But it’s less expensive than ‘rubs,’ and there’s a possibility that something pleasant will pop up. Although it is similar to playing the lottery, people continue to return for more because of the exhilaration of seeing a hue that no one else has ever seen for the first time. Opal cutting is both enjoyable and rewarding.
Buying raw opal shouldn’t be difficult, and it usually isn’t, assuming you know what you’re looking for and the vendor knows what you’re talking about. When purchasing rough opal for your first opal cutting adventure, it would be best if you asked a few questions.
You can purchase rough opal for the same price as finished opal; sometimes, it may even be less expensive. The size and quality of the stone will determine how much raw opal will cost.
Your opal may be cut into pieces and used to create jewellery. Opal may be manufactured in jewellery in several forms, including chips, slices, and polished opal.
You will need the following to make your jewellery from raw opal:
- Saw
- Various-sized rough opals, depending on what you are making
- Circular-nosed pliers (to hold the rough while cutting)
It’s important to remember that some hues will have more “fire” than others when choosing raw to be cut into cabochons or beads. When light flows through a transparent material having parallel interior surfaces at 60 degrees to the direction of light travel, such as glass or polished rock crystal, luminescence, often known as fire, occurs. Due to their high refractive index, which prevents them from reflecting light and stones with lower fire, expensive gemstones have more fire.
The tough and resilient Rough Opal
The existence of a finish makes the contrast between polished and rough opal the most visible. Opals that are described as “rough” are indeed rough. However, they are not as glossy and lustrous as their more costly cousins since they have not been polished. On the other hand, polished opals have been expertly cut, sculpted, and finished into jewellery. This process must remove all flaws in the gravel so the stone can be used in jewellery or other ornamental items without leaving an unattractive mark.
This approach has one significant consequence: because the stone no longer has a protective coating covering its surface, it becomes less resilient than its unpolished version. So choose rough opal if you want something gorgeous but resist conditions like work or school, where it will be subject to daily wear and tear.
An enjoyable approach to participate in the hobby of gemstone collecting is with rough opal. It may be carved into exquisitely finished stones, reasonably priced, and strong.
