Free Opal Giveaway... Strangest Place You Have Found Opal?

[@jamestammy]

I was living in Riverton, Wyoming USA working as the pastor at a church while supporting my family by also driving a special needs school bus. My bus aid that helped me with the kids was an amazing artist. After her husband passed away and I conducted his funeral she sent some random jewelry making ring blanks, porcupine quills, mammoth tooth etc. When I got home I found a bout 10 opal triplets in the box of cool jewelry inlay and blank jewelry items. That’s the only place I’ve found opal. I now inlay opal into rings.

[@RoysRocks]

Always cool to hear these sorts of stories from over there in the USA. I hope one day opal is not so rare around the world.

[@johnsaucerhunter]

Hi Roy. Great idea for a give-a-way. My strange event was 1980 in the parking lot of a niteclub at about 2:30 am in the morning. I had just clocked out of my night-shift and was heading to my car, and since it was pitch dark I was using my little flashlite so I wouldn't accidently slip and fall. Something flashed as I was swinging the flashlite a bit walking, and curiosity made me bend down to look closer. Someone had apparently lost a bit over a carat of a oval doublet (from a ring I was guessing), Just a bit of red but striking blues and greens. That's my strange find, and I'll never forget it.

[@RoysRocks]

Haha I would have thought I was dreaming and just kept walking by 0230.

[@Emulatori]

About 15 years ago, I was reading an ebook on an overnight train journey, Sci fi themed, set in North America, humans have accepted the fact that the number of souls in existence is limited and are "recycled" and there's a huge industry around making sure your previous life's belongings and riches are given back to you once reborn). I finished the first book in the series as we pulled into Toowoomba at about midnight, one of the few places on the journey with phone reception so I quickly downloaded the sequel and kept reading over the course of the trip. The sequel centred around a hunt for opals/answers in White Cliffs, Australia! And the really weird thing was that my train trip/tour included a visit to Yowah to go opal fossicking. So while I was expecting/hoping to find actual opals, I did not expect to be reading an opal related Sci fi story on my travels that week! It was kind of magical ☺️

[@RoysRocks]

Do you happen to remember the book or series title?

[@Emulatori]

@RoysRocks I'll admit, it was so long ago I just had to look it up to confirm... (and there's a third book now!) It's the Soul Identity series by Dennis Batchelder, book 2 is called Soul Intent.

[@elishadoyle8191]

Me, my daughter and son lived in a very old house in Berri South Australia. Our house was on stilts and sometimes rocks would get onto the paved driveway out from under the house. We would usually just kick them around, step on them, kids would throw them around ect. I use to go out there and smoke (I have given up since then) and one time I was out having a smoke when a little colour caught my eye from one of the stones as the sun was shining on it. I picked it up and it was low grade white opal, so all this time we were kicking around bits of opal. We found a few bigger pieces. I put them in a jar of water and now my son has them. We found newspaper clipping from the 50s and old baby clothes under that house too. I wonder if there's still any opal under the house. The house is still there. It's nice that you read all the comments 🎉

[@RoysRocks]

Haha "all this time we were kicking around bits of opal" is a wild statement. Thats not soccer!

[@hudmumper]

My aunt's garage. Was helping her to move house recently and came across a small jewellery box. I gave it to her and she said "Oh, you will appreciate this!" and she opened it up and it was a lovely opal ring that she had bought in Coober Pedy when she was traveling around Aus many years ago. She bought the opal and had it set in the ring in a shop there. Lovely multi colour pinfire pattern. Nothing spectacular but lovely 1.5 ct light based opal and carries lots of memories for her.

[@RoysRocks]

Good that she remembered it was in there and cool that she actually bought a loose stone and had it set custom. I feel like these days everyone buys them already set and dont want to go through that process.

[@hudmumper]

@RoysRocks Yes, I think you are right. I prefer the personal touch but I guess a lot of people don't have time anymore. I thought I was going to lose my job and would have plenty of time to spend on my rocks. Complete opposite has happened. I barely have time to catch up on emails. Such is life ATM. Not complaining (much), just wish I had more time. 🤔😁

[@kenoathiog1156]

Well, more unexpected than strange- my friend has a collection of rocks, crystals & stuff around a plant inside the back door of her house- a few of which happen to be some rather huge & good quality rough opal!!! I asked where she got them, & she said she didn’t know- had them for ages & thought they were pretty. 😮

[@RoysRocks]

Hopefully avoided crazing in the sun? Funny things can happen when people dont know what they have.

