Rare Gem
September 21, 2006 - By Anastasia Hackett
Some of the state's premier artists and performers are in the clutches of opal fever. Anastasia Hackett previews the celebrations as the Sunshine Coast's own opal retailer comes of age.
The gold rush may have had its day and diamonds are struggling to keep their forever status but so far the attraction of the iconic Australian opal has remained largely untouched. That all may be about to change, however, with Opals Down Under set to celebrate its 21 st birthday this weekend, particularly given the high calibre of the party's participants.
Renowned artists David Hart, Johanna DeMaine, Randy DeGraw and Lucas Salton will be exhibiting opal-inspired artworks on the day in preparation for a major charity auction while Craig Medson and Robert Gammage will be creating onsite with live sandstone sculpting and mural painting conducted, backdropped by the musical musings of the nation's best-known didgeridoo performer, Adrian Ross.
"Opals are a great source of inspiration because the play of colour and the rainbow effect is unlike any other stone," explains Adrian Stein from Opals Down Under. Yet, despite the opal's unique properties, he admits they haven't really received due recognition to date.
"Overseas tourists love opals. When they visit Australia they want to take home something that is uniquely Australian and opals are really only found in Australia - most of the world's opals come from here," Adrian says. "But Australians sort of take it for granted. Someone's aunty always has a cheap, tacky opal triplet somewhere and they imagine it as a cheap, tasteless sort of thing but they don't realise its quality and beauty. It can be really classy and elegant. A good quality black opal can be much more valuable than a diamond per carat."
Adrian's father, Immo, who established Opals Down Under all those years ago was never under any illusions as to the rare appeal of the opal. "My dad was a migrant from Austria in the early '60s. He fell into opal mining because it was something anyone can do and it was seen as a way to make your fortune. He got opal fever I guess," he says.
And since Immo opened the Coast gemstone and jewellery outlet the Stein family has discovered the condition is well and truly catching, with Opals Down Under, a true local success story, now home to one of the largest displays in Australia.
Source: The Weekender magazine