When you get the right witches hat one day, you should try to carve a nice Mt. Fuji piece where some of the grey or white nobby remains as a snow cap...could be a really cool art piece!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah I could do that

@catherinerouzaud239

2 жыл бұрын

Ok

the love you have for your dad is so beautiful. i know he watches down on you & is so amazed at all the beautiful opals you cut!!

I think your ability to adapt when the opal doesn't go as expected, just shows your skill as a craftsman.

@Seven_Leaf

Жыл бұрын

Homeruns are great, but the year is won and lost on singles and doubles.

Your channel has been bringing a lot of joy into my life during these dark days. Just wanted to say thank you for that.

Thank you for cheering me up. Since my husband died on December 12, cheerfulness is a blessing.

I want to thank you for always putting out content that is friendly and positive. As someone with severe anxiety disorder it is really hard to avoid news, social media, violence, etc in the world today. When you have anxiety, even simple things like the news can be overwhelming. Your content always helps calm me down and stay positive. Have a great year!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you are here and happy to help

@forshizzlemywizzle

Жыл бұрын

Just want to second this. Justin’s decision to always see the bright side really helps me enjoy these videos. People are so negative today and looking at anything on the internet can often feel like a risk to my emotional well-being. This channel is a wonderful reprieve from all of that.

Nice to finally see a freeform 😄 A freeform gives it a more unique and natural look and from what my experience they are getting more popular. I don;t think you will have the lower the carat price for that. I hope you will do them more often! Sometime it hurts to see you removing good opal to make it an oval while it would also have been a good freeform shape.

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you

My name is Justin also and I'm from Minnesota. I love your videos. I used to polish up cool looking rocks and seeing you do these gems gives me a rush. I'd love to get my hands on an opal one of these days to give to my girlfriend. She is soul mate, my twin flame and I can't think of a better gift to give to her one day. Please keep doing this!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Legend :-)

How incredible to cut such a beautiful opal out of what looked like a nobby riddled with sand! This is what separates the masters from us inexperienced home cutters :)

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!

Went to a museum with my student with autism that loves birds, but at the museum they also had one with rocks and minerals. I fell in love, and now Ive watched alot of clips about opals, man they are so shiny and precious. Thanks for the content. /John from Sweden.

I personally love free form on opal. It speaks to the seemingly organic, living nature of opal.

I love the Blue Greens. This one is no exception, someone will treasure this and who can blame them.

Win some lose some. Always a pleasure to watch you cut a gem. Cheers

Symmetry is over rated, the color and flash is magical still. Thanks for sharing.

A man after my own heart. The thrill of uncovering some nice colour and a good laugh along the way. Nothing better.

Omg 1st Haha what up BOD! You seemed so sad it didn't turn into what you thought but I absolutely love the color and freeform shape you carved out of it, truly gorgeous! Also note I appreciate your Cheesy Goodness it brings a smile to my face and always lifts my spirits, love you guys and keep up the Gouda work!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Haha I take that cheesiness and raise you a dad joke

Laughing and enjoying life, you've got it Justin. I really enjoy watching you cut opal, it's so interesting.

Love that free form shape. Love your free form humor too! Thanks for making my insomnia more enjoyable 💖

Sometimes the stone dictates what it wants to be. I'm glad you saved as much of that color as you could.

That is such a lovely stone! The way the purple peeks out here and there as you turn it…😍😍😍 Its a beaut!

I absolutely love that free form!! Wish I had 3 or 4 thousand dollars laying around!!! Love your video’s and your energy, I’ve tried watching other opal artists but they pal in comparison to your energy and love of the gem.

I was hoping you would leave this one free form, such beautiful color. Miraculous how you bring the beauty form a crusty old rock.

This video really showcases how much precision and dexterity you have in your hands.