[@AndrewCooke-f9d]

In Childers qld in petrified wood !

[@RoysRocks]

Do love a bit of opal in petrified wood.

[@evanshipley8523]

When I was maybe 12 years old I found a silver and opal ring on the ground in a gravel parking lot near my home. Opal is my mother’s birth stone so I gave it to her and she still has it almost 40 years later. It was my first actual exposure to opal and I’ve loved it ever since!

[@RoysRocks]

Man why have I not seen any opal jewellery on the ground here in opal country?! Seems many have.

[@evanshipley8523]

@@RoysRocks this was in Maryland, USA.

[@donnyboy311]

Good looking find. Thanks for all the great tips!

[@RoysRocks]

No worries just here to help when I can.

[@jeffreymcintyre6037]

I live in Georgia and I look every time I go to an antique store or yard sale. Unfortunately, I have not seen any opal. So I guess the strangest place would be on my sons girlfriends finger. She showed me an opal ring that she has. It was very nice thanks keep up the great work. Enjoy watching your every chance I get.

[@RoysRocks]

Keep looking. I never thought I would find one but last weekend I finally did!

[@Dave_The_Opal_Guy]

Cool concept! Strangest place has to be inside the resin on far relatives' wood+resin dinner table. They never paid it any mind, but the table was studded with small boulder opal chips that really glittered under the ceiling lights :)

[@RoysRocks]

Oh cool. I saw Justin over at Black Opal Direct embedded a few opals in a desk as well. I'm thinking of something similar but done in a bit of a different way.

[@lisamiller2227]

The first bit of opal i ever had was given to me by a random person. I was gifted a whole heap of gemstone cabs by a generous lady who i now count as a friend, we had talked about all sorts of different crystals but we also talked about opals. I had said I'd love to own an opal one day and when the package came in, she said there was something special in a container. Turns out she had sent me my very first opal! So she is the reason I'm now on my opal journey 💜

[@RoysRocks]

Wow, there are some gem people in the opal community and she sounds like one of them. Gotta share the love of the world best stone.

[@lisamiller2227]

@@RoysRocks absolutely do 😊

[@bentationfunkiloglio]

No opal story for today’s prompt. I agree, really need to make jewelry if you want to make money off the opals you cut! I’m getting close to making sellable jewelry that meets my personal standards, but not there yet.

[@RoysRocks]

I feel ya. I see such perfect pieces from the pros but I aint really there.

[@LifeIsWhatYouMakit]

It is not strange to find Opal at estate sales, but that is where I first bought and really fell in love with the oh so alluring Opal..

[@RoysRocks]

I wish I could roam estate sales around Adelaide. I am sure opal pops up in many of them.

[@hossoutdoors-n-wildlife6199]

I found 3lb of Australian rough at a yard sale. I got the lot for $200. There wasn't a ton of amazing stuff a few dark opals and a bundle of white. It was nice to not have to worry about messing up.

[@RoysRocks]

Sounds like perfectly fine starting material so I consider it a solid win.

[@ElinHaugan]

I had cut and polished a belemnite and laid it on my bench. Went to run some errands and when I came home ready to make a setting for it it was gone. Looked high and low and could'nt find it. A few weeks later I was doing laundry and thought it was time to wash all my cats fluffy blankets. In one of the cat beds I found my belemnite hidden with a couple of their toys, turns out one of my cats loves opals as well 😅

[@RoysRocks]

Haha that sneaky cat took it?! I thought they see colour differently like dogs but even they can see something they like in opal. Also, I would have a heart attack if one of my good belemnites was on the bench and went missing.

[@ElinHaugan]

@@RoysRocks I was pretty devo until I found it again, and that cat has stolen more opals after that first one, but now I know 😅 She carries toys and other stouff in her mouth like a dog 😳🤷‍♀️ Shows no interest for other stones, just opals.

