min azama in tokyo - do you work at all with opals? why would anyone
get suspicious of an opal set in a bezel? perhaps your customers are
more wary-without-cause than are mine. it doesn’t sound like a
japanese national trait since i’ve had marvelous japanese customers
walk up & point out what they wanted, hand over a credit card & when
i started to explain about the piece, the standard response has been
"i like it. i want it."
gemstones should be set in the safest, most advantageous setting
depending on the stone’s appearance, properties & piece design.
perhaps you have heard the stories about opals being ‘bad luck’ to
wear if not your birthstone or that certain people can’t wear them
for various reasons - because the opals crack or break apart. those
were prong (pressure) set opals - opals have water content roughly
between 4% & 24% (people, i am not making an atomic bomb here & do
not need to hear from those of you who need to show off their
just-looked-up facts instead of their jewelry designs). when the
stones become dehydrated over time, something will give - cracks &
breaks occur.
if a customer were to express doubt over a bezel-set opal - which has
never happened - i would explain the reasons & if, after they had my
card with my name, phone number, etc., they continued to be doubtful,
i wouldn’t sell to them - why? because life is short & a reasonable
person makes a better customer.
ive