The Real Gemology of Ethiopian Opals in ‘Uncut Gems’

Page 1

The Real Gemology of Ethiopian Opals in ‘Uncut Gems’

The otherworldly nature of opals is the focal representation of the 2019 film "Whole Pearls," featuring Adam Sandler. A monster piece of Ethiopian opal, still in its grid, is carried to New York. "They say you can see the entire universe in opal, that is the means by which … old they are," Sandler's personality, Howard Ratner, a goldsmith and jewel seller on 47th Road in New York City, tells b-ball star Keven Garnett when he shows the opal to him. Garnett is enamored so much that he can't play well without claiming it. Sandler's personality is captivated with the opal's possibly immense deal cost. He appraises that the piece weighs between 4,000 to 5,000 carats and, at up to his assessed worth of $3,000 per carat, he sees millions coming his direction. However, the sale house he relegates it to values the piece at considerably less - - $150,000 to $225,000. Why? With opals, similarly as with most gemstones, the last cleaned stones weigh just a small part of their unpleasant structure. The example displayed in the film seems to have a few opal knobs (however presumably not dark opal) inside the framework of host rock, yet that host rock seems to represent most of its volume. This implies that it would be


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
The Real Gemology of Ethiopian Opals in ‘Uncut Gems’ by The Gems Heaven - Issuu