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Yowah, Australia holds an annual opal festival in July. This year saw the initiation of a jewelry design competition using the Yowah Nut Opal and Opalized Wood as the centerstone. The first prize winners in each of the three categories; (A) $500, (B)
$1,000, and (C) $5,000 (retail value of the completed piece entered) were won by: (A) Alice Lyle, (B) John Iskenderian, and (C) John Iskenderian. There were two highly commended entries by Nezaket Schultz and John Iskenderian.
Such excitement was generated in the Australian opal industry that the competition is being expanded to include both an International Division and an Australian Division for 1998.
Everything is happening so quickly, with offers of bigger prizes & possible free plane tickets for contest winners being considered as prizes for next year. All has not been organized and confirmed as yet but the International Division is a "go". Anyone
in the jewelry trade who is interested in participating may call or fax me at Outback Gems (602) 846-0407.
Being in on the ground floor of this exciting competition is invigorating. There are so many talented designers & goldsmiths out there and Yowah Nut Opal is such a designer's delight to work with. Mr. Iskenderian had a lot to be proud of. A previous
winner in a De Beers diamond competition, John was immediately up from Sydney to Yowah to video the mines for his personal promotion on Yowah Opal jewelry .
Other Opal Mining News:
Queensland:
Aboriginal Land Title- These Aboriginal claims are still awaiting tribunals & court dates, etc.. Queensland has reestablished prospecting permits so new mining claims & leases can be pegged, but not worked until all has been settled.
New South Wales:
Aboriginal Land Title- Mining claims in New South Wales can be both pegged AND worked. Current claim holders had paperwork to file so as to be included and represented in any forthcoming negotiations.
Lightning Ridge:
The annual Lightning Ridge Opal Expo featured a "special" showcase room where $5 purchased you entry into opal heaven. Accustomed as I am to seeing top Black Opal, I casually peered into one of the special displays. I kid you not, my neck whipped
backward with the impact of what I saw and my breath sucked in sharply. That's when my eyes began to get all teary, my mouth began to salivate, and a warm flush of heat radiated about the middle of my forehead. There is nothing in the world quite like
top gem Lightning Ridge Black Opal. Did I mention my knees went weak? The Aussie
summer is on its way and many miners are heading to cooler climes. The streets of the Ridge are quieter, with fewer buyers about, fewer miners at work, and the sun keeps blazing down.
After four months mining in the dust and flies of the Australian opal fields, it is good to be back in the good old USA autumn. See you in November at The American Opal Society Show. I have new slides and new info on Yowah Opal to share with you during
my scheduled seminar.
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Copyright, 1997 by Barbara McCondra
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Barbara McCondra is a popular lecturer who travels widely on speaking tours. Her son Ron Vil, who mined with her for many years, is the owner of Outback Gems, specializing in Australian Opal including, Lightning Ridge and Yowah Nut Boulder opal. They
were featured in the June 1995 issue of Lapidary Journal. You can contact Barbara through
Outback Gems, voice and/or Fax 602-846-0407 or email at RedonBlack@AOL.com.
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