GRADING REPORT SOP1101
- Identification: Natural unheated & untreated Opal
- Carat: 11.01
- Shape: One sided flat pear cabochon
- Measures: 23.61x16.44x3.81 (millimeter)
- Body Color: Schoko/Caramel
- Tone: Medium Dark 80
- Play of Color: Very Good - local
- Pattern: n.a.
- Colors: Red, Green, Yellow, Orange
- Clarity: Translucent
- Cutting Grade: Very Good+
> Finish: Very Good
> Depth: 23%
- Origin: Yowah, Australia
- Treatment: None
Certificate No: To-be-delivered / On request / Not included in price
Overall Grade: Very Good
Comment: Must-be-a-pendant boulder opal from Australia. Underlining color strands in red, orange, green and yellow and inner golden (!) glitter. Translucent flat pear shape only 3mm deep but almost 25mm long, hence very visible yet in its dark colors even with color play and inner glitter not pushy. Fully natural, not filled, coated, smoked or what not. In gems, other than in politics, this is an outstanding feature not only a verbal pre-vote promise. Check under 'more images': One image with the gem resting on the torch and one resting against a Buddha-case from Thailand. The latter is not for sale*. In the handshot, one gets to study the most neutral representation. As always, our gems buy WLT rainforest and NrHP donation, come with free shipping and this opal had a lab report but it got lost or mislaid; to be replaced or found (see below).
* It is a historic tradition of monasteries to produce these clay Buddhas in memory of their founders or other holy monks, past and present. These amulets are collector items demanding an equally deep study as opals do (that means lifelong), with the most valuable ones protected in such cases, lesser ones come as open clay tablets, the size of small matchboxes, they are worn as good luck charm and sign of devotion to Buddhism (even if the current situation in Burma shames all peace-loving Buddhists around the world). Ask us for more info or sourcing.
P.S. The unusual circumstances of this year, personal and in general, have so far hindered us from getting lab reports done, although I dare hope this will change by late May when I will visit Antwerp in person. The price here quoted is EXCLUDING our usual certificate. If you like to have a lab report for this garnet we need to add between $100 for an IGI report or up to $1,500 premium for a full AIG report. But it, too, would need a good deal extra time (currently over 12 weeks, sigh). That prices in this P.S. section differ is no lazy mistake but reflects the different pricing policies of the gem labs we use. Some calculate via weight, e.g. a 7 carat garnet is more expensive to test than a one carat, others labs go via pieces, when a small sapphire costs as much as a 10 carat gem.
Discuss design options (with a hunted matched pair totally impropable)