[@user-Rockbaby]

Buried Treasure, lol...My daughter, age 6 at the time, now 33 was playing at the local park, she was digging a whole near a tree. The soil was soft, she was trying to dig to China I believe. As she laid on her stomach, arms length deep, pulled up a ring. Once cleaned it was a beautiful woman's European marked heavy gold with a stunning Coober Pedy crystal opal. I still own the ring to this day. 😃

[@RoysRocks]

Crazy. Hard to convince her not to keep digging after that.

[@joshuaruth6648]

Found some opal cabochons in the 50 cent gem bin at some museum I used to work in. It was mostly doublets. I think I grabbed all of them that were in the bucket.

[@RoysRocks]

Good man I would have also taken the bucket.

[@mackie_p]

I’ve seen a couple opal rings at the thrift store, as well as antique stores. Happy to see another video from you!

[@RoysRocks]

Didn't grab any of them though? Sometimes the prices could go crazy depending on who sets the price I suppose.

[@mackie_p]

@@RoysRocks no they always seem to be ridiculously priced!

[@rachelruggieri5491]

The craziest place I found opal was encased in a birthstone digging kit. It claimed to have a birthstone from each month, I bought it online to see if it was legit assuming that the stones were fake. What I got was in fact tiny but decent facet quality rough but the opal was a fully polished Ethiopian freeform carving. It’s kinda ironic that the opal was freed from it’s sandstone prison only to be put into more sandstone. Honorable mention goes to the synthetic opal jewelry I saw at an arcade for tickets.

[@RoysRocks]

Thats cool, I've thought about making little kits like that for kids with some beginners rough.

[@nancycurtis7315]

Lol. Mine was Dimboola op shop! Left it there. Was 15 years ago, though! Nice litle give-away, Roy.

[@RoysRocks]

They had one in there? That is a wild place to find opal.

[@nancycurtis7315]

@RoysRocks Was in a bag of random junk jewellery. Single earrings, rusty chains, etc. I could be bothered untangling the mess. Wasn't a good opal. Set in some random metal. Just left it there for someone else.

[@nancycurtis7315]

@@RoysRocks couldn't. Oops! 😁

[@JackAdlam]

Love your videos! Strangest place I've found opal would be a Sunday market at the netball courts. Not too out there but I was happy!

[@RoysRocks]

Markets are wild places. I've seen a lot of random and sometimes questionable things at the local weekend markets.

[@malysyforethought1195]

In a public park. I was only about six or so, and we went to this park regularly. The grass was long and an excellent playground for a little kid. I was playing in the long grass beside the track and saw a glint of something richly blue and green, so of course I had to investigate. it turned out to be a 1" plain silver oval pendant that was set with these glorious opal chips. I still have it nearly fifty years later. lovely classic pendant and still super glittery.

[@RoysRocks]

Was that what got you into opal?

[@malysyforethought1195]

@@RoysRocks Absolutely. The silver had tarnished so it was the sun glinting off of the stone that caught my eyes. It was so pretty I had to go and find it in the geology museum later in the year.

[@stevenhoover9294]

Out noodling on the public heaps at Cooper Pedy late one night with a full moon. It was truly wonderful!😎

[@RoysRocks]

Nice one. Well worth doing while out there. Bound to find something.

[@jeffholmes1362]

Coober Pedy, I didn’t expect to find opal there :-)

[@RoysRocks]

Haha I heard there are a few out there if you look hard enough.

[@thechristiancarpenter]

Nice Little set of opals. It would be nice to see a few more opal arrowheads. I love opal arrowheads

[@RoysRocks]

They are tough. Pulitzer opal makes them look so easy. I wonder how many he has done?

[@thechristiancarpenter]

@RoysRocks I've seen him make several on his channel & they're beautiful! I'd be willing to bet he made a lot of arrowheads out of flint or glass before he attempted any outta opal. I have tried my hand at knapping. It takes some practice. I've made a few decent points out of the bottom of old glass bottles. But I've been too afraid of ruining a good opal to try knapping one of my own.

[@ResortDog]

The middle of a forest service road They were grading right around/across the color layer in a lava flow.

[@RoysRocks]

That a wild spot and a half.

[@sharonwolfe4230]

It may.not be up to your standards but it is beautiful in my opinion. I'd love to have one of your opal cabs to put in a pendant. Maybe once you start making jewelry I can purchase one. I look forward to it.