What a way to start my morning, watching Justin cut an opal and drinking coffee in the lovely Mount Cotton morning sunshine

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

I am also drinking coffee with you my friend

Turned out prettier than I expected. Awesome vision you had there JT!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you

Missed your videos so much. As a recent widow I have made friends with you by techno-friendship. Holidays are very difficult so I am glad to have my friend back in my routine and watching the magic of opal appear in front of my eyes. Your added philosophical points of view, all your talents and nuances, your wit and humor make me laugh, sharing our friendship. Your memories of your father are as true as if I knew him myself, all brought to life by technology. Thank you for sharing. We carry around those that are special to us and our techno-friendship allows this interaction. Our generation is fortunate for this type of communication. Glad to have you back. We're "going in" again with our new 2022 routine together to see where it takes us.

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Susan You are very kind and I am glad you are here

Has anyone ever asked you to include music and arty shots? You have built a wonderful chanel showing opal cutting, that people like. There is no need to complicate the video editing but adding music and distance shots.

Absolutely loved that you let this lovely opal dictate the shape she wanted to be. ♥️ Very professional editing on this video, too. A great experience for the viewers.

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much Lea. that makes me happy to hear

“It’ll be interesting to see how long it last as a free form” hahaha made me laugh 🤣🤣💯

I only found your channel about 6 weeks ish ago. All I can say is thank you! Thank you for sharing your craft.I bet your Dad would be pretty proud of who you are and the magic you create with these opals. Now my only issue I am currently in the market for a new hobby...... So I have to confess. I just bought my 1st 3 opal parcels and have a small machine arriving soon for me to play with.

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Awesome 👏 enjoy the journey

great job Justin! I just cut my first two opals and made a video on my channel THANKS TO YOU!! You inspired me to start this incredible journey myself. I truly appreciate all the knowledge and wisdom you are willing to share about this incredible gemstone. You rock!!! (pun intended)

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

❤️😊 glad you enjoy opal

Love the stone! Love the free form. UNIQUE!

Justin, I’m a relatively new subscriber who just recently developed an opal obsession. At 54 I don’t know how it took me so long?! I absolutely love your videos, your sense of humor and your absolute talent at revealing the beauty in raw opal!!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Suzy 🙏

I didn't expect that much sand at all. Still cut a gorgeous stone out of it. You have inspired me enough that I know this is something I want to do. Thank you!!

@bethbishop3828

2 жыл бұрын

Can we buy opal from you to make ring? Thank you

I love the freeform stones. Watching you work on a "witches hat" was fascinating. I Love your show, it's like watching or reading a mystery story, you never know how it is going to end.

Is that “Crocodile Dundee” background music? Lol. Most appropriate. You had to “wrestle” that stone to submission.

OMG that opal looks like Mount Fuji!

Awesome, You and your Opals. Thank You Boss👍👍👍

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

I just adore your quirkiness 🥰. You remind me a lot of my youngest brother, who is living in Germany 🇩🇪. Thanks for being you. It’s very refreshing.

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

❤️

Happy Opal cutting to all in 2022!! Thanks for your efforts Justin and Co.!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Our pleasure!

The voice overs are always my favorite part of these videos. They are always so wise and inspiring.

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Aww Sunny I'm now all warm inside. Thank you

I love seeing how well your contents coming along, as much as I love the opal, I also come to see how much you have improved and take on critism so well and incorporate it to your new videos/streams. from Improving resolutions on streams and videos, to correct colour grading and weather what type of music works. Many high level youtubers can take a note from your book. keep the stones rolling. (edit 250k this year calling it)

And Justin makes another stone disappear... but seriously, that Hat could have made an awesome Witches Hat carving, potch n all 🎅

I thought that first, Justin. This guy is my type of person…. It’s the endless, exquisite beauty that keys it - how can you not laugh, eh.? (thumbs up)

Happy new year! I absolutely agree, life is too short to be a miserable bastard! Which is my favourite saying along with "the world always looks better from behind a smile".

The process is as fascinating as the finished stones!

I sit here in Alaska on my free times watching your videos I do appreciate your passion I totally respect you and your skills thank you for being awesome enough to post these educational films

Nature's way is having a sense of humor ,great job J

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

true that

What a beautiful stone! I'd love to see it kept in its free-form shape if possible because it makes it more unique I think. Thanks for taking us down the path with you to this lovely jewel (it reminded me of Discworld without the turtle and elephants before you started working on it).

