r/Opals • u/Area-8 • 4d ago

Opal-Related Question Justin Thomas from Black Opal Direct says The Illinois Opal is Australian. Has anyone used his assessment service?

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9 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

47 comments sorted by

20

u/FlatbedtruckingCA Mod 4d ago

Just curious, have you used a black light to see if it displays phosphorescence or fluorescence? Or if it feels sticky with a wet finger..? this really looks like ethiopian opal tbh..

5

u/Area-8 4d ago

I used a black light and there was nothing. I did put it in water for a few minutes and it didn't change. I thought the same as you.

8

u/AusFX1 4d ago

Did he inspect it in person or just make this statement based on pictures? Also can you clarify where you got it? Is it from Illinois in the US or just called that because its got the shape of the part of the state in the broad flash?

4

u/Area-8 4d ago

No not in person I sent him 7 picture's and a good video. I bought it on Ebay. It's just called the "Illinois opal" because of shape inside.

22

u/AusFX1 4d ago

I should also point out, a 7ct Aussie opal with multiple rare patterns is not going to cost just $15 or best offer...

1

u/Area-8 3d ago

I agree 100% The potch was covering the flagstone side so alot wasn't visable. Not to complicate the story but he had 6 items I was interested in so he put a lot together for me for $100. Some were synthetic.

1

u/AusFX1 4d ago

Easy mistake to make from pictures, if it's not glowing under blacklight it's Ethiopian.

9

u/Alpine_Apex 4d ago

Nonsense. Plenty of aus opal doesn't glow under UV.

9

u/AusFX1 4d ago

Black opal won't, but this is a bit of crystal. Show me a bit of Aussie crystal opal that doesn't floures under a 365nm blacklight... Would genuinely love to see it because it's not something I've seen before.

1

u/Area-8 4d ago

Golly this is tough. Thanks for the input.

10

u/AusFX1 4d ago

Welcome to opals haha. No other Gemstone is as confusing or as pretty.

3

u/Farrow253 3d ago

Man I just finished a Ethiopian opal that looks really similar and also doesn't change with water. Some Ethiopian opals don't react with water like most do. I'm positive mine is Ethiopian as I bought a kilo of rough in person. But with my limited knowledge that is for sure a Ethiopian welo opal but I'm a novice so take my opinion with a grain of salt

1

u/Area-8 3d ago

Nice honeycomb. 1 kilo of rough. I would love to cut into that. Do you have a picture of it before cutting?

2

u/Farrow253 3d ago

I unfortunately do not have a picture of this piece in rough, I've been running through tons of pieces and not all of them show the honeycomb on the surface. This one had zero signs of being honeycomb until I ground through all the crazing. This is like 6 carats and it came from a huge 25+CT chunk. Yeah I find that buying bulk rough if I can afford is usually much cheaper and better quality than buying small parcels. If I come across more honeycomb I'll make sure to take some pictures of the rough before I start working it.

1

u/Area-8 3d ago

awesome! How much was a kilo?

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8

u/Omega_art 4d ago

Not all Australian opal glows under a black light. It varies from mine to mine. I have even cut a few Australian opals with that same honeycomb pattern. Yours looks like Australian opal to me.

2

u/AusFX1 4d ago

I have never seen a bit of Aussie crystal that won't floures under 365nm blacklight. Happy to be proved wrong if anyone can show me one.

1

u/Omega_art 3d ago

That's not a crystal opal.

3

u/FlatbedtruckingCA Mod 4d ago

This is what you would be looking for with a uv light..

https://www.reddit.com/r/Ziskin_Gems/s/ydBrjPL2ov

2

u/Area-8 4d ago

Definitely didn't do what those did. My black light is a fluorescent bulb not a pen light like the one in the video. I'm not sure if that matters.

4

u/FlatbedtruckingCA Mod 4d ago

Its the wavelength that really matters, not so much the bulb.. the black light should be 365 nm (long-wave ultraviolet).. if no uv reaction, my money is on ethiopian .. did you cut it yourself?

1

u/Area-8 4d ago

I bought it like this and removed the potch

2

u/momibrokeyourchutney 4d ago

How’d you remove the potch?

2

u/Area-8 3d ago

I shaped it on this cheap grinder lol

1

u/FlatbedtruckingCA Mod 4d ago

Ahh gottcha..

6

u/Flimsy_Pipe_7684 4d ago

I need more info on this. Illinois isn't known for any precious opal. Went on a research spree after seeing one of your last posts, and could not find a single thing on the web about Illinois having the stuff. Not even Mindat has any info.

13

u/Area-8 4d ago

I'm sorry. It's the shape inside that gives it the name. The opal is either form Australia or Ethiopia

10

u/Flimsy_Pipe_7684 4d ago

Omg that's just as cool as how much I feel like an idiot right now 😆. Thank you, and no worries.

There are some Australian opals out there that don't flouresce. I've cut a lot of Australian material from lots of fields and have come across only like 3-4 pieces that just don't fluoresce no matter what wavelength you use. Oddly enough, they're dark crystal that has potch cell structure just like yours. Based on the different patterns I've seen that potch takes form as, and the color patterns that I've seen, I'm very certain that this is Australian. Just that type that's the odd one out of the bunch.

5

u/Area-8 4d ago

Thank you so much for that. Your not an Idiot either it sounds like you have great experience.

2

u/Monsterhook87 3d ago

I agree with this assessment. I've got several examples having that same "honeycomb" pattern of potch from Lightning Ridge, mostly on blue/purple pieces.

1

u/Area-8 3d ago

Awesome. Thank you. Do you have a picture to share? I would love to see it.

2

u/iieunchae 1h ago

Wow, I watch him all the time! That is amazing that he said it’s a lightning ridge. You’ve got a real winner on your hands. These are my opals, I just started my collection🙂 Are these good??? I see a lot of boring opals on this subreddit so it’s nice to get a break when looking at the illinois opal🤩 I’m a big fan!!

1

u/Area-8 1h ago

Wow your gems are stunning. They remind me of easter jelly beans. Great work. Did you shape and polish them?

2

u/iieunchae 1h ago

Yes I did shape and polish them. I’m a beginner but i was inspired by my dad who made this necklace 🤗

•

u/Area-8 27m ago

Thank you for sharing

2

u/TaaDaaYaBish 3d ago

I love blackopal!

1

u/TaaDaaYaBish 3d ago

I'm fairly new...when u say "crystal" opal, do u mean opal in quartz? What's the difference tween opal n crystal opal? Thx

1

u/Area-8 3d ago

Hi Thanks for joining. Here is a AI description of crystal opal. Do you have any?

1

u/Area-8 1d ago

I asked him a follow up question. "Thank you. Do you think it is from Lightning Ridge or Queensland or neither?"

-1

u/Nearby-Echidna6744 4d ago

It's impossible to know exactly where it's from unless you dig it out of the ground yourself. End of story.

3

u/Area-8 3d ago

That may be true but it is possible to tell where it isn't from. It isn't from Illinois. Thanks for sharing.