[@RoysRocks]

I will certainly be selling some final pieces since I dont wear them myself.

[@josephcase3105]

Local pawn shop but being as there isn't much opal in Kentucky , it's kind of surprising to see them show up on occasion.

[@RoysRocks]

I think it would have to be rarer for you in Kentucky than me here in Adelaide. Very good find.

[@ohiovalleymetals9605]

I love opal!!! I also found a small opal ring that was a Coober Pedy lil guy. But wasn't too shabby.

[@RoysRocks]

Little or not Coober Pedy makes some seriously good stuff.

[@ohiovalleymetals9605]

@@RoysRocks absolutely! Thats what caught my eye 😆

[@anniepoulton8501]

At a charity shop, at a really cheap price (sterling silver) in a ring,low to medium grade black opal ( lightning ridge)

[@RoysRocks]

Oh man that beats me. Any black opal is $$$

[@karenjones7111]

That is a beautiful setting.

[@RoysRocks]

I reckon it would be tough to recreate. I'll be happy with a neat clean bezel.

[@SmaugtheMagnificent60]

Garage / yard sales. People sell the craziest thing.

[@RoysRocks]

As long as it is not crazy high prices I'm happy.

[@OUTBACK-PARANORMAL-CRYPTIDS]

❤❤Love your work and your integrity have learnt so much. Looking for some opal to have set for my and my partners wedding bands. KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK. ❤❤❤ OH AND YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE IT MY SON IS NAMED ROY AFTER MY GRANDFATHER.

[@RoysRocks]

My name is Roy after my great grandfather. Good to hear some young Roys out there. Rare name these days.

[@OUTBACK-PARANORMAL-CRYPTIDS]

@@RoysRocks Roy is named after his great grandfather and great uncle too how amazing you being named after yours. Roy is 24 now a d headed off to the Army in January to start his contract service 4 yrs first off with option of a 25 yr contract, his Great Grand parents were involved in the war effort, and his great grandfather was in the light horse brigade. So very proud of him he will be walking me down the isle in full dress uniform. One very proud muma tiger.

[@tonyvandijk4339]

Found some opal in the memory collection of my stepdad. He got it from his sister as a souvenir from Australia. It was better quality than most opal I see go around in the Netherlands.

[@RoysRocks]

Let's hope opal grows in popularity in the Netherlands. Actually the whole world!

[@TheKegtwo]

Nice cheap pickup Roy. My favourite opal isn’t worth much but it was given to me by a miner who thought it wouldn’t amount to much. I found an interesting green on blue backed with black patch. I called it the peacock eye opal. It would need a lot of dieting before it could be marketed, so I am keeping it as a specimen.

[@RoysRocks]

If you are happy with it I am happy with it as is.

[@CaseyMcKee-s6h]

Had to be one of my best finds at an old run down general store in KY deep in Appalachian hillbilly country it was dusty mid day only 2 or 3 llights but I looked over her shoulder I imedatley saw what was a Mason jar half full no water. I tried nonchalantly like but make a long story short I purchased them for $150 and yes it all dark to black opal yes indeed it LR baby to this day I've looked at everything inside every little store but it's out there and just like they say it will find you when u least expect it

[@CaseyMcKee-s6h]

Do I put pictures with it I have some I'll check in the morning before I go to work thanks😊

[@RoysRocks]

Cool and at $150 any jar of dark/black opal is a huge win!

[@dustyblueberry3313]

The strangest place I found a piece of opal was in a bucket of rocks I'd picked out myself...... My mum became best friends with an older lady in her neighborhood back in 2020. This lady's husband was a rockhound but had sadly passed away 20 odd years earlier but, when she found out that I was into rocks and lapidary etc., I was invited over to pick out some rocks from her husband's rock pile. When I got to her house; it was getting late in the day so the light was low and the rocks were covered in dirt, leaf matter and cobwebs. I picked some banded calcite, rose and smokey quartz, a couple of thunder eggs, some jasper and chert, 2 small pieces of common opal, a good chunk of feldspar (albite?) and lastly a rock that looked like it had a thin stripe of turquoise blue in a brown coloured rock which I was hoping it was a piece of amazonite but, I had no idea! Well, when I washed the rocks the next day, to my complete surprise, it turned out that it was a piece of precious opal inter-mingled with what looks like quartzite. It's not a great cutter by any means but, OMG it's soooo pretty and I'll love it forever and I'm so grateful for these rocks ❤😀 Edit: Roy, would you know which Australian opal field has opal with the base colour being a light turquoise blue tone? Thanks! 🙂

[@RoysRocks]

Nice one, snuck out a good bit of opal. You can get that kind of base tone a lot in Boulder opal. I have cut a few bits like that on the channel if you filter for "Boulder Opal" you should see a few.

