Am so happy your explaining these differences. Am sure your viewers know this, but many new Opal lovers out there don't.

@bryguy636

3 жыл бұрын

I had no clue.

I have a very pretty pendant with quite a large opal which is bezel set. The craftsman who I bought it from told me it it was a doublet when I bought it. It's beautiful and I love it and I could afford it! I don't think there is anything intrinsically wrong with doublets or triplets as long as people know what they are buying.

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

I could not agree more

I was fortunate enough to visit a wonderful store in Coober Pedy a couple years back. The family owned the store and a mine, they cut their own opal and 2 of the kids were also jewellers. The lovely lady actually pulled out a natural, doublet & triplet and explained all this to me. It was so interesting! The old credit card may or may not have copped a hit that day, I admit to nothing! 🤣

You just could not have explained it better. Great job !

I ordered a ring online about 10 or 12 year's ago. It turned out to be a triplet, It's so beautiful that I still love it even though I felt a bit cheated ♥

The stone at 2:07 has been strengthened and sturdy enough to be used for jewellery or a necklace. Without the back it could not be used. Maybe the black back is not glued on for showing through at this piece maybe?

Great stuff Justin. Even coming out the world of "lipstick on a pig" I still like most all of colourful opal. Nice to see how to spot the pretenders. 👍

I recently bought a Mexican fire opal ring (I didn't pay much for it). The opal has so much fire/color-play but I could see that it was black on the bottom. I removed the opal from the ring to get a better look. When I did so, the black bit that was glued to the opal fell/crumbled away! This made me very happy, as I would've tried to remove the black back, if at all possible. Now, the opal is back to its natural state...albeit a lot thinner but still just as gorgeous! I didn't want it in the ring setting anyway...I prefer to have it loose. Thanks for your great video...💗💗💗

I have never even seen a Black Opal in person. But man if I ever do... These lessons on you channel are a true treat to watch. Opal University!

Most of the time when I think of doublets it is because the stone is too thin to dome, but it still has great colour. So the doublets I have made are usually with a quartz dome epoxied over the face of the opal, and usually I have done it to boulder opal.

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

That would then be called a triplet

Cheers Justin, seriously valuable video. Your opals are amazing. The epic red/blue black opal on your site found near your old man's mining shed is *amazing*!

This is the very best opal channel

Thank you very much for the information. You always keep me informed. Great job and keep them coming!

This is a really useful Video, especially considering the fact that on sites like ebay, many sellers list their set jewelry as genuine opal, when it is in fact just a doublet, worth only about 20% of the actual Opal. Thanks for the Video, appreciate it!

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

Tobias Salla it’s actually 10% 😊

@gazdavies5581

4 жыл бұрын

Ebay can be dodgy, but i sell some of my cut stones there. We have 100% positive feedback, so for us to sell an opal that is not EXACTLY as described, would be suicide.

@brendastraley8829

4 жыл бұрын

People selling Opals made of triplets get away with it because they tell the buyer YES it's a real opal. People can also sell Turquoise by saying it is real Turquoise just because turquoise can be considered a color and not even a stone. Pearls are another thing people need to know before shelling out money. The world of gems can be very cold and cruel. I wish everyone had the knowledge to appreciate the real thing.

@dragonlaughing

4 жыл бұрын

I've given up buying gems on eBay. A cheat can make much bigger profits than an honest jeweler. So cheats and crooks flock to eBay and other websites. Especially from other countries that don't have a tradition of honesty in business. But all countries have crooks. Your best option is to only deal with strictly honorable and proven business people. And to become an expert and/or rely on other experts to evaluate what you propose to buy. I like real gems and I like various kinds of fakes. But it's painful to make sacrifices to buy something that was supposed to be real and find it was a fake. All the pleasure is removed and only the pain remains.

Such a valuable video to learn from. Nothing wrong IF you know what you're buying, but dishonest if someone is trying to fool you into paying for what you're not getting. KUDOS on this video!

I am going to save this video and watch it many times so I can educate myself about this. Thank you.

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

joseph richard good man

That is great information to have. I never paid attention to opals but have recently fallen in love with them and am starting to shop for what kind of opal jewelry I want. This is all thanks to your channel. I am a faithful subscriber.

Very educational, thanks for looking out for us!

This video was very appreciated! Thank you for sharing! This answered some questions I have had!

