Thursday, October 31, 2013

OPAL MINING ...




Mining Boulder Opal in Queensland, Australia - 
is not an easy job. It's hot out there, it's a remote area,
can be a lonely place ... and most of all it costs you 
"fortune" to become an OPAL MINER ...
yet not many people understands it.







 
I drove up to a place called "WINTON" from Gold Coast, approximately 1,600km far North from where I live last week.
It was a long drive in max heat but was worth visiting ...
 
 
On my way up, all I could see was lots of
"road works" and "heaps of dead kangaroos" !!!
That was all I could remember anyway  (^^;)




 
 
 
 
Two days later, I finally arrived & met a
BIG BOULDER OPAL MINER in WINTON (Happy Valley)
called Vlado with his lovely wife June,
also Vlado's son (handsome ) Paul.
 
 
What Vlado & Paul do all day is just moving
an excavigator to remove sand rocks,
dig, dig and more digging, non stop !!!!
They spend so much money on fuels just to
keep moving this monster machine.
 
And only rarely ... very rarely indeed, you'll be able to
see a piece of  "rainbow" like an image here,
if you're lucky. Unfortunately not many miners are
as lucky as Vlado though ... sad ...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The buyers often ask me "why is Australian Opal so expensive"
or "why can't you supply more high quality black opal 
& boulder opal from Australia regularly" ...
 
And my answers to this is "because it costs a lot to
set up even before start mining opals,
too much costs & too much efforts to find too little opals
and quality Australian black opal & boulder opal
is extremely rare, much more rare & precious
than many other gemstones" !!!!!
 
 
I think you've got to be crazy or unique to stay
in OPAL BUSINESS,
but once you get involved ...
It's in your blood for the rest of your life.
 
Fortunate or ufortunate ??!!?
 
 
 
 
 
 
It was really a pleasure to get to know Vlado,
beautiful June & Paul at their camp.
They are such hard working miners,
lovely personels, have experiences & histories
in opal industry. Without passionate people like them,
the world won't be able to see or touch an amazing
"Australian Boulder Opal" from Queensland, Australia.
 
 
 
 
 
 




Oh, not to forget to mention that June is a wonderful COOK too!! She made us home grown salads, vegie pies,
pasta salads and yummy
BARRAMUNDI FRITTER   (^^) !!
 
A hard work can not end without a great meal, right?!?
I guess Vlado loves June so much because she's beautiful inside out, she's patient, she's smart and
above all, she's a great cook.
 
Thanks for their hospitality!!!
 
 
 
xxxx    Malayvone
 

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

OPAL FEVER ...



 
 
My long time friend ... (more like older brother?!?) Steve ♪♪
 
Without a legend like him, Australian Boulder Opal from Queensland wouldn't be as popular as today!!
 
 
 
Check out our latest Australian
Black Opal & Boulder Opal collection from our
online shopping site and learn more about
Australian Boulder Opal! 
 






 
Being a "diamond cutter" before heavily getting
involved in OPAL INDUSTRY, he can also create a
beautiful jewellery like this "INLAY OPAL RING" ...
 
 
100% Hand Crafted Item !! 
 
So pretty, I found a BIG HEART rightaway (^^)
Can you see a heart shaped pattern, in the red color?
 





 
 
And look how much hard work & how much time
one'll have to put into ... before you see a beautiful collection
of Good, Australian Opal or Opal Jewelry.
 
No wonder why the value of Australian Opal is so
'TOP OF THE WORLD'
because only professional people like Steve (and Me ??!!??)
can use their high skills to bring it into life!! 









Big or small, Rough or clean, Tough or soft, I
nteresting or boring ... However condition the opal rock is,
it sure has some sort of beauty & uniqueness in each every piece ... and our mission is to examine & turn it into something
PRECIOUS & MEMORABLE !!!  







Australian Opal is considered the
BEST IN THE WORLD.
 
We love this unique GEM so much,
just can not have enough of it ... And still deeply involved in
OPAL BUSINESS after over 20 years !!!






Love our profession & our friendship ♪
 
 
Of course lunch at AUSSIE WORLD -
near Sunshine Coast, was another great one!!
 
 
xxxx    Malayvone