Kevin and JoAnne Dowdy Boulder Opals

      

Kevin and JoAnne Dowdy have been working with Boulder Opal since 1983. Their adventure started when they met an opal miner in the tiny Outback town of Quilpie, Queensland. After seeing the beautiful gems the miner displayed, Kevin and JoAnne both caught what is commonly referred to as "Opal Fever." It wasn't long before they set up shop as opal cutters. In order to supplement their supply of rough opal, mining soon followed. Now living in Tucson, AZ, they have expanded their business to include Boulder Opal jewelry. JoAnne's first jewelry class was back in college. What started as a hobby has grown into a thriving business, making one of a kind 18kt Boulder Opal jewelry.

Boulder Opal, found only in Queensland, Australia, formed millions of years ago, when liquid silica filled voids or crevices in ironstone boulders. When cutting this type of opal, the natural rock is removed from one side of the opal, exposing the face of the stone.

The natural stone is left on the back of the opal to give the opal its strength and boulder colors. Boulder Opal is a unique gem, found in every color of the rainbow. It is the most durable of all opals. This jewelry requires no special care, can be worn for all occasions, and may be passed on from generation to generation.

Comments

[Geoff]

Hi Guys,
Great website! My personal favorite opal from all the different types of Opal (i.e. White Opal, Black Opal, Crystal Opal, Matrix Opal, Fairy Opal, Opal replacement) is the boulder opal which mainly comes from the Quilpie region of Queensland because it is so varied and there is so many amazing patterns and vivid colours.

I am also building up a page of useful and interesting information about "boulder opal". Here is the link…

http://www.quality-semi-precious-jewelry.com/Boulder-Opal.html

All the best
Geoff
www.jgjewellers.com.au

[Heather Trimble]

Hello, I met you years ago at a jewelry show and purchased jewelry from you several times. I own a jewelry shop in Cambria,CA. I have a client who has a beautiful pair of boulder opal earrings that she ruined by dropping them on a tile floor and would like to replace the opals.
Can you help me with this project? By selling me some boulder opal so that I may repair them?