Superb video justin ! 👍👍👍

Thanks for this video. It actually teached me a lot in terms of the natural or synthetic opal recognision. Cheers!

Thanks so much for this video! I recently found your channel and I have been binge-watching episodes. I feel I have already learned so much about this beautiful stone and how you work with them. I had a question regarding the present retail cost differences between all three: natural opal, a doublet, and a triplet. How would you determine and compare their value? Would you be able to speak about this? Thanks again!

Im a goldsmith, i use to tell my customers, that the difference is as if u want a wooden floor in your living room. You can either choose massive oak, teak or mahogni boards, or you can choose oak/teak/mahogni parquet, witch has a thin wood layer on top, glued on plywood.

@silentferret1049

3 жыл бұрын

I work with a lot of different types of wood and when it comes to flooring then that laminate can be the better option as long as the wood used on top is thick enough to allow for a few sanding over its lifetime. The plywood can be more stable and less finicky than all hardwood flooring in given environments along with the lesser price tag along with it. Now if you were to talk about all hardwood Furniture over plywood then that's a whole different story.

Just the video I was looking for .... going to try to make some doublets out of some thin pieces I have. Thanks justin

Cheers Justin! Very good info again.

Wow ! Thank you for explaining these differences. I would never have known. I bought my wife a Levian Opal ring for no reason, I’ve just always been fascinated with Opals and wanted her to have as nice a one as I could afford. About $2500 is what I spent. It’s definitely a natural Opal, and has certifications with it. And while there are always people who will definitely try to take advantage of others by doing something unscrupulous like creating doublets and triplets, I can also see where a reputable jeweler MIGHT decide to make a doublet, maybe to preserve a really REALLY thin but rare color bar ? Personally I really want to invest some time and money into learning how to cut, polish and set opals. I have this dream of making some nice pieces for my wife and 1 really nice piece for myself set in silver and mounted on to a Bic lighter case.

Thanks for the valuable information

That doublet info was just what I wanted, now to inspect my pawnshop purchase.

Great video mate, I remember when you showed me the triplet in a video and I couldn't tell if it was a doub or trip because that Opal layer was so thin.

Thank you Justin!

Great explanation, thank you!

I bought a triplet, it’s just for a dress ring I’m getting made. I’m not really fussed about it. I’ll be happy that i got to design it how i like it 🙂

Thank you! I have learned so much about my favorite gem...

Thanks so much for suggesting this video Justin, exactly what I was looking for!👌🏻

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

Welcome glad you found it 😊

Thank you for the knowledge as always 💖

Thank you for sharing your knowledge

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure

Thank you for another great video. Many years ago when I first started making jewellery, I worked with triplet opal. It made a good looking piece at a fraction of the price. In fact I made hubby a matching the pin and cuff links😁. Once I returned from Perth W.A. To UK I could not find a supplier. So never worked with triplet opal again.

Interesting.good information

Thank you, this was very insightful

Thanks for the info! I will look very closely at my Black Opals!

SO useful!! Thank you!!

Thank you I learnt something new today!

Great information - ty

Thankyou for the lesson

Very informative! Thank you, Justin. 💖🌷💍💎

thank you sir, thanks again!

Another awesome video, thx

Great info

I love your videos!

So very cool that information totally rocks,, As always sending peace love and joy away

I barely know what an opal is but I still find myself watching you videos 👍 just wanted you to know you have a variety of folk stopping by!

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

Awesome glad to hear and thanks for watching. I hope you subscribed :-)

Hello Justin, I bought a tripplet from JTV, The Bali Collection, A Quartz Rainbow color, Very nice hand sterling work, However , I wore my ring while washing dishes, and found the water had set behind the layer, Making it dull to look at and Not anything I would wear again, I may have thought I got a Good deal, But beware, water can get behind the layers and you will not like the results, I learned my lesson, And never will buy either a doublet ot Triplet, Thank you for really explaning this to others, and maybe they will see it is better to pay a little more and get a lifetime pc. Instead of just sitting in the old Jewlery box, Again a great video, We here in USA are ALL PRAYING FOR YOUR COUNTRY , The fires are devistating and we hope the men and women we are sending can help in a real way, Your NOT FORGOTTEN , LOVE from Brenda , Florida, USA

