From: A.Edwin Skinner
Email: skinneralfred_e_@hotmail.com
This is always a delicate subject. After 30 yrs of playing with opals my advice is first see if they are stable or not. If they are dry examine them carefully with a 5x or 10x lupe to see if the stone has any fractures. If they are wet, dry them for a day or so in the sun and then do the same, check them for fractures. Whichever stone is not fractured and has good colour within it, not just on the surface, could be a good stone with potential. You then show this stone to an opal cutter with a good reputation for his or her opinion.