[@dustyblueberry3313]

@@RoysRocks cool, I'll do that! Thanks so much for your help. 😀

[@vinpesch6841]

Hi Roy, Its not directly related to opal but when I was looking for information about opal on youtube I found video's of making jewelery with clay. In my case it was silver clay. After shaping and burning it transforms into solid silver. Very cool. Now I am making some rings, pendant and broches with the opal I dremmeled. Very rewarding. Maybe something for you to try and make a nice video of it. Greetings Vincent

[@RoysRocks]

I have not tried silver clay. I am just getting into silversmithing bezel settings. Not going to be a master silversmith any time soon but it is time to show what I have been working on. Hopefully some experts can fix what I am struggling with.

[@AdrenalineTurkeyCall]

I live in a small country town in the southern states. I went into a small so called jewelry shop and started looking at some of the women’s rings while Christmas shopping. They had a couple of very small white opal rings with just a little pinfire color set in rather cheap rings. They wanted crazy money for them and I just giggled. Some sucker will eventually bite but not me. It was nice to see opal but hated to see bad pricing.

[@RoysRocks]

Yeah we get that even here in Adelaide Australia. Shops are a joke sometimes but I guess that is why they can offer 50% off sales. If I did that on the online store I'd be bankrupt in no time.

[@AdrenalineTurkeyCall]

@@RoysRocks I imagine so. There are cheats in every business out there. At least you’re in the position living where you are to be able to buy directly from a reputable source or even have the chance to go find your own rough to work with. For us, it has passed through several hands jumping up the price before we can get it. I was definitely born on the wrong continent.

[@lindasaunders3126]

I do check my local op shops for opal but haven’t any yet, but it is fun looking.

[@RoysRocks]

I found mine just because I keep looking at settings, even in costume jewellery for inspiration.

[@ccccarriemchardy9216]

What a lucky find!. My best opal buy was from a local online site, its a 1.3c dark Cooper opal for $70.00 with play of all colours.

[@RoysRocks]

Dark and 1.3cts for $70 sounds like a win.

[@ccccarriemchardy9216]

@@RoysRocks Its now in a ring and was a fantastic buy, I love it.

[@laurenoreilly4140]

Unfortunately, I’ve never been lucky enough to find an opal item. I never thought of looking in a thrift store. But, I’ll start looking now! Thanks for the tip, Roy!

[@RoysRocks]

Get looking! Seems many in the comments have stumbled across a bit of opal at thrift stores so worth trying. I look every time now.

[@jakewelford]

Love those opals! I've never found am opal but love watching shows about opal

[@RoysRocks]

Its a great stone, dont give up you'll find one someday.

[@Silasposton]

At an antique mall It was potch but still cool :). Still don’t have any rough specimens to work on myself of quality color but someday. Maybe with this comment! Thanks for the videos man!🤘🏻

[@RoysRocks]

You never know it could be the winning entry!

[@bbisyy4u]

At my job we had a site where employees could list items for sale. I got an old dark opal jewelry set. It was pretty cheap and I’m not 100% sure they’re genuine but they do look nice.

[@RoysRocks]

What is suspicious about them being real? I could probably tell if you sent an email with a photo or two.

[@bbisyy4u]

@@RoysRocks The stones were all pretty large and the colors looked too uniform. I just pulled it out and looked at it the way you showed in this video. I may have triplets. I’ll try and get them in better light to photograph them

[@1eyeI]

My strangest place I’ve bought a opal at was a swap meet. Just driving along and decided to stop and check it out.

[@RoysRocks]

Thats a good stop.

[@Famo59]

Unfortunately..!! I have only Bought my Opal ring in a jewelry shop.. Nice pickup Roy.. Cheers 🍻⛏️🍻

[@RoysRocks]

Probably the correct place to get them though so not bad.

