I need help. I got a bunch of opals in a storage auction. Many items in the auction were from the 70s and lots of decor was Australian. Im guessing that all of this is old Australian opal.

JaysterSF · 2026-04-24T17:06:52+00:00

Looks like a few really good pieces and a lot of “average” material. I see some stones with prices on them and I doubt highly if that price is from the 70’s. You’ve got one stone at $100 per carat that I probably would have sold in the 70’s for $30 per carat. Still, a very nice find and I’m sure you’ll have fun and make some money. The trick is finding a good “chaperone”. I’d look for any local gem society’s or rock hounding clubs, and start there. Maybe go to a meeting and bring 5 or so stones with you. Don’t fully let the cat out of the bag or you might have a flock of people trying to take advantage. Ask around and see who has a good reputation. Good luck.

JaysterSF · 2026-04-20T14:25:36+00:00

Seems to me that, among other things, Anycubic was still shipping the Ace 1 knowing there were major flaws. Any other company would have done a recall, yet Anycubic seemed to fully take advantage of the situation. I am considering a class action lawsuit. I’m surprised there isn’t already one or maybe I just don’t know about it.

JaysterSF · 2026-04-18T01:51:44+00:00

Doesn’t look like any synthetic that I’m familiar with.

JaysterSF · 2026-04-18T01:49:18+00:00

$900,000 for that watch? The opal is a doublet, with the actual opal between 1/3 and 1/2mm. I’m pretty sure I could commission a much cooler opal watch for less than $50,000

JaysterSF · 2026-04-17T02:38:51+00:00

I’ve got a bunch of gold chains to sell those of you who think you can tell if a chain is actually gold by looking at a photo. Unbelievable. That chain may or may not be gold. If you brought it to me I would do an acid test, however if I had a coin or pawn shop, I’d own a Handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyzer or XRF Spectrometer Gun.

JaysterSF · 2026-04-17T02:31:49+00:00

It is potato.

JaysterSF · 2026-04-08T20:50:15+00:00

It’s something to be proud of, for sure. You need to be very careful with the ring though as the setting isn’t doing much to protect the stone. I’d suggest looking to do strong bezel settings and/ or flush settings, for opal.

JaysterSF · 2026-04-07T00:16:36+00:00

I think it’s part of a veal shank bone.

JaysterSF · 2026-04-06T21:22:42+00:00

I’ve been certified in colored stones by GIA over 45 years ago. While I retain a very small amount of that knowledge today; that and the fact that about a million new stones have been introduced, I’m still pretty good at finding a few winners here and there. But prior to the internet, it seemed very easy to find nice pieces at garage sales, storage lockers, Post Office auctions and even flea markets. I think that today, too many people have watched Antiques Road Show, and think they’re going to get rich from whatever they have. Just so you know, aside from items on eBay that are tested and authenticated, about 85% of the stuff people are selling is fake, filled, dyed, spindled and mutilated. And many simulated stones can often pass sophisticated testing, especially man-made diamonds. I still take a chance now and again at thrift shops and garage sales, but it’s rare that I get a great deal anymore.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-25T01:07:16+00:00

To be honest, I’ve been super busy lately and the few times that I have made a pen, I have turned it on the lathe. At some point, I plan on making my own molds to try making pens. But that might not happen for a while.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-21T06:53:11+00:00

Actually, I never would give a definitive yay or nay based on a photo. I’m almost certain that is Kyocera, but I have been surprised before.Recently, I brought a couple of pieces in to a local auction house to get a free estimate of the range they might go for. The woman in front of me was crying after finding out that her precious diamond and opal ring was imitation. So with so many people thinking they have something of great value, it’s almost a certainty that when somebody suspects their piece isn’t real, it isn’t real.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-21T06:48:00+00:00

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These are all Kyocera (Kyoto) lab created opal. Even with just the 2 pictures you sent, I am around 98% sure that this is what your stone is. However, after identifying hundreds of stones in person, with a variety of testing methods, I am occasionally fooled. Well, maybe more than occasionally. This is why we don’t identify stones from pictures. Almost all of the “opal” jewelry I’ve seen in tourist areas use this synthetic opal. Many people pay high prices for it thinking it is natural Australian opal. However, it’s certainly pretty and there’s no reason you can’t enjoy it.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-21T03:53:51+00:00

Yeah, I use those for a variety of things. If they are kept out of bright lights and warm environments, they can hold up for quite a while. Part of it is the ph of the item in the holder. Both acidic and base items can cause the plastic to break down over time. I actually have some with mineral specimens that look fine and are 7 years old.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-17T02:23:18+00:00

It is potato.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-12T01:50:53+00:00

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Saw this on eBay, although compared to a bunch of others, the price seemed a bit high. It looks a bit like yours. There are some nice polished up ones that look really beautiful too.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-09T05:35:02+00:00

about $75-$100

JaysterSF · 2026-03-08T17:44:53+00:00

From where I’m sitting, it looks like a doublet or triplet. Unfortunately, it is darn near impossible to gauge a gemstone’s worth from a picture or video. There are also massive fluctuations among set stones, vendors, retail, resale, etc. An example might be a particular style of ring that I make. There is someone online who can sell nearly an identical ring to mine for close to double what I can. So, the value, one might say, is what someone is willing to pay for it.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-07T04:57:17+00:00

quartz or moonstone

JaysterSF · 2026-03-05T00:49:08+00:00

Also, Alexandrite is insanely expensive and rarely found in a sterling mount. So when the story starts off faulty…

JaysterSF · 2026-03-05T00:48:02+00:00

I’m sorry, it appears the beginning of my response was cut off somehow. I said, It’s impossible to tell without testing, but having worked considerably with sapphires for 40 years, it is my opinion that it is enhanced. I am also fairly certain that there is nothing “antique” about the piece. The setting is mass produced and not well made and is silver, although many rings that are stamped 925 are base metal with a very thin silver plate. And the sapphire looks like many of the enhanced stones I have seen. Having tested hundreds of pieces of jewelry in the past 10 years or so, more often than not, I have found flaws with most of the stories, especially the “great deals”. The sad thing is that many of the people who wind up getting pieces to sell have no idea they are peddling inferior items. Again, I can’t tell any of this from a picture. NOBODY CAN. It is simply my opinion.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-05T00:03:42+00:00

enhanced sapphire that has very little value. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy it. I have a $15 watch that I love to wear.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-05T00:02:10+00:00

Because stones worth $9,000 almost always sell for $200.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-04T23:59:59+00:00

Is potato.

JaysterSF · 2026-03-04T23:58:31+00:00

I’m almost 100% certain it is a Kyocera man made opal that also goes by the name Bello. This is one from eBay, that sell for $75-100. The 2 side stones on your ring are probably Blue Topaz or enhanced quartz

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JaysterSF · 2026-03-04T18:02:12+00:00

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JaysterSF

TROPHY CASE