From: Blaine Buckman
Email: seechem@lycos.com
Date: 04-Mar-2003
Time: 10:17 PM
Anyone,
I have a problem. I bought a 68-g chunk of opal rough origninating from Grawin, Lightning Ridge. The rough had a color bar about 1 mm thick around the stone with some sand on top and bottom, but the color was in between black potch. The price was moderate, as there was some potential for a black stone, but nothing definite.
Yippee! Was my resonse when I had to cut the stone in half because of sand pits at both edges of the stone. The color bar amazingly went to about 10 mm thick over a good portion over the inner part of the stone, and there wasn't any sand in the middle. I cut a nice green-yellow semiblack crystal stone weighing 30 carats, because the color bar was over truly black potch. The dome is very high, because much of the color bar is rather thick. Because the color bar is so thick, the stone looks like a semibalck rather than straight black, but the face base color does not change that perceptively. The color intensity (estimate) I would objectively estimate to be a 3-4 on Downing's scale. I think I might have something good here. I love the stone, it's very pretty. I think it might be worth something, but I'm not expecting a "mint", or ready to become stupidly excited over my misjudgement. The thing is, the stone is not cut "perfectly". The cut is a little asymetrical, and is of a freeform shape. The stone could be made more symmetrical, but I am very nervous about trying to get it perfect. It would be just my luck to break the stone. Even though I don't want to sell, if the price is worth it, I might have to consider (mouths to feed).
What would you more experienced cutters do? I know you guys love nice large semiblack stones as much as I. Is it worth the risk?
Thank you very much, I really look forward to your advice. I will keep the stone safe until I hear some reasonable advice.
Respectfully,
Blaine Buckman