Rare Australian Opal Shell Gastropod Fossil Collectors Specimen 23ct H58
This opalised fossil was mined many years ago by us on the Southern Cross Opal field of Coober Pedy Australia.
The ancient Cretaceous Gastropod was a voracious predator in the vast shallow inland Eromanga sea in what is the central Australian outback Today. We have found countless bivalve shells that show evidence of being attacked with the precision drill of the Gastropod and presumably feasted upon thereafter.
These are relatively rare on the Coober Pedy opal fields occurring at roughly several thousand bivalves to one Gastropod snail.
After 30 years in the opal business, we firmly believe opal can be the most beautiful gem on Earth, and we love the colourful characters and lifestyle of the outback opal fields. Here at World Class Opal we are privileged to do our best to acquaint the world with the colour, light and beauty that quality Australian opal has to offer.
Video of us mining shells in Coober Pedy : https://youtu.be/7pLfaeHak_w
Item Specifics:
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/31vOBYsTcoY
WEIGHT: 23 carats, weighed dry.
DIMENSIONS: Approx: 20 mm by 23 mm by 18 mm.
The best colour has been polished on this piece leaving as much fossil definition as possible.
This piece could possibly yield a few carats of lovely opal but is probably best left as a specimen.
We do not sell opal simulants of ANY sort. All of our opal is 100% guaranteed natural Australian opal.
The color variations in some photos are due to different light angles and distances. All of our auctions are photographed with macro settings under a halogen lamp. In some photo's the opal is immersed in water.
Please check the dimensions carefully as the opal will not be as big in your hand as it looks on your monitor! Please check the description carefully before bidding and view your purchased rough opal wet in sunlight or in a dark room with a direct light source ie: desk lamp, down light etc. (As photographed and practiced throughout the opal industry).
The ancient Cretaceous Gastropod was a voracious predator in the vast shallow inland Eromanga sea in what is the central Australian outback Today. We have found countless bivalve shells that show evidence of being attacked with the precision drill of the Gastropod and presumably feasted upon thereafter.
These are relatively rare on the Coober Pedy opal fields occurring at roughly several thousand bivalves to one Gastropod snail.
After 30 years in the opal business, we firmly believe opal can be the most beautiful gem on Earth, and we love the colourful characters and lifestyle of the outback opal fields. Here at World Class Opal we are privileged to do our best to acquaint the world with the colour, light and beauty that quality Australian opal has to offer.
Video of us mining shells in Coober Pedy : https://youtu.be/7pLfaeHak_w
Item Specifics:
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/31vOBYsTcoY
WEIGHT: 23 carats, weighed dry.
DIMENSIONS: Approx: 20 mm by 23 mm by 18 mm.
The best colour has been polished on this piece leaving as much fossil definition as possible.
This piece could possibly yield a few carats of lovely opal but is probably best left as a specimen.
We do not sell opal simulants of ANY sort. All of our opal is 100% guaranteed natural Australian opal.
The color variations in some photos are due to different light angles and distances. All of our auctions are photographed with macro settings under a halogen lamp. In some photo's the opal is immersed in water.
Please check the dimensions carefully as the opal will not be as big in your hand as it looks on your monitor! Please check the description carefully before bidding and view your purchased rough opal wet in sunlight or in a dark room with a direct light source ie: desk lamp, down light etc. (As photographed and practiced throughout the opal industry).