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

Yes they would have used a cheap glue. Thank you for your lovely prayers

The triplet is the one that interests me the most. It seems like the biggest "cheat". The one shown here, looking at it as you would a set stone looks stunning, yet is that way only because of the quartz acting as a color magnifier (or whatever the correct term is). To me it is cheating because for me the "purity" of the value comes from the "purity" of the authenticity of the stone. But for someone how just loves the way the color looks, it might not be a cheat to them, but merely a way to get the color and color play they like to see. Thanks for showing so clearly what they are though. It is interesting the why behind them

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

yes this is correct and the issue is when it passes hands and then someone sells it as a natural to an unsuspecting person

@qwertyqwerty697

4 жыл бұрын

It all depends on the point of view. If you like opal for the play of colors, and it is the play of light and colors that you value in opal, then doublets and triplets are very handy in terms of price and quality. But if we consider opal as a unique natural phenomenon and a collectible item, then of course everyone is interested in the original stone, not imitation. In any case, so that there is no fraud, the seller must inform the buyer about doublets.

Hello.happy to meet you.

good info mate

Thanks Justin, shared to Let's Cab Opals for Jewelry!

Thank you for showing this... you told me this about a year ago and saved me from buying a doublet... which I didn’t want

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

Jac Cruick haha sorry it took so long to make the video but I’m glad I helped at the time

Got a small opal when I was visiting Alice Springs about 25 years ago... I wanted to make it into an earring but it was lost for some time. I found it recentlyy only to discover it was a doublet! Glad I only spent 40 AUD at the time!!!

Thanks Justin. Just getting caught up on your videos. Is there such thing as a man made opal? I am glad i found you. Always have been a gold prospector and rock hound as a way to get out and have fun.

@blackopaldirect

3 жыл бұрын

Yes their is any types of man made

@bobandres5559

3 жыл бұрын

Ok thanks

Thank you

Thanks Justin! Honestly it is well worth making doublets out of some OZ Opals with great color play and pattern when they are to thin to be set as a stone. Every piece of beautiful Aussie Opal is priceless and should be saved if possible. Nothing wrong with doublets as long as the consumer knows this. Over the years I have seen some amazing pieces that were very thin and made into doublets. This is my personal opinion of course. I completely agree if a seller is misleading their customers trying to sell doublets or triplets and an untouched Opal. That is unacceptable and corrupt business practices.

@harrymorgan8948

Жыл бұрын

I've always thought this as well, when I first got into opals I poo-pooed doublets and triplets, to be honest I still don't like how triplets look, but doublets have grown on me, such an easy way to save stunning crystal opal, and a cheaper way for someone who cannot afford $1000 per Ct on real black opal

Ive never really understood why stuff like this is an issue? Cutting and polishing is already altering its natural state. I genuinely feel as though what matters is the end result in materialistic scenarios like this. I mean it should be stated that its a doublet so there isnt confusion in purchasing but even with natural black opal i feel like it could look better with a more perfect black back.... What gives things value is people and i feel like this issue is purely based on miners and cutters wanting extra money. Jewellery making is like an art right? What matters is how beautiful it is.

@jawjagrrl

3 жыл бұрын

It matters when someone tries to sell you an expensive opal and misrepresents the product. If you know what you are buying is a doublet or triplet and it is priced accordingly, fine. Someone passing it off as natural is trying to make a lot more than the stone is really worth. Like selling you a Hyundai with a Mercedes emblem on it and convincing you it *was* a Mercedes and charging you for the more expensive brand.

Hello to you, i have a opal on a 9ct brouch setting the back is open with no black backing it looks like hard stone but color is pale green can see some faint opal color from back.

Hello! Good informational video. I have an opal mounted as a stick pin. It was sold as a natural black opal and the back looks to be potch; is mate, black stone. The top is sort of dome shape and that has me concerns as most opals that I have are flatter. The cut of the stone is like a tear drop. There is lots of color play. Depending how I hold the flash light different colors appear from the top and side. When I direct the flash light directly on the stone the bulbs of the flashlight are reflected in the stone back at me. The stone in evening light of a room appears dark but not quite black and I can see some colors still thou not as vibrant as when the sun hits it. The stone is cold when I hold it to my face and can warm up.The top is dome shape...is that normal and as mentioned the shape is a tear drop. I thank you in advance for your guidance.

Cutting- Houston Texas watching

Fantastic explanation. Thank you.

