Giveaway Entries!!! Why Opal?

Very nice entries from everyone but this giveaway is done. Congrats to Shiramus for getting the win with here entry. Will have another up soon...

for me it would be the different colours and patterns, and I love that no 2 opals are the same.. I'm a gold prospector so to see all those colours it's really different then just seeing the same colour all the time

For me I loved gemstones when I went Questacon I bought this gold block that I had to dig apart and got a ton of different quartz. then I would use the crystals for science with a few mirrors and magnifying glass using sunlight magnification, refraction and reflection melting the road. Then I kinda forgot about them untill I stumbled across your channel now a fully licence truck mechanic I can afford collecting shiny rocks.

I collected rocks from a young age, starting with those I stumbled over while hiking. Bought some when possible when I was a bit older. I grew up without internet so when I became an adult and got that myself, it did'nt take long before I discovered ebay and the possibility of purchaseing stones from all over the world.

I one day stumbled over opals there, and I fell in love but at the same time thinking "Can that really be a real stone?!? 🧐". From there I did some serious research, found Opalauctions.com and a ocean of videos on YouTube+++ that thing was real 😯😎👌

After that, I was hooked for life 🥰

Why black opal? Well I'd like to say "I learned it from watching you and Justin" because I googled cutting opal and both yours and justins videos came up and well I was hooked after that for certain but there was a reason I googled cutting opal to begin with and it goes back to my childhood sitting in my gravel driveway looking through the loose gravel for quartz and agates and the odd fossil for hours on end...but I've always lived in Louisiana and gemstones are nearly non-existent save for a mine about four hours away that closed two years before I was born 😂 so that hardly stopped me from looking as I still do it today and I'm 47 years old long story a little shorter I guess I've always loved rocks but seeing you guys do it and make it so accessible for the layman that you allowed me to do something I'd always dreamed but never dared.... create my own gems!!! So thanks 🙏

Opal is the most amazing gemstone! The colors are so mesmerizing. I used to have an antique white opal ring that was lost some years ago. I haven’t found a replacement I can afford yet. I truly enjoy watching and learning everything on your YouTube channel. Thank you!!

Virginia Johnson

Have to say my latest obsession and financial drain being busy stocking up on the kit and Opal 😉 is down to your relaxing informative videos watching Mother Earth and a skilled hand at their finest bringing out the Beauty from within. No other Gem cuts it for me, has to be Opal all the way!

Thanks for sharing Roy,

Regards, Sue

I remember seeing a BO Direct video randomly and then having your videos come up in the suggested, since then added a few more channels like Pulitzer Opal and I'm hooked, line and sinker.

What Got Me into opals. Seeing and being fascinated by opalised fossils.

Didn't even know there was such a thing until that day.

i was originally given an opal ring by my mother when i went to vietnam and some idiot told her it meant death so she spent the rest of my time in nam trying to get me to return it so began my love of opals and in the last 2 years i have tried to cut and polish opals to give to my children and gran children still learning

My love for Australian Opal came from a very young age. My mother always loved opal and could never afford a ring or necklace. She finally ended up getting a white Coober Pedy necklace in her 40’s and she was so enamored with it. After she passed at 51 yrs old in 2010 we were going through her belongings and in her jewelry box was that necklace. My sister took it to wear and loved it. For me though every time I see opal it reminds me of my mothers warmth and love. For me a piece of her shows through in every piece I work now. Thank you Roy so much for all you do for the industry. It’s noticed and very much appreciated brother.

Hi Roy, my obsession is fairly new. I have always loved opal in all their beauty but have never owned any. My parents are travellers and spent 3 months of every year travelling around Australia. My father has been collecting small pieces of rough opal from Lightning Ridge, Coober Pedy, Andamooka, all places really.

He is in his 80’s now and can no longer travel and he knew I had an interest in opal so he gifted all his pieces to me. This is when my obsession really kicked off so to YouTube I went. Yourself, Justin and a couple of others have taken so much of my time (in a good way) and here we are today. I now own a dremel and all the equipment to cut and polish my rocks and have been having the best time along the way.

Funnily enough I have just been travelling through Lightning Ridge on my search for opal.

Sorry for the long winded story and thanks for the opportunity to win.