[@jekism6350]

Thanks for all your tips it has certainly helped a beginner like myself.

[@RoysRocks]

No worries, happy to help as much as I can.

[@Matti_H_]

Wonder if the triplets can be popped out an replaced with solids to make it a bit more personal ?

[@RoysRocks]

Probably but you'd have to glue them since the setting doesn't really have a real way to push a bezel over the stone.

[@hannagyllensten475]

Since opals are more or less invisible here, I'm even surprisen that apparently one of my colleagues at work has an opal, and thst I heard this not from the colleague in question but from someone else at the workplace. Luckily there are 2-3 sellers that usually come to the larger gem fares with opals, so even I have met a couple of opal sellers in person. :-)

[@RoysRocks]

Thats cool. I need to get to a few gem fares or festivals. I just spend too much time working (day job and youtube). I am being forced to take some of my annual leave at work now though so I will make plans.

[@DestroyerX2000]

Strangest place... in the U-Bend of a sink. It's a strange place but it wasn't unexpected. I learnt a hard lesson the day I wanted to wet some of my opal rough and opened the parcel bag over the sink without the plug being in it properly! Haven't made that mistake twice!!! Live and learn!

[@RoysRocks]

Haha I have made that mistake... more than once. I do have a sink strainer plug to catch them now and rarely take an opal to the sink unless it is huge like my recent Koroit piece.

[@123bbbooobbb]

great find roy

[@RoysRocks]

I'm pretty happy with it.

[@aaronstrickland1365]

I found some Ethiopian opal in a rock shop in ft Walton bch fl. Was going out of business, 60% off! I have one piece that is a.crazy cast of something

[@RoysRocks]

I love a sale. Anything more than 50% and I'm in that store faster than lightning.

[@michaelpotocnik1575]

My only experience with opal prior to a few years ago, was my mother had a blue opal ring withe several opals around the center opal. I am 75 years of age, I asked my sister about that ring. She told that the opals had all broken and fell apart.

[@RoysRocks]

Ah that is sad. Opal is certainly more fragile than diamond so that can happen. Maybe she got in a few first fights?

[@mattsmith6321]

To be honest I've never found any opals nor have I owned any. But I have learned a lot about opals from you, Pulitzer opals, and black opal Direct. There's a savers over here near Boise Idaho

[@RoysRocks]

Check that savers for a little hidden opal. Might get to see it in person and not have to get your opal fix through youtube.

[@FreeYourMindArt]

I have only found on Etsy, bought to practice on with a dremel.

[@RoysRocks]

Good luck, take it easy the first few might look pretty rough.

[@FreeYourMindArt]

​@RoysRocks practice makes perfect. Looking forward to them.

[@qwerty3663]

We have Savers here in the USA but I've never checked for opals or other "real" jewelry there.

[@RoysRocks]

I thought savers would have come from there. Rarely anything original in Aus. You should have a quick scan. Opal stands out so just a walk by would do it.

[@lindaswinbank5984]

They might be the dreaded triplets and cheap, but the opals are very pretty and we can’t all afford Lightning Ridge black opals! I would be very happy to wear this pendant (fingers & toes crossed). Thanks for the giveaway Roy

[@RoysRocks]

True they do allow even kids to be gifted something opal related. If it gets people interested I count it as a win. Like a Rolex they can certainly be expensive but we can all dream.

[@chadatchison145]

Thanks for the video Roy.

[@RoysRocks]

No worries Chad. Good luck 🤞

[@AlabamaUSA1234]

WOW... haven't told anyone this. I took care of my dad. When he passed away I found a box he had, inside was several pieces of jewelry and one had a nice opal in it. I have no idea where he got it, or when. It looks really old. He was from Louisiana and I think it could have been something from when he was a young man. He was 86 ...

[@RoysRocks]

A man with very fine taste. Probably had a good backstory to how it ended up in that box but unfortunately she gets is all and so many stories are lost. My grandfather was a similar age when he passed this time last year and I know I've lost a lot of stories.

[@AlabamaUSA1234]

@@RoysRocks I got so many stories. He was a true Cajun and could really tell some great stories... We were great fishing buddies so I got to hear them hundreds of times. Must be a girl from when he was young and she lived in Texas... He would say "oh boy was she fat!" 🤣🤣

[@silverkasia76]

Nice shape to the setting though!

