Member News

 TUCSON ADVERTISEMENT

This is a rough layout for the double page add in the Tucson show guide-we still have a week to make adjustments,

Please check that your booth details are correct.

If you have a USA phone number please send to us.

The following sellers will  also be added to the advertisement and contacted directly

ABSOLUTE OPALS

BLACK OPAL DIRECT

YOWAH OPALS

Some suggestions have been

-Have the heading as the TUCSON OPAL TRAIL

-Under heading QUALITY OPALS FROM MEMBERS OF THE OPAL ASSOCIATION.

-Parking details for globex show

-More colour in add and pics of opals

-Opal association web site on bottom of add

Kind Regards 

Paul Sedawie

President of the Opal Association 

http://www.opal.asn.au/opal/

CRACKED OPAL

Recently we had a member contact us in regards to the associations view on cracky opal. He had purchased an Opal from a miner /dealer in QLD but it had cracks appear very soon after purchase.

The buyer and seller couldn’t agree on a settlement so it ended up in the small claims court in Queensland. We were approached at short notice to give our views and after discussing it with other members we forwarded the attached letter. The judge said it was out of his jurisdiction and no verdict was announced but i believe the case will be appealed .

We may like to consider discussing our views to be included in our code of ethics and what is expected from members if this problem arises.

It has been discussed that a few years ago some Korean buyers we buying cracked stones for around 20% of cost price and i imagine they were treating them.

Last year i mentioned that there is some work being done by a Russian researcher who said he had grown silica in cracked opal. I had lost contact with him but we are communicating now. i hope to send some stones to him and if it is successful we will notify all members of the result.

Kind Regards 

Paul Sedawie

President of the Opal Association 

Letter:

Re: Natural cracks occurring in Opals

In the Australian opal industry it is expected for a seller to rectify any problems with polished opals that manifest themselves within a short space of time after a transaction.This could be a full refund or replacing with a similar stone or with alternative stone(s) of a similar value that is accepted by the purchaser. When selling to retail stores it is normal to offer a 12 months guarantee against cracking stones. The purchaser however, is liable if they drop the stone  or heat the stone in the jewellery making process or display in strong lights which heat the stone, all of which are incorrect handling/storing practices. These however are evident from the stone itself.

We would be happy to examine goods and offer a professional opinion(s) or further advice.

TUCSON OPAL TRAIL

ADVERTISING DEAD LINE APPROACHING FOR TUCSON SHOW GUIDE.

For those interested can you please forward to us where your shows are held at your booth number and your main opal  product.

[email protected]

I doubt if there will be enough space for individual photos so the intention is to have a 2 page add with a circular map of Tucson and the centre to have a large photo with impact of a black ,boulder and white opal with opal rough as the base.

Any comments about parking ect you can also add.

If you also plan to have  another add please let us know as we may be able to get closer to the front of the magazine

Kind Regards

Paul Sedawie

President of the Opal Association

http://www.opal.asn.au/opal/