Hello, and welcome to my website! I am Adam Sawicki. My goal at A & S Opals. is to share my knowledge and passion for one of the world’s most beautiful and mysterious gemstones.

 

My interest in opals began in the early ‘90s when, as a child. I happened to catch a special on the PBS station about a quirky little town on the other side of the world called Coober Pedy. Located in the middle of Australia, most of the residents of this strange place lived underground and mined a rare and precious gemstone known as opal. I was fascinated by the dedication and perseverance of the miners, who worked for weeks, maybe years, with little to no pay in the hope of striking it rich with a pocket of opal and transforming their fortunes in a heartbeat.  What captivated me more than the Coober Pedy locals and their unique living situation, was the gemstone itself. My interest in the opal was based on its unique appeal; instead of a single color (or no color at all) and relying on facets to create beauty, the opal could be polished into smooth, sleek, free form shapes and cabochons containing not one, but all of the colors in the spectrum. It was at this young age that I decided I would someday visit the opal fields of Coober Pedy.

 

Over the years, my interest in opal was constantly rekindled by other television programs that highlighted not only the Australian opal fields, but some of the domestic mines in Idaho and Nevada as well. As I grew older, my newer interest in prospecting evolved from fossils into gold and other gemstones, but opal was always in the back of my mind.

 

When I was finally able to visit Australia, I noticed it would only be a two-day drive to get to the opal capital of the world; an easy decision for me to make. After countless hours spent researching where to visit in Australia, I focused on the Golden Triangle of Victoria and the various opal fields Australia has to offer. It was during my time there that the opal bug bit once again. During my stay, I visited opal shops, spoke with opal cutters, and learned as much as possible about the opal industry in the throes of my revitalized interest in the gemstone. Being immersed in the opal culture gave me hands-on experience and knowledge that could not have been gained elsewhere.

 

After visiting many vineyards and a few successful gold nugget hunts, I turned my attention towards my new interest in opals.I started my adventure to the north of Australia, headed, at last, for Coober Pedy. My visit there both fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine and solidified my enthusiasm for opals. The time spent in that unique outback landscape, talking with and learning from local shop owners, miners, and experts fed my addiction and I am now true opal-holic! The contagious passion of the Coober Pedy locals is what first sparked my earliest thoughts of entering the opal industry myself.

 

As moving to an opal mining town was not an option, I evaluated the alternatives and knew a web-based business would best fit my lifestyle. I then began to hone my opal-based lapidary skills. After several years of devoted research, miner networking, studying, honing my skills, learning techniques and acquiring equipment, I am now ready to share my passion for opals with the world!

 

I hope you enjoyed learning more about me, where I came from, and why I am doing what I do. I sincerely hope to guide you in your opal buying decision and look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience so you can be confident in your purchase of one of Mother Nature’s true wonders.