[@RoysRocks]

It is alright. More decorative than I aim for with mine.

[@kaynef6637]

I found a beautiful opal pendant in a kids toy box for $1 at a goodwill shop 🎉

[@RoysRocks]

Oh man that's beats me. Whoever dropped that off is probably still looking for it to this day!

[@annsalter4366]

Never been lucky enough to find any.. have bought some rough from blacklighters and jewellery pieces from others who are jewellery makers.. opal is magnificent though.

[@RoysRocks]

At least you still have got some. Just gotta keep the eyes open a wild opal to appear in strange places.

[@stevenpolack4444]

Thanks for doing a giveaway Roy, appreciate it 👍 Yard sale had a synthetic opal, bright pinfire pattern for $2 😂

[@RoysRocks]

Even a synthetic opal I would buy at $2 do I still think that is a win. I see synthetic opal piercings in Adelaide everywhere and they are like $50+!

[@stevenpolack4444]

Agreed I should've bought it. But I didn't know so much about opal at the time. Hopefully someone else got a good deal that day.

[@Clarrybongalot]

I worked in an op shop in Goolwa a lot of good things were dumped there

[@RoysRocks]

I will have to drive down and sniff around for some opal...

[@gazzog6252]

Very cool give away Roy

[@RoysRocks]

Hopefully a better price than the last.

[@paigehatu9726]

Thanks bro appreciate you. Strangest place was in the shearing sheds and old shearing shed found a bunch of dumped Opal tailings found a few black nobbie opals with red this was got me into Opal haha

[@RoysRocks]

Haha someone wanted to show the sheep some sparkle rock.

[@paigehatu9726]

@@RoysRocks haha bah bah black sheep or bah bah black opal 😲😂

[@lukemasterson9872]

Koala hat pin ! Brought a tie from second hand shop had the pin stuck in it 💥

[@RoysRocks]

Oh thats cool. I've seen a few designs like that. Nice that they left it in the tie.

[@debadams5676]

I haven't found opal in any strange places, the only place I found opal was in my grandmother's box of old jewellery treasures after she died. In a gold heart pendant that has a row of seven tiny 2-mm opals.

[@RoysRocks]

I love seeing tiny opals get included in jewellery.

[@1eyeI]

Bought mine at a rock and gem show that I still have to mount.

[@RoysRocks]

Nice, hopefully you can get it set.

[@1eyeI]

@@RoysRocks well silver smithing to me is all very new, I love opals as my birthstone.

[@TomsBackyardWorkshop]

I found some loose white opals at a second hand store once. I think they might have been man made.

[@RoysRocks]

I think I still would have bought them just for the story so long as the price wasn't crazy.

[@stephenborgelt998]

I found a small parcel of rough opal at a local op shop in a small Victorian county town! 😂

[@RoysRocks]

They do manage to get to some strange places it seems.

[@Thumbernation]

Value village (thrift store ) over here in kelowna bc canada

[@RoysRocks]

Seems many others found similar wins at thrift stores.

[@stacibrauns9549]

I found a piece of raw opal in the middle of the Arizona desert on a side by side trail. I have no idea how it got there.

[@RoysRocks]

I have heard that before here in Aus where people have found an interstate opal on the side of the road in Coober Pedy. Opals can grow legs.

[@PaulVout]

Nice score mate

[@RoysRocks]

Winner winner. Now I can crown someone else a winner with a giveaway.

[@zoinkaboose]

Found a piece of rough on my bathroom floor. Wonder how it got there?

[@RoysRocks]

I found a piece in my shoe once. Popped it off the dop and couldnt work out where it went... then I took off my shoe and there it was.

[@1eyeI]

Very nice

[@RoysRocks]

Nah just giving people a chance to get a little collection boost

[@karenjones7111]

I also found my first Opal at a thrift store, op shop. ✌️♥️♥️

[@RoysRocks]

Hell yeah!

[@ThatOpalGuy]

I have only found opal in the expected places. Good luck everyone.

[@RoysRocks]

Guess it could be worse like never seeing an opal at all.

