Who Is Exquisite Opals Australia
Founded by Neville and Christine Moane. The journey began many years ago when Neville worked as a wool classer in the shearing sheds throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania. He became wedded to the Australian outback with its beauty and harshness, the grit of its people and the toughness in enduring everything that nature brings.
Through those travels all those years ago he was introduced to Australia' National gem.... Opal.
Neville ended up settling in Tasmania, but his mind never left the outback. He treasured the small collection of rough opal that he carted around for 40+ years while he raised a large family and ran a successful business. Now in his senior years, his love of the outback and opals has become a shared passion with his wife Christine.
The Commercial Side
While some of the opals we offer for sale are purchased from miners in a prepared state, the greatest majority is in the rough. We source the stone. cut, shape and polish it in our home workshop. Our workshop contains a full commercial operation with 11 processing wheels, 2 tumblers for cleaning raw stone, and a selection of cutting wheels and saws.
Neville's speciality in this process is cutting and shaping, while Christine focuses on shaping and polishing bringing to life these most beautiful of gems. Of course, either of us can do the process from start to finish if we choose to.
Neville and Christine Moane at Sheepyards, a part of the Grawin/Glengarry/Lightning Ridge fields NSW.
Opals and the Outback
So, its off to the outback each year visiting mining communities, enjoying the miner's lifestyle while buying boulder opal and opals from many different areas.
It is a long way from our island home of Tasmania which lies off the southern coast of the Australian mainland.
A Curated Collection
Boulder opals and opals come from different areas in outback Australia and each area is distinctive in its type and style.
While we sell mostly polished opals, we also offer opals cut so the opal is revealed but still in the rough, and also some rubbed ready for polishing. We want others to enjoy the experience of seeing these gems come to life.
Our Commitment
Australian opals, and boulder opals, come from various regions. They differ quite dramatrically, one region to another.
At Exquisite Opals we travel thousands of kilometres to source boulder opal and opal from these different areas which means our purchasers are not restricted to just one area or one type of opal.
Within our collection we detail exactly from where the opal has come which gives every purchaser the opportunity to know the story behind every opal.
We are careful that the photographs are a fair representation of the gemstone. No enhancers are used.
Join Us On Our Opal Adventure
Whether you are a collector, a jeweller, a lapidary enthusiast, a first time buyer, or an investor we want to hear from you and what you might be looking for. We have a vast array of gems that are not on our site. If we don't currently have it, we might be able to source it on our next trip.
We know our success depends on repeat business, offering a competitive price and being (as Australian's say) "fair dinkum" in the way we deal.
Yours in Opal
Neville and Christine