Before 1900, rough opal was sent from White Cliffs, premier NSW opal field, to Germany to be cut and polished.

Gradually, professional cutters began appearing on the fields.

They rigged up old treadle sewing machines or bicycles, designing innovative cutting/polishing gear.

In 1907 at Old Town, on the Wallangulla Opal Fields (later known as the Lightning Ridge Opal Fields), the first recorded cutter was Charles Deane.

When the 3-Mile broke out in 1908, cutters worked at Nettleton on 3-Mile Flat.

Lorenz had learned to cut in Germany.

He used horizontal wheels with a hand crank and was an expert.

He made doublets, jewellery, and was one of the first to buy opal by the carat.

Godfrey McMillan had a good reputation and taught young Artie Bruce to cut opal.

Harold Frazer, Goodooga, WWI returned soldier (Australia's Aboriginal contingent), was an excellent cutter in the New Town, 1920s.

Cutter, George Cowan, was also wellknown as a good judge of opal, second to Pappa Francis. Snowy Brown cut "Light of the World", found at the Grawin in 1928. Of course, many miners cut their own opal, and often very roughly.