Linda

Hey Roy.....about 10 years ago, my wife Jill and I were watching the JTV Jewelry channel and they were talking about the Welo opal fields and selling opals from that region. We both fell in love with opals and I started researching them. During my research, I stumbled upon Justin's Youtube channel and that was it for me. Now it's not the Ethiopian opals for me, it's the opals of Australia. I have been carving opals with my dremel for the past six years or so and have learned a lot from Justin, you, and Phil from the Opal Mills channel. Thanks for all you do...."Good on ya mate!"

Hey mate. I randomly accompanied a friend who was heading to Coober Pedy for work on 2 separate occasions- mainly to make the drive a bit safer & help with loading/ unloading gear etc. We got a tip from the accommodation owners on some noodling sites and lent us a bit of gear to go out & have a fossick. While we didn’t find much of any value, I did suddenly develop a new super power… “opal eyes”. Once I saw the first little flash of colour, suddenly the dirt was pinging everywhere! Dribbling a bit of water on it I was amazed that something so beautiful can exist down in all that uninteresting, ancient rock- and created in the way that it is.

Like Roy I started watching Justin from Black Opal Direct and just fell in love with these magical stones, I've been hooked ever since.

Got hooked watching outback hunters.. the fact that it's an ancient mineral trapped between rocks producing such a beautiful thing is what makes it magic

Hi Roy, so it took me ages to get into opal but I first started around 2020 with the pandemic, Justin was a big inspiration as was your work when I was starting out and you both still are great inspirations for me but what got me into cutting opals was trying to find tintenbar opal, we only found quartz but my sister's partner has a grandmother that heard that we were working on opal and we got a chance to practise on some potch and alot of sand. Most of the chunk was sand and it had only a little bit of potch but when we hit the potch, we found a gem that really exited us and also scared us alot so as inspiration to finish that stone, we learnt to cut opals. Me and my mum started with black Opal and I dabbled with welo opal for a little bit but went back to black Opal then we eventually heard of the black lighters and Julian and started to buy off them, eventually I got the courage after 2 years and I did the final cut and polish of the gem and I was so proud. That locked in my love for opal and I'm happy to have opal as a fascination of mine and I'll never be upset about it.

P.S: Ive got some Coober Pedy opal that I'm really proud of the outcome and I hope you like it and feedback is great!

I loved Opal from an early age, but the addiction started because of the TV show Opal Hunters, then began researching miners and asking for education, filtering out the dodgy ones and found some honest and trusting sellers and a father and son team who are an amazing cutter, I haven't sold anything just a big collector that will pass them on to my daughter one day.

When i was a child my mother had a jar full of pretty rocks in water in her china cabinet and after her passing one of the other siblings made it disappear :( Late last year a friend gave me a small rock of opal and told me to get the dremel out and have fun. Now I am hooked on the most beautiful stone in the world. I have only been carving 2 months but getting there. This is a small shell from Coober Pedy and the Blacklighters.

I guess I have always had a fascination with rocks in general, especially when I was younger and then life got busy. I used to look at the different stones in the jewelry stores and remember seeing a black opal once that had an intense red pinfire. The illusion of depth in that stone was amazing and didn't even

seem possible. After the "RONA" hit I was laid off from work. One night I managed to catch one of Justin's videos, then that led to another, and then to Pulitzer and Riley, and a new guy named Roy who often ended up cracking or chipping his stones with that crazy Dremel tool. I wouldn't have thought it possible until I saw in one of Justin's videos that you could cut and polish opal simply with sandpaper. I was very skeptical but thought I'd give it a try. I figured I'd give myself a year to see if I could learn to actually cut jewelry quality stones. After getting the basics and a little bit of rough from Opal Auctions I chose a small, thin piece of seam that was showing some color as my first attempt. I know everyone says to start with potch but I figured if I was going to spend all those hours I wanted to give myself the chance of a finished stone with color. Also I thought that I would be going slow enough with the sandpaper that I'd be able to catch myself before I went too far. When I started I first rubbed my stone firmly 25 times on the sandpaper and took a look to see how much material I took off. I wanted to cry because I couldn't see any difference, lol. That's when reality set in but I was committed to following through mostly because I foolishly told others I was going to cut my own opal. After almost a month of working off and on and going through every obstacle imaginable, including constantly second guessing myself, I finally finished my first stone. The wonder of transforming a rock into something of such beauty is something few people will get to experience and I will never forget. I now have a very nice collection of settable stones which I'm hoping to start setting myself next year. That's a whole new series of videos I'll have to get ready for.

