Anthony Smallwood, was teaching at the Gemmological Association NSW branch when the question was raised ‘Who will replace the current Gem2 lecturer upon his retirement?’. Initially putting his hand up to know more about the position, Tony was inadvertently suggested as the new lecturer.
Read MoreJohn would probably be one of the founding instigators of opal education and has been lecturing with me every time we have taught the Gemmological Association of Australia’s Advanced Opal course.
John is a long time opal cutter and this is what his part of lecturing mostly involves. He learnt opal cutting on the fields of Lightning Ridge and in particular Glengarry where he lived on the fields for many years. What John does not know about cutting Lightning Ridge black opal does not need to be discussed.
Read MoreI met Frank and Viv at the launch of the Opal Stamps held in the Australian museum. It was to more than just a casual meeting, as Frank encouraged me more to visit Lightning Ridge. Both of them have been involved with the OAS for many years, and over numerous hours of discussion, about opal and have also provided many specimens for teaching opal.
Read MoreA young Rudy pictured when we met and worked together at Diamond Grading Laboratories. When DGL morphed into Gem Studies Laboratory, Rudy also concentrated on photography of everything opal. His collection of the Opal Photographic Library is outstanding and has been awarded a small business award. Rudy has supported Opal Academy with his photographs and many discussions about outback opal fields.
Read MoreAnother member of the OAS, Dusan has provided much information and discussion about the valuation and mining of opal in Lightning Ridge. Dusan has shown and allowed photographs of some outstanding opal specimens.
Read MoreSue has provided Opal Academy with numerous photographs as well as many discussions over time regarding opal patterns and opal valuation and descriptions. The frontispiece photo in the home page of Opal Academy are the “Cathedral Doors” an amazing ‘split pair’ of boulder opal. As well as other photos of exquisite opal.
Read MoreI was introduced to Joe during the time of writing the Opal Nomenclature. Joe is a past President of the Lightning Ridge Miners Association and the convener of the Lightning Ridge Opal Advisory Service. Joe’s assistance to Opal Academy has been many years of discussion and advice on types, values descriptions of Lightning Ridge Opal. Also discussions on opal mining and a miners view of formation with many discussions underground in the opal fields.
Read MorePeter may well be the person who started this whole website happening. Peters desire to have his family history in the opal industry preserved on the web has goaded, insisted, and otherwise pushed me to work digitally on opal education. His friendship and his father Greg Sherman’s assistance or persistence in all things opal has been invaluable to this project.
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