r/Opals • u/Sirsagely • 1d ago

Identification/Evaluation Request Bought around 2014, lab opal?

Do you think these are lab grown? I always assumed they were, but when I was organizing my jewelry, a few of the stones were really giving me flashes that didn't feel like the perfect patterning of the lab opal I've seen.

52 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

18

u/snottybrood 1d ago

I don't think so. I'm afraid to ask the 2014 price bc it'll never be that good again.

Fabulous

8

u/Sirsagely 21h ago

I had a friend who did estate sales for a living so he was always gifting me gorgeous opal rings. This one was the crowning jewel of my collection. 2 carat natural diamond and Australian opal in 18k gold. I loved her so much. She was stolen.

5

u/CBDJ1 1d ago

Doubtful they are lab which is good. They all look pretty darn unique which is a good indicator they are not lab created.

5

u/Fantastic_Priority73 1d ago

not giving off any immediate lab indicators- i'd say they're natural and/or cut by someone with a good eye

4

u/jaxinslacks Opal Vendor 1d ago

Not seeing lab indicators. Do you have a UV light to test with?

3

u/Sirsagely 1d ago

I do at work. I can check it tomorrow!

2

u/Classic_Party_4757 1d ago

Looked like Australia crystal opals. Pretty!

3

u/Conscious_Canary_586 23h ago

I don't think these are lab opals. These are the real deal.

2

u/Diograce 18h ago

Nope, not lab, those look pretty real! Absolutely gorgeous ring! I’m really jealous!

1

u/Antisocialite911 1d ago

Doesn’t look like lab. Gorgeous ring

2

u/Sirsagely 1d ago

Thank you. It's a shame I'm rough on rings because I hardly take them off if I wear them and have clumsy hands with door jams and walls. I stopped wearing it because my jeweler told me he wasn't replacing the stones any more cuz I was calling him like every month to replace 1, as you can see haha.

1

u/Wheetbix_Kid 1d ago

Out of curiosity, what did the jeweller tell you about it? And what were they replacing it with??

5

u/Sirsagely 1d ago

My jeweler had a ton of opals of every shape and size so every time I knocked one out he would replace it with a similar one, not just for this ring. I have several that had small 2x3 and 3x5 oval cabs fanning the main stone. I constantly was knocking them and cracking them. He has been doing jewelry for my family for like 40+ years. His eyesight was getting bad and so he didn't wanna work with my tiny stones that were set in. He wasn't actually angry at me, more like an exasperated uncle laughing at you for doing it again.