Why Opal? Same for me, I stumbled upon Justin on Black Opal Direct and fell in love with the magic of opal, after some searching on youtube I stumbled upon you and Phil (The Opal Mills) and I have never looked back! Just need to actually get carving! I have bits of potch stting here waiting for me to start......

i started cutting Opal because of the beauty in every stone, the surprises it brings and how nature can create such amazing shapes and colors. Unlike any other gemstone which are boring in comparison Opal in all its forms brings a smile and I find also working with Opal therapeutic.

Why opal ?

I've cut a few thousands stones before i met opal . None of them gave me the thrill of the surprise when cutting opal. The colors and patterns are amazing and so different from one stone to another. Unbelievable

Why opal? Because the play of color is almost magical - it doesn't quite look real.

I got interested in opal many years ago. I visit the Tucson Gem Shows every year (I live not too far away, luckily) and early on I started to notice the opals for sale. A few years ago I bought some inexpensive rough, which I have yet to touch - real life intervened, and all my hobbies seemed to take a back seat. I'm determined to do some cutting this fall/winter (or, for you all Down Under, this spring/summer).

Thanks for the channel - it's been helpful in many ways!

Opal has always been my favorite gemstone. When I was younger, I was told it was bad luck to buy opal jewelry for yourself. I was elated when somebody bought me a pair of opal earrings! Now that I’m an adult, I don’t believe in bad luck.

I’ve been a rock hound picking up rocks everywhere I go, since I can remember. I actually bought my first rock tumbler yesterday. I would eventually love to learn how to carve opals.

My first opal video I watched was one of your’s and it was suggested by YouTube. Now I watch your channel all the time. I also watch The Opal Mills, The Young Guns and The Blacklighters. Now I’m going to watch the video that got you started! Keep up the great work, Roy!

I wanted to start facetting gems then I came across this video https://youtu.be/7_91ZXMggX8 then I started to watch opal content creators and bought a dremel 😅😁👍

I have always been In love with opal, since I was little. My mum has an opal ring and I used to love watching the shift of colours.

My opal journey started after I started wire wrapping crystals and I came across Justin from black opal direct on YouTube, it also was a Dremel video, just not as old as yours. My mother had actually surprised me not too long before that with a Dremel as a "lockdown" gift to carve my own stones and after finding Justin I actually found your channel. Yours is the one that really got me into dremeling and showed me what I needed and how to do it with what I had. I managed to pick up a small jar of small cutters and I haven't looked back since.

Thank you for creating your YouTube channel to share your knowledge, it has most definitely helped me.

Also good luck to all those who enter

Why opal?? It saved me from a complete mental break down. Cutting is meditation for a brain that won't switch off. Every stone is unique...

Seeing for the first time an opalised fossil shell. I had no idea these things even

Existed . Mind tottaly blown.

My reasoning is due to my love for gems in general but the opal is my birthstone and holds a place close to my heart.

Started watching outback opal hunters bought my first parcel and havent looked back love every minute of it so therapeutic

I found opal by accident.

I have never been into rocks, gems, or anything like that until...

One night I fell asleep with YouTube playing. As I am sure you know that if You tube is allowed to play for eightish hours unattended, who knows what will be playing when you wake up.

I woke up to see a set of forearms and hands doing something. To be honest I did not even notice the opals. The arms and hands are what I noticed first. My father died of bone cancer when I was 13 years old. This may sound weird but I distinctly remember what my fathers hands and arms looked like. It was Justin's (Black opal Direct) arms and hands I was looking at and I could have sworn it was my fathers. then I saw Justin and it is not only his arms and hands that remind me of my father. They share a lot of the same physical characteristics. Then... I noticed the black opal he was cutting. I have been hooked ever since!

I first got into opal as a way of helping with my depression and soon found how addictive it was I also found it seemed to helpmate than any drugs they were prescribing

I was having a hard time doing something I thought was interesting when I was close to a burn-out, when I saw my wife watching black opal direct and outback opal hunters. I started watching along and it really grew on me. Already had an interest in different gem stones since I was a kid, but opal was new to me and it was something else. All the different ways opal could expose itself and all the different feelings I got from them made me feel enthusiastic. Then I started carving some opals with a dremel and it really got me in the zone. It is a form of mindfulness to me. It was the start of recovering from the burn-out. Of course this proces took a lot of effort and help, but it all started with the mystics of opal. And now I am doing much better mentally, I get a thankful feeling when I see a beautiful opal.