I take this not as a Doublets and Triplets are fake opals but more they are a lesser value opal that gets scammed as natural opal. Fake Opal is the synthetic opal, Doublets and Triplets have real opal in them so these types that are properly done and marketed as a Doublet or Triplet have their place and should not be shunned off. Setting an Opal in jewelry can enhance or hurt an opal and vice-versa, so making a doublet (atleast the way I see it) is much like making jewelry as its more the skill of the craftsman making something that is lesser into something more. Overall if there were 2 almost identical pieces of Jewelry (say a necklace) and the only difference was one had a Triplet and the other had a natural black opal and the seller was being honest about the detail of the set stones and was selling them at the same price but the Triplet looked so much better than the natural black opal set in the jewelry then I would consider buying the one that looked better. I mean I am buying the jewelry as a whole and not just the stone alone.

@blackopaldirect

3 жыл бұрын

I agree with you. Its the sellers that sell them as natural solid opals in setting so people can't tell.

Probably a lot of effort was required to make such a triplet. It’s interesting how they managed to process and place such a thin layer of opal on the base so that it did not crack or crumble. Or does this opal layer consist of several pieces, like a mosaic?

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

One slice is all it is

@DianeGraft

4 жыл бұрын

I would think that you could grind off the back of the raw stone, and glue the back of the doublet on first. Then you could work your way down to the top of the color bar from the other side, with the doublet back already in place to support it.

Hi. I've got a question. I've got a ring with a big opal that I've recently had valued as a cabochon black opal doublet. The thing is the jewellery evaluation company also cleaned the ring for me but did it using a ultrasonic cleaner. If I understand correctly your not supposed to clean a opal doublet ring in a ultrasonic cleaner?? The opal now looks damaged. As in it has a slight hairline crack and the top appears to be slightly separated (de-laminated?) from the bottom black opal on two sides (along the long edges of the oval shaped doublet). My question: can the damage be reversed? Can the edges where it looks like the top is de-laminating from the bottom be fixed...as in re-glued or can glue help to re-seal the edges? I don't think it is crazed? I'm not sure. I'm not an expert or jeweller. I hope you can give me some positive advice/news.

Do you have a website i could send a pic of my grandmothers bracelet&ring Opal? Its hard to see the date,may be 1945 are 1947,both are different but beautiful..

Slowly but surely making me want to move to Australia.

I've had the opportunity to cut a Natural Opal Triplet which has some white opal in between the crystal face. It looks like a colorful cloud formation. It's not from Lightning Ridge, however, I have given it the name "Storm Opal" Definitely a double faced opal, as the dark "potch" back is actually good dark opal with color as well. Decisions, decisions....

That triplet was beautiful

I'd imagine that triplet effect could really make a cheap stone pop. And if you don't have a spare 15 k why not ? Zircons for diamonds and glass for emeralds you'll be the talk of the town. But keep em smallish or everyone will know they match your 25 year old Toyota.

Thank you for the examples and explaining the terminology. It is a real shame that people are so money grubbing, and unethical. It ruins the industry and makes already wary, uninformed people even more likely to not buy what might have been a real gem. Now, I know and will be more careful.

If I glue a thin layer of opal (to thin to cab) to a quartz cap is that considered a doublet?

I am thinking of buying some opals for my kids future. For their inheritance. Some thing to show them and teach them to keep beauty and wealth for prosperity

doublets and triplets being sold as natural black opal gems are bad for sure. but i can't help admiring admire the expertise put into them. if they were honest, such a crafted gemstone would be a piece of art in it's own right. it's still natural opal, doctored to look the best it possibly can. i'd love to see the process!

I'd buy a doublet. not a triplet though. Great explanation Justin.

Is there a way to make a white Opal look like a black Opal ? Is there a thinness that will do this like they do with triplets?

Does the quartz top of a triplet help to protect the opal? My mother wore her opal ring every day an it is horribly worn.

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

Pauline Dear yes it will and being quartz it is harder than glass. But people also use glass

@brendastraley8829

4 жыл бұрын

I would think the quartz would protect the opal since opals can crack easily, but that's just my opinion.

Sir I have bought an opal a few days ago I am really not sure it's real or fake how can I send u the pic or video so you examine for me please

I know you only work with Australian opal, which doesn't need to be made into a doublet or triplet, but have you come across any other opals that need to be made into either a doublet or triplet? I live in the USA and have heard of an opal called Spencer opal from Idaho that forms in super thin bars, like paper thickness. Would making that type of opal into a doublet lessen the value given the fact that you probably wouldn't be able to get a stone out of it naturally?