The music built up perfectly with the intensity of sand bar.@5 minute mark! Great editing!!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Tony

Yay! Something good to watch! Welcome back!

What I love about what you do through sharing you opals in video is that it’s thorough and you show the process so well in what decisions you make and what trials you face. And ultimately what choices the stone teaches you to take. Thank you for sharing this with us man.

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Rookster

The free-form turned out to be very nice Justin! As for the witch’s “hat” - it definitely bears stronger resemblance to a certain mammalian protuberance, often associated with a witch as a simile for an extremely cold day. Too bad the “witch” was more of a “sand-witch” in disguise! Love watching your videos - Keep ‘‘em coming in 2022!

@ThatOpalGuy

2 жыл бұрын

Get that knobby a pastie!

@petert3355

2 жыл бұрын

@@ThatOpalGuy with a sparkling gold tassel.

@judithburke1539

2 жыл бұрын

Jeffrey, that is a great pun !!!

@judithburke1539

2 жыл бұрын

What a great pun!!

@brendanmoran397

2 жыл бұрын

That was udderly hilarious!

I agree with you. If i can make someone smile or laugh each day, i feel happier. Especially during these stressful times. I like that shape.👍👍👍

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely!

l love🥰 watching a master cutter at work😋👀.....Thanks Justin.....👍...🇺🇸

Welcome back. happy new year! I love the freeform. Great job. Not everything in the world should be rank and file, so you did well by keeping it irregular.

Grest job. I always hold my breath when your doing witches hat knobbies. They seem to come with sand spells. A beautifully finished stone. In glad it was as good as you got. Be happy, safe and stay healthy in the new year. 😷⚒

Justin, your cinematography has gotten Much better. It really Wows'!!!

Great save Justin ..........an interesting gem as it stands in freeform....... i like it !

Thank you for sharing your witches hat challenge. Very helpful seeing how you approach various problems and hearing your thought process. I haven’t cut many opals so far, but your vids have helped me extract at least a couple really nice gems from super sketchy rough source material.

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thats awesome

Beautiful opal to start off 2022! Can't wait to see the new space 💜 and everyone needs to take a leaf out of your book of life and have more fun 😉

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you Lisa happy New Year

@lisamiller2227

2 жыл бұрын

@@blackopaldirect I'm also starting off the new year with Opal! I wire wrapped my small opal I was gifted and I'm so in love with it 😍

That turned into a fantastic stone despite all that sand, and while you had the vision and courage to take that stone into a different, freeform-style in order to get all the gem you could, lesser opal cutters would have ended up with a stone half that size as they just gave up and cut around the inclusions instead. This is why I love to follow your work, Justin. NEVER give in to the easy cookie-cutter way. ;-)

I agree, quirky life makes it much more fun! I really like that free form shape. Very nice indeed! ❤

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Yes! Thank you!

First time I saw you do a free form. It's wonderful!

@blackopaldirect

Жыл бұрын

Glad you like it!

Wow! Wish I can afford a beautiful opal like this, but I'd want a big opal! I love the black opals and the boulder opals best!

Great job on the video editing and what beautiful color!

Love the opals, and love the philosophy!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

thank you Laura

Love the freeform. Uniquely following the start Mother Nature gave the gem.

Hey mate... I'm a hobbyist so can't afford to buy massive rough... Fyi I would have cut through the sand patch and made a second stone just because I can't waste any of it... Anywho... If I get a 2 ct stone at the end, it's a good day for me... 6 ct for me is usually a stone with a lot of compromises, not just free form either! Enjoy it mate :)

Great performance Justin- this one had me on the edge of my chair and holding my breath a little - very lovely freeform piece. And yes, all hail the silly people! I salute the sprite in you! :-) Thanks and Happy New Year from Georgian Bay, Ontario! :-)

That's a beauty. Free form cuts are unique and really cool.