My opal obsession started watching Opal Hunters, and found Justin you and now I am totally opal obsessed (it's actually got ridiculous)! I've been buying little bits to practice on using a Dremel. I think I love opal so much as 1) I love rainbows and 2) I can't believe that nature can produce something so spectacular and other worldly. Also I just love the whole process of working on opal, taking it from a rough looking piece of material to something absolutely stunning. I definitely have opal fever ☺️🌈

After a fall off a rock ledge while fishing a few years ago I found myself with some mental health battles that really affected my whole world. I was looking for something to take my mind away from it all and started binge watching Outback Opal Hunters, which lead to Justin's amazing channel. Opal Fever had a grip on me and it just grew stronger by the day. My mental health is so much better now and it's all because of the beautiful colours of this 100 million yr old piece of nature, and the people within this community. I have loved watching and learning about different techniques like dremelling, and am still learning every day. Cheers to JT and Roy for helping my health ❤️

Have always loved opals. They were my mom's favorite Stone. I have always been a rockhound and was just learning how to cut and polish stones. Lo and behold I ran across your videos. I have been hooked every since. I have done a few but they were not very good specimens. I am saving some money so I can get some decent specimens to practice on. In the meantime I will keep watching each and every video I can find of yours you have taught me so much already. I have watched a few of black opal direct videos but I guess I should go back and check out a few more. Thank you for all your knowledge it is greatly appreciated. Cheers ✌❤

l was looking for a hobby that l could pick up and put down as time permitted. At the time my hobby was terrariums which you can’t do that with, they need regular upkeep. I came across an opal ring my father had made, the setting wasn’t great but fell in love with the colours dancing across this opal triplet. Even tho the ring had many flaws the idea of making somthing that can be passed down in the family really appealed to me. I jumped on you tube and came across 3 channels that l still follow of course the first being roysrocks theopalmills and blackopaldirect l learnt so much between the 3.I brought some rough on eBay. Started with sand paper and was lucky enough to produce a dark Chrystal opal free form. l now have a Dremel for carving and a flat lap for cabs. The reason it is a hobby that has lasted more than any other is the freedom to pick up and put down as l want to. I hope that my family will get to enjoy the products of my labour for years to come.

I found opal while perusing rocks on eBay. Then found Justin and now you on YouTube. Been hooked ever since!

I live in Lithuania i like to pik amber on a Batik see. Then stsrtet to look video on YouTube abaut gold paning, oter crystals mining and sooo video abaut opal. You must disko ver it teise. First you dig it. Then polish it and diskover again. And i can jon at my home for that sekond raund any time of the year any vether. Just pure joi when you get somfing beutiful of it. Egle Gylyte

I got hooked after waching Opal hunters. Then a world opened up for me. Then came covid and time and nothing to do... yep opalism it is!🙃😁

Collected rocks anytime I was near the ground, loved fossicking, 2003 was given an icecream tub of black opal chips to craft with, planned to go mining in a friends mine, life changed in 2004, family became high priority, 2016 left me medically retired, searching for meaningful activities. 2019 I saw an auction for an opal custom ring, started searching for more auctions on facebook and youtube, and found this whole community of opal enthusiasts, now my days are filled with colour. :D

I love opals because I was watching about mining gems then an opal mine came up andi watched it and was amazed at how beautiful these stones are, I then watched Justin on black opal direct then I started watching roys rocks because he used a dremel which started me off. So watching Justin first then Roy I got to learn how to have a go at cutting opals and polishing them. I don't think I will ever stop as I am addicted ro opals now lol. It gives me a great rush when I am doing the opals whether it turns out good or bad and it is purely a hobbies for me. I have no intention to sell any of my stones well not yet anyway lol.

Well, a combination of my kid wanting to have his birth stone and me watching a couple of youtube-clips by gemstone.com (this was i June this year) made me interested to find some place to buy some beautiful stones to us, and my whole family got interested really. I happened to find a Swedish seller (riddgem) who had a summer sale, where I bought two small beautiful opals, one australian and one ethiopian. Browsing Amazon I saw that you could also buy rough opal, so I did, should be fun... However, before those even got delivered (took a while!), the stone collection had already gone nuts over summer holidays, and I had already got a couple parcels delivered from buying at opalauctions etc, started watching your vids about dremeling (had one of those already) and set up a corner for cutting and polishing. I guess I had too little to do during the holiday, huh? ;-)

I like opals because they are sparkly and easy to cut, and relatively inexpensive (I am old and disabled and on a very limited budget.)

I have always loved opals. How not one looks like the other and when I found your channel on YouTube, I fell in love with them more.