@blackopaldirect

3 жыл бұрын

Spencer opal needs to be kept in water for the most part. So it maybe ok to be put into triplets as it would be glued together. Not totally sure as I haven’t cut any spencer but know it is volcanic opal

@lilyrow-jillian-higgins6327

3 жыл бұрын

@@blackopaldirect thank you

That's a really good triplet...

Hahaha you texted that Beautiful Crystal with a Sharpie. Would it give the same effect with silver or gold was behind the crystal opal?

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

Haha no

@jeffreyallen3796

4 жыл бұрын

@@blackopaldirect thank you!

Wowee!! 😳

Have to check my two opals that are set in jewelry

Thanks. I don't know sh*t about it, but I love it. I even bought some cheap opal and tried to cut it. Of course I ruined it. But now I know why I ruined it. Next time I will find new ways to screw it up. Thanks again.

My wife sells DeBeers-I buy opal, preferably Black because nothing compares. Or even comes close. My nieces and God daughters now want Aussie Opal for wedding rings after being exposed-My wife is kinda pissed but totally understands. Good job Justin

triplets are dope, those Chinese people are geniuses.

How does the quartz get put on ?

@blackopaldirect

3 жыл бұрын

With 2 pack clear glue

I thought you can soak them in something to blacken them?

@blackopaldirect

4 жыл бұрын

Bushcraft1974 that is Ethiopian opal it’s absorbent but not Australian opal

@Bushcraft-xz6xd

4 жыл бұрын

Black Opal Direct Ah ok 👍🏻 always learning!!

Qui lindas parabéns ✌👏👍

A triplet seems like it would be a good stone for a hard-wearing ring at least!

@blackopaldirect

2 жыл бұрын

Sure but putting a $5 triplet into a ring design hardly seems worth it.

I'm sorry, but that triplet was beautiful

A jeweler told me that all opals had to be doublets because opal was too fragile to be sold on it's own; that I couldn't buy solid opal and that he'd never seen one that wasn't doublet or triplet. That last part I believed.

@blackopaldirect

3 жыл бұрын

Hahha thats funny

@claudiavegas3600

2 жыл бұрын

I am in a Reddit group about opals and I posted something about how I was thinking turning my opal into a ring and a jeweler commented the same, that opal is too fragile to set into a ring, that it would break in less than a year. I have several opal rings and none of them have broken, you just have to be careful but it seems that certaing jewelers prefer to avoid working with opals.

Has anyone ever taken a natural opal and made a doublet with a line that looks crooked and not straight just to pass it off as a natural and not a doublet? Just wondering if people actually go that far?

@blackopaldirect

3 жыл бұрын

Yes that has happened most definitely

Justin, Have you ever cut a Cosmic Opal,?

@TheBuzz222

3 жыл бұрын

Follow up: Galaxy Opal have seen one?

@blackopaldirect

3 жыл бұрын

What is a cosmic opal or a galaxy? Sound synthetic

Showw!

Do people make doublets to fool buyers? I was shocked to see that people were selling doublet/triplet jewelry as if it were real opal. I thought, I should just buy polished opal and get it made into a pendant for the price of some of these pieces. Real shame to think that some people are being ripped off.

@brendastraley8829

4 жыл бұрын

People selling Opals made of triplets get away with it because they tell the buyer YES it's a real opal. People can also sell Turquoise by saying it is real Turquoise just because turquoise can be considered a color and not even a stone. Pearls are another thing people need to know before shelling out money. The world of gems can be very cold and cruel. I wish everyone had the knowledge to appreciate the real thing.

@brendastraley8829

3 жыл бұрын

@@miroslavmarkovic4695 I do know what am talking about. Yes triplets are real opal. Most of the time not quality Opals and in layers to look good and the backing is not Opal. People don't realize those are junk compared to a true whole gem and pay way too much.

@brendastraley8829

3 жыл бұрын

@@miroslavmarkovic4695 THIS IS MY OTHER COMMENT 8 MONTHS AGO IF YOU READ ALL THE COMMENTS. BTW I DO NOT KNOW WHAT OTHER " STUPID COMMENTS YOU THING I READ"? Since I didn't read any other comments. Brenda Straley 8 months ago Am so happy your explaining these differences. Am sure your viewers know this, but many new Opal lovers out there don't.