About Indian Creek Opals
I have been involved with Opal and cutting Opal since 1993. My first opal cutting was on Australian Opal which I found to be quite fragile. Over several years obtaining the rough opal became quite difficult and I stopped cutting for lack of good material.
Another factor in leaving cutting was I decided to become an "Arts and Crafts" Jeweler.
That's a story of its own. I had been retired for about a year. My wife went to a Home Jewelry Party and came home with a Necklace that I thought she had over paid for. I looked at the necklace and how it was constructed and said "Ha, I could do better than this". My wife replied with a very doubtful response. Well, I have been at it for 15 years now and still going strong!
My first opal sale was a beautiful Flash-Fire white based 16.7 Ct. free-form Australian opal that I had cut, and was very proud of. Going to the various Arts and Craft Fairs, I soon discovered that Australian Opal was on its way out of existence. There have been no new finds, and most of the material I have been able to find is legacy stock.
Then I saw my first piece of Ethiopian Opal. The Colors were absolutely Brilliant, it was on a transparent base with a very attractive Honey Comb. I was hooked, I started buying Opals when ever I could find and afford them. The hardness of the Australian opal ranges from 4.5 to 5.0 on the hardness scale. A hardness of 1.0 represents Talc, where a hardness of 10.0 represents Diamond. Ethiopian Opal has a Hardness range of from 5.5 to 6.5 on the hardness scale. Making Ethiopian Opal a much more durable gemstone to wear and to work with!
One day my wonderful wife said "If you bring one more rock into this house without knowing what to do with it, WE ARE GOING TO WAR". If Momma Ain't happy, nobody's happy! So, I learned to wire wrap. I find wire wrapping to be relaxing and it allows me to exercise an artistic streak I never knew I had!
Everything I make is made with 14kt Gold, Sterling Silver, or 24kt Gold Vermeil (24kt Gold in a heavy electroplate over Sterling Silver), my wire wrapping is accomplished using 14kt Gold Filled Wire, or Sterling Silver Wire. I'd use 14kt Gold wire but that would increase the price of the jewelry to the point where most people would be unwilling to buy it from a Jeweler in a "Arts and Crafts Tent!
Another factor in leaving cutting was I decided to become an "Arts and Crafts" Jeweler.
That's a story of its own. I had been retired for about a year. My wife went to a Home Jewelry Party and came home with a Necklace that I thought she had over paid for. I looked at the necklace and how it was constructed and said "Ha, I could do better than this". My wife replied with a very doubtful response. Well, I have been at it for 15 years now and still going strong!
My first opal sale was a beautiful Flash-Fire white based 16.7 Ct. free-form Australian opal that I had cut, and was very proud of. Going to the various Arts and Craft Fairs, I soon discovered that Australian Opal was on its way out of existence. There have been no new finds, and most of the material I have been able to find is legacy stock.
Then I saw my first piece of Ethiopian Opal. The Colors were absolutely Brilliant, it was on a transparent base with a very attractive Honey Comb. I was hooked, I started buying Opals when ever I could find and afford them. The hardness of the Australian opal ranges from 4.5 to 5.0 on the hardness scale. A hardness of 1.0 represents Talc, where a hardness of 10.0 represents Diamond. Ethiopian Opal has a Hardness range of from 5.5 to 6.5 on the hardness scale. Making Ethiopian Opal a much more durable gemstone to wear and to work with!
One day my wonderful wife said "If you bring one more rock into this house without knowing what to do with it, WE ARE GOING TO WAR". If Momma Ain't happy, nobody's happy! So, I learned to wire wrap. I find wire wrapping to be relaxing and it allows me to exercise an artistic streak I never knew I had!
Everything I make is made with 14kt Gold, Sterling Silver, or 24kt Gold Vermeil (24kt Gold in a heavy electroplate over Sterling Silver), my wire wrapping is accomplished using 14kt Gold Filled Wire, or Sterling Silver Wire. I'd use 14kt Gold wire but that would increase the price of the jewelry to the point where most people would be unwilling to buy it from a Jeweler in a "Arts and Crafts Tent!