Dear Opalstop Members,

Welcome to the monthly newsletter for October.

This Month:

* Mining Update

* Website news.

The beginning of October is upon us and in Australia and especially in the outback this means the weather is starting to warm up considerably. At 9.00am this morning in Lightning Ridge the temperature was 25 degrees C with no breeze. That's about 77.F if you prefer. Not a bad start to a spring day. We won't see the temperature dip below that mark again until about next May - in the daylight that is.

During September we continued operations at our 3 mile mines but the finds were very small and unfortunately not much reward for our efforts. Now that the weather is heating up it won't be long before things are being wound down for the summer, so it is pointless for us to move a lot of equipment and concentrate our efforts elsewhere now. We will stick it out here for another couple of months and if the pickings are still slim then a fresh field will be highlighted for mining operations commencing in the new year.

Unfortunately at present this is an all too familiar story in Lightning Ridge. The lack of finds here I feel is having some impact on the wider opal industry in Australia. Particularly the boulder opal industry. One of our associates who has a large boulder opal mining interest near Winton in central Queensland was telling me the price of rough boulder opal in his area has gone through the roof. His large earthmoving bull dozer had broken down and was being repaired. Whilst he was waiting around he thought he would buy some rough from a fellow miner and as he is also a cutter he would fill in some time cutting and polishing some rough. He was astonished to find that the miner selling the parcel of rough wanted 5 times what he was used to paying for extra rough. The parcel he was considering used to sell for about $AUS10,000 but this miner was asking $AUS50,000. Now we all know that a miner is open to a bit of negotiation but my friend thought negotiation was pointless due to the incredibly high starting price. I have asked my friend to keep me informed if the parcel sold, and for what price.

* Website News.

This month we have some great specials on some beautiful solid opal jewellery pieces. The Opals are exquisite and either come from boulder country or are from our mines direct in Lightning Ridge. Click on this link to go straight to the specials page and save 20% on these items for October only. http://www.opalstop.com/Cartv3/Default.asp

Also please check out our beautiful range of solid boulder opals set in Sterling Silver pendants, located under the pendant category or simply click on view all items.

* Interesting Read.

Opal gifts fit for a future king
Thursday, 28 September 2006

LRMA NOTES: Waiting, waiting, waiting for HRH Crown Princess Mary and HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark to bring their future king to Australia is not in the nature of the Jewellers Association of Australia (JAA).

Having organized exquisite gifts – a boulder opal pendant encased in gold for HRH Crown Princess Mary and a set of custom made opal cuff-links set in gold for HRH Crown Prince Frederik, the JAA could wait no longer! If the future king's mum and dad don't have plans to visit Australia then what to do? Yes, take the gifts to Denmark and present them in their Royal Highnesses' own courtyard.

The presentation took place recently at the Chancellery House in the grounds of Fredensborg Palace by Graham Peterson, representing the JAA Opal & Gemstone Council.

The magnificent gifts crafted by John Iskenderian of Sydney are said to have a retail value of around A$60,000 and epitomise the ultimate beauty of Australia's national gemstone.

The 'Sunrise' for HRH Princess of Denmark is a magnificent boulder opal pendant, aptly named by John Iskenderian due to the brilliant red-orange hues that rise from the bottom of the opal to the top right-hand corner of the stone, reminiscent of the sun rising over the desert in the Australian outback.

The 18kt white gold and diamond boulder opal cufflinks were named the 'Flags' and represent the red of the Danish flag and the blue of the Australian flag; these were presented to HRH the Princess as HRH the Prince of Denmark was unable to attend.

Of particular note and sign of good fortune is little Prince Christian was born in October, and his birthstone therefore is opal!

Article courtesy of "The Ridge News"

 

Many thanks again for reading and a warm welcome to all our new members. Lastly, a very Happy Birthday to all those who were born in October, your birthstone of course being Opal - Australia's national gemstone.

 

Regards

Darryl and the team at Opalstop.

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