Can anyone recommend a reliable & reasonable source of Gem grade
Opal Rough? I am a beginner to cutting Opal, but have an excellent
teacher. He is an 83 yr old gentleman that has been out of the loop
for a while on purchasing Opal rough. We are looking for a good
source of Opal for our Lapidary class. Currently I am practicing on
some low grade Opal to get the feel of it & practice bringing out
the Fire.
There are many many opal dealers. My vote goes to Tim Thomas of
Tibara Opals in Clovis California. (http://www.opal-tibara.com)
He’s been a dealer for many many years, is well known in opal
circles, has an excellent return-if-unsatisfied policy, and is just
an all round likeable gentleman with a delightfully wry and friendly
sense of humor. Usual caveat: no commercial connection, just
occasional customer and friend.
Yes! House of Tibara opal, owned by Tim and Barb Thomas. They’re
Americans who co-own a mine with an Aussie and spend a good deal of
their time in Australia. He sells at Tucson and I’ve taken classes
with him and bought his rough. He’s a straight shooter and has a wide
range of cutting grades, from “blind man’s” white opal to the
stunning black from Lightening Ridge. www.opal-tibara.com,
(559)299-5123.