The finest opal ever unearthed will be publicly displayed.

[Ramjet]

http://artdaily.com/news/80497/The-...-for-the-first-time-in-Australia#.VcR_Ifmqqkq

 

[Ilikecash]

Now that is one awesome looking opal.

 

[bazza2210]

beautiful....

 

[bhogg]

Looks to good to be real beautiful colours that's for sure.

 

[Dave law]

WOW !!!!

 

[Paulmarr]

I will definitely go view the stone when it's displayed and post some pics!

 

[Jaros]

It is absolutely beautiful.
Jaros

 

[TheSilentBugler]

It's amazing what this ball of muddy rock hurtling through space can put together.

 

[Ramjet]

It's amazing what this ball of muddy rock hurtling through space can put together.

Nice one TSB. I like it.

 

[bluejeansronald]

http://artdaily.com/news/80497/The-...-for-the-first-time-in-Australia#.VcR_Ifmqqkq

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/214/1438942540_opal-2.jpg

Hi folk. I spent 8 winters at lightning ridge mining for opal, I saw some excellent opal but nothing like this beautiful gem stone, I strongly advise anyone who can go to see it DO, Ron.

 

[Martin]

Need new pants :lol:

 

[Syndyne]

Not a bad piece of crystal. It's a Belemite fossil by the looks. Don't believe the hype though.

Got to love the media. This happens now and again with opal finds, even old ones just to drum up some attention. It's just a lack of understanding on the general public's behalf that is often taken advantage of.

It definitely would be good to see it in person given the chance (and not on a black background as is the case with most crystal). That image is too over-saturated for my liking also.

Now I can go on my opal miner rant. Haha!

Is it the finest piece of opal ever unearthed? Hardly. Not even the best crystal ever unearthed. While the quality is there, it's only a small sized piece.

Just off hand for comparison, some good friends of ours had drilled on lumps of gem quality crystal opal at Coober Pedy out on the Olympic Field that were roughly the size of small house bricks and that are unsurpassed as far as crystal opal from Coober Pedy goes. They were worth several million dollars back in the early 80's.
They had taken my father to see them in Sydney while he was on a trip there selling opal. They weren't advertised at all. Slight security concerns coming into play there understandably (just like finding a huge nugget!). And I'm sure there are many more bits out there in private collections that would eclipse this piece.

I've seen and dug opal here in the Ridge over the years that would leave this piece in their dust.

Hopefully I don't come off sounding like "Captain Bring-down". Just shedding a little light and knowledge on the subject that I love dearly

Cheers,
Shauno.

EDIT: Spelling correction.

 

[KarlS]

It changed a bit since I was mining there some fourty years ago. It looks like nowdays everyone is using blowers and bulldozers. And Sydney is right, I have seen bigger and better opal from there.
Karl

 

[Martin]

It changed a bit since I was mining there some fourty years ago. It looks like nowdays everyone is using blowers and bulldozers.

Yep was in Coober Pedy a few weeks back, the noodle machines with blacklight rooms have hammered the place. 7 years ago there was only a couple noodle machines, now there's noodle machines everywhere.

You won't even find much potch in the mullock heaps because they are even keeping the crap and selling it and sending it to India etc for cheap jewellery.

 

[KarlS]

I would probably make good money from my old mine today. Used to get bits of milky opal size of half a brick and gray potch with veins of color, even bigger. No one would buy it of me in those times.
The mine was on the edge of Olympic field.
Karl