So what’s the deal with flint knapping opal? I get asked that quite a bit. Knapping opal is a way of turning rough opal into fine opal jewelry and it’s totally different from the methods used in the opal jewelry industry. Conventional opal necklaces or earrings begin with an opal cutter, cutting and grinding a piece of rough opal into a certain shape. It may be for earrings, a pendant, etc, . Most pieces of opal jewelry are referred to as doublets or triplets. What? Put simply, the opal is sawed into very thin slices. Then a thicker layer of clear quartz is glued on top of the opal wafer containing the color or “fire”. Now it’s ground into a domed shape, highly polished into a glassy finish and glued in a setting, thus producing the doublet. A triplet is the same, but with a dark layer beneath the opal wafer, as well. Much of the opal jewelry seen in jewelry stores consists of doublets and triplets. It’s gorgeous but it’s not solid opal. But solid opal jewelry is just that. It’s a solid, ground and polished opal. These necklaces, earrings or rings are considerably more expensive for obvious reasons.
How does knapped opal jewelry differ? For one thing all knapped opal jewelry is solid opal. The most striking difference, however, is the fact that knapped opal jewelry is not ground or polished. It is produced with a controlled, precise fracturing process. The surface of the finished piece is totally natural. It exhibits the opal’s natural glassy, shimmering texture. The tiny fractures give a fine, facteted appearance which catch light and add to the natural beauty of this totally unique opal jewelry.
Is knapped opal jewelry a common commodity? Nope! Why not? Because it takes many years (and many mistakes – OUCH!) to learn the skill necessary to knap precious opal into fine jewelry. It is a little crazy to invest the time (and money) just to learn how to make opal earrings and necklaces using this uniquely natural method? Probably, but I can’t help it!