Opal has throughout history been the most mythologised of stones.
Hypnotic in intensity , it is the one gemstone that uniquely engages and stimulates the imagination, telling its own mesmerising story.
In recent times, it has become increasingly rare and consequently more valuable, as a convergence of critical events take their toll on not only global markets, but the mining process itself.
Unlike most gemstones, there is no formulaic method to extracting this precious commodity from the earth, no assurance of success once it is found and no guarantee of critical acclaim once it has been processed to its finest conclusion.
Recent changes in the Australian mining industry have brought this already tremulous industry, to a virtual standstill.
New regulations and safety standards have imposed greater strictures in what has been the last bastion of deregulation, in a world encumbered by conformity and rules.
The founder of Opalus (Pty) Ltd, Mario Ikasovic, has long been beguiled by the enigma of opal.
He finds its ability to be moulded into either asymmetrical or abstract forms, to reflect a melange of colours, or capture the historical and geographical essence of a land, in one tiny, light reflective sphere, innately compelling.
His fascination with opal runs as deep as his appreciation of the miner, whose unique courage and inherent love of adventure, compels them to seek what lies hidden deep below the surface.
The dry, arid plains of these exotic, far-flung places where opal is found, begs to be explored; but it is soon clear, those who live on the opal fields, tend to possess pioneering constitutions and mentalities that defy convention.
Mario has lived on the opal fields and been enamoured by opal for 27 years; he has run the gamut of emotions that oscillate between extreme hope and despair, with each unfolding possibility.
With the hands of an artist gifted with intricacy, he has always drawn opal to its most captivating and sophisticated conclusion, honed its organic shape and retaining its essence, despite the markets inherent proclivity for traditional shapes.
He has extended those skills to an eclectic body for designers and collectors around the world, encouraging the use of opal in diverse collections of intricate and precious decorative objects.
Like his peers, a small body of pioneering and enterprising others in this tiny industry, it is their indefatigable passion for opal that infuses others with an appreciation and desire, for this distinct gemstone.
Unlike diamonds or other more traditional gemstones, opal does not resonate with the certainty of its attraction or value.
Its worth, outside of the depth of its colour and the play of light (preferably red) on its surface, is essentially determined by the eye of the discerning beholder.
It possesses an elusive aesthetic that attracts those who are unfazed by fashion or traditionalism and are fiercely individualistic.
Throughout history, opal has had a magnifying glass held to its fragility, but like most rare and exceptional things in life, its refined beauty and light refractive protection, must be treated with care and considered precious.
Few emotions can compare to the elation felt by a miner, who happens upon even the merest trace of opal, let alone a bright, elusive patch after an exhaustive search.
As the world rests its collective eyes on the critical issues of our times, the opal industry faces its own critical struggle for survival.
While Mario Ikasovic has been both daunted and enticed by the challenge of changing the perceptions other have held about this captivating stone, he must adjust to the very real and consuming fact that fine opal, like most rugged individuals of our time, is on the brink of extinction.
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