Those words of wisdom at the end are one of the many reasons I love yah brother stay safe, live life light ❤

Lovely stone to open the year with. I certainly love the quirky, and weird. Normal is just a little too scary for me lol Happy New Year to you all xx

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Happy new year! and thank you

@vanessasmith5227

2 жыл бұрын

I love how this one turned out 😍 Happy New Year

I haven't watched one of your Opal cutting videos in awhile, I was drawn in by how beautiful the uncut Opal was - this is my favorite Black Opal Direct video, I found it educational!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you

Awesome to see the old studio one last time. Beautiful stone mate

Very Striking Piece.. Love the Colours

Lovely gem and some good life philosophy. I'm the same, in that I take what I do (professionally) very seriously but myself, much less so. Thanks for sharing and happy New Year to you and all at Black Opal Direct.

I love that freeform! It’s gorgeous. I’m looking to upgrade my opals and you’ve taught me what to look for. Thank you for being you!

Wow!!! It looks great! Who knew that was under the witches hat haha

Stunning mate ! I also admire your Outlook on life. Mine has been down and you make me smile and laugh every video. Love from USA Pa. ❤️

Very pretty! And I like the free-form shape.

This music is perfect! Too bad this wasn’t 100% as good as we hoped, but it is still intensely satisfying to watch the process.

I think more people prefer free form than you realize. I understand you have your regular clients... but uniqueness is highly sought after. 💙 Love the blue & turquoise... almost lioks like a little purple & green in some lighting as well. Turned out great.

@kiampp

2 жыл бұрын

Indeed freeforms are great!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

They may do but I just know when it comes to purchasing a gem they want a good investment that others will want to buy

@selfretired3025

2 жыл бұрын

@@blackopaldirect I hope your resources of "they" expand... or that "they" expand their marketing abilities... depending on who "they" are. ;)

yeah !!!!... back to restfull night sleeps it takes me 3 nights to watch a new episode on your channel.... so so peacefull

Love you Justin! Can't wait to be able to get down to Australia and show you my suite of the Rainbow Serpant's Family! I have 4 of them 😱

We love them all. Thanks for another awesome video and the best year for the BOD crew yet coming up.

Love the freeform it turned out to be stunning, would make a great pendant!

I love it exactly as is. Love that blue-green

Happy New Year Justin 🤗 No big celebrations here in Scotland, but enjoyed the TV fireworks especially from Sydney harbour!💕 Thanks for sharing, love those witchy hat shapes, I can feel the tension as you polish it away! Still a beautiful Opal with delightful colours you have revealed. Such a talent. Best wishes to you & your family, & all the viewers for 2022.💕🐱🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌌

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

And to you Suzy cat

@suzycat2026

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much🤗@@blackopaldirect

Hi Justin I just discovered your channel recently and you have reignited my passion for gemstones. Every time this happens to me I convince myself there's no way I can enter this market, im too old, too far behind the curve, but your videos give me so much confidence and inspiration to pursue this hobby and possible source of income. I am in awe of the tools and techniques on display here on your channel, thank you so much for the work you are doing.

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome

❤ I like the new digs! Comfy feel, just like the old place. 😁

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Ha ha

Wow Justin! I love the new energy you present and the way you edit your videos now! I REALLY LOVE IT!!! Keep the great work up! You've always been entertaining to me! Thanks!

Loved to journey, great to see a freeform. Beautiful stone! Missed your videos over the holidays. Hope you all had a great Christmas and happy new year.

Looks like a volcano. That's pretty cool

Thanks Justin and congratulations on getting such a beautiful stone under trying conditions. I really enjoyed your new way of filming and editing this video, it’s fast paced and easy viewing. Thanks again mate and I’m looking forward to 2022 and more of your great stories and gems. 👍🏻

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you 🙏

What a beauty. Very good that you keep it as a freeform shape

Always looking forward to your videos thank you soo much

Another beautiful stone. Happy New Year Justin. Wishing you and your family the best . Can't wait to see the new shop.

Gorgeous piece

Ooo Justin...im starting to preempt you moves... wonderful teacher. Im vicarious cutter!..x

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

You are getting good