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Our expertise
Our Opals
From raw opal to cut opal, from white silica to shimmering jewelry
Our opals are natural, most often Australian but sometimes Brazilian or from other countries, cut as cabochons, freeforms, triangles… depending on which direction reveals the stone’s most beautiful sparkles. Their geometry is therefore not always perfect, since their shape is often guided by the need to enhance the stone.
Their surface finish and structure are natural, with no varnish or other treatment applied; we delicately extracted them from their matrix, following the diffraction of light and the veins of color, then cut and polished them.
Sourcing and cutting
Buying criteria are based on the rough opal’s perceived potential, based on outward signs that can be deceptive. My intuition, nourished by fifteen years of observing rough opals, allows me to interpret certain signals as signs of quality. Estimating the potential-risk ratio is an essential phase in the choice of opal, because it can contain defects, grains of sand and the whole investment can be lost. In most cases, our intuition is right, but sometimes Mother Nature is mischievous; sometimes it’s the other way round, from a seemingly banal stone we get a magnificent opal, and what a moment of happiness and enthusiasm in those cases!
Cutting always begins with a meticulous examination of the opal from every angle: in which direction does it shine most intensely, where are the most precious colors located, are there any inclusions or flaws, what is the best angle of attack and the main orientation to be favored. This preliminary work of examination leads to decisions of the final cut form, the potential jewel that will emerge (pendant, earrings, ring) but, at the end, it’s always the opal that decides.
The meticulous work of carving begins, gently removing the gangue and uncovering the stone’s lights little by little, checking as you go along the correct orientation chosen according to the shining parts areas you are encountering. Depending on what flamboyant areas you discover, you estimate where they’ll be brightest, and sometimes revise your original plans according to what the opal is suggesting to you.
This precision work is a perpetual compromise between the idea of the final jewel we hope to achieve and the optimization of the cutting process to minimize material loss depending on orientation, while at the same time optimizing the opal’s most beautiful fire. Sometimes we sacrifice a large part of the opal in the interest of the jewel we want, and sometimes it’s the other way around: we forego the traditional jewel shape in favor of a free-form design that expresses the opal’s optimum beauty.
This first phase of work results in a rough shape which must then be polished very gradually with different abrasive grains until a mirror polish free of surface defects is obtained. This final, meticulous step is essential to the high level of quality we aim for in the finish of our opals.
The photographic presentation
Our aim: to give you a “hands-on” experience in real-life conditions, as if you were holding it in your hand.
Macrophotography of minerals is a complex field, I capture the unique beauty of each stone using professional equipment in a suitable studio. We aim to offer you an immersive experience by presenting opals through high-quality videos and photographs that match our level of finish.
I use specific techniques summarized below to achieve the best results. The stones are usually photographed against a black background to highlight their properties. I adjust the lighting to faithfully reproduce the natural colors of each stone. Films allow us to better appreciate the details.
The photographs show both sides of the stone and its dimensions on a ruler graduated in millimeters.
To sum up:
- Dry stone
- Cool natural light 5500K
- Reflex and 100 mm macro lens
- Studio white or black background
Black and dark opals are the easiest to picture, and the Queen category is always incredible! With them, everything is simple, whatever the background, the light, the shape or the diffractions, just happiness!
Boulder, Koroit, Iowah and Matrix opals have interlacing patterns or bright, often brilliant colors. Evoking marvelous paintings of unknown planets, they are often better represented by photographs than video.
Crystal opals are complex to picture. The aim is to preserve their transparency without blocking it, and to highlight the complexity of their lights. How we manage it? Getting a little light from behind, looks like levitate? Almost…
The appearance of white opal bodies varies greatly according to the color and tone of the background on which they are exposed. Also, to enhance your examination, we offer you shots on a white background to complement those taken on a black background.
For reasons of visual homogeneity of the collection and your comfort, we improve our films and photographs. Framing, removal of unsightly shots and enhancement of the background, no retouching on the stone – any defect remains!