[@SuperBroncosguy]

I found a nice opal pendant at Salvation Army Thrift store. $9.95 (They Didn't know what it was.)

[@RoysRocks]

At that price even if it were a triplet thats a huge win.

[@SuperBroncosguy]

It was a triplet & it is what got me into Australia & opal! That's a great unusual place with weird animals & cool people right there.

[@AdamDermody]

At my local park. I was taking a walk one day and my dog and he found a brown paper bag with Opal chips in it and one doublet piece. He did well 😂

[@RoysRocks]

Oh cool. You should be seeing a opal chip doublet piece on the channel soon.

[@AdamDermody]

@ oh that’s awesome I can’t wait 😜

[@Paul-BB-FNQ]

Hi Roy, like others I never win stuff but close to a win was about 2010 on Macleay Island Qld at the Bowls Club was the Easter stall. At the stall was a guy called John who had a table of opal; some polished & some rough. It was mostly from Opalton, where he was working a claim but also had some Koroit. I got talking to John who invited me around to his house to see better opal than he had on show, so I bought up. I have since gifted most of it away to family as John was hard pressed for cash & I did well. Needless to say, so were my family recipients who thought I spent lots more than I did, even though I didn't really have any spare $ then. I am trying my hand now at dressing some rough up but not as easy as it looks. That's why I've been talking to you lately. My turn to receive a gift? Regards Paul

[@RoysRocks]

You are certainly in for a chance. It is tough when you first get started. Rough trimming is pretty easy but the shaping and stepping up the grid till you get to a polish is pretty tricky. Hopefully you get the hang of it quickly but it could take a few bad attempts. Once you get it though you are flying.

[@offyarocka]

😎😎😎

[@RoysRocks]

Good luck man 🍀

[@rarex7594]

Nice

[@RoysRocks]

A decent find.

[@ottaviabollin9272]

Assolutamente fantastico il tuo lavoro!! Io continuo a sognare ad occhi aperti!! Chissà se un giorno vincerò mai anche solo una piccola scheggia di Opale!! È il sogno della mia vita...altro che Diamanti...😟😟🍀 L Australia è il paese dove vorrei vivere..un paradiso!!

[@RoysRocks]

Google translate save me! Hope this makes sense: Australia is a pretty lucky place to have all this opal. Almost a crime not to like opal when you live here.

[@rogergcmttocs]

nice

[@RoysRocks]

Good find

[@jonathanrosen3798]

Hi Roy how are u. The Southern Rockhounds Gemfair is on the 2&3rd of November. Love to see you there. I am their silver teacher, if you have any questions. Southern Rockhounds 17 Gerald Court, Christie Downs South Australia 5164

[@RoysRocks]

I'll have to see if I can get down there next weekend. It would be great to see your work. I'm thinking of taking one of the quick courses in the city but I think I can get the hang of it. I just need to get the bezel pushing better to avoid any lumps that take ages to get out.

[@jonathanrosen3798]

I don't know what you are using. Try using a bezel rocker and rolling it around the beze.l not over the bezel.

[@RoysRocks]

@@jonathanrosen3798 I think the issue is with freeform setting where I'm not getting the hieght of the custom edge right. A standard cab is much easier which explains why thats the popular choice.

[@Djjdynomike]

I found a opal ring in a parking lot to bad it was welo ..

[@RoysRocks]

Still a great find!

[@gratefulguy4130]

It's not fair when you've been places like Tucson lol. You can find them in dumpsters, parking lots, anywhere really during and after the shows. I used to get tons of crushed opal from dirt lots out there.

[@RoysRocks]

Man you make me really want to jump on a plane. I will get back to the USA one day and go straight to Tucson!

[@peterchristodoulou1264]

In my dreams. Ps I love robots 😂

[@RoysRocks]

As long as I dont get the comment bots I dont mind them.

[@peterchristodoulou1264]

@@RoysRocks haha told the robots I love them in the hopes they pick me and show some love back 😂

[@Udgaard01]

❤❤👍👍🇩🇰

[@RoysRocks]

👌❤

[@CockatoobirdmanBill]

I love all your vid's but i like the ones when you do cut and polish..........🦜

[@RoysRocks]

There is a tricky Boulder opal one coming up which might tick that box. Tricky to polish Koroit.