Joseph polishing an Australian opal at his workshop — Rocks On The Rocks, Sydney

By Appointment — Sydney CBD

For investment-grade opal, 18K gold pieces and significant boulder stones, I show the work in person at my Sydney CBD office. One stone at a time, in natural light, with the person who cut and set it sitting across the table. It is the only honest way to see opal — and the only way to make a decision you will be comfortable with five and ten years from now.

Who a private viewing suits

Most of my CBD appointments are with clients considering a meaningful purchase — an engagement piece, an anniversary stone, a serious collector addition, or a premium gift that needs to be right. If you are weighing a piece priced above a few thousand dollars, or you are choosing between two or three stones you have seen online, a viewing is the sensible next step. There is no obligation to buy on the day. Many appointments are about narrowing down what to commission, or simply seeing how a stone behaves in real light before committing.

Australian raw cut opal stone showing natural play of colour, photographed in daylight — Rocks On The Rocks, Sydney
A cut Australian opal under natural light — the only way to read body tone and play-of-colour honestly.

What to expect

I will have the pieces you have asked about laid out on a viewing tray when you arrive, along with one or two alternatives I think you should see. We will sit with them under daylight and under loupe, and I will talk you through the cut, the body tone, the play of colour, the field the stone came out of, and what it is set in. Bring your own loupe if you have one — I will have mine, and a 10x and a 20x to hand.

A typical appointment runs forty-five minutes to an hour. If you would like to bring a partner, a jeweller, or a trusted second opinion, you are very welcome to. Every piece that leaves the office ships or travels with full stone documentation and my personal guarantee.

The office

Rocks On The Rocks Suite 809, 250 Pitt Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Five minutes' walk from Town Hall station, on Pitt Street between Park and Bathurst. Building entrance on Pitt — take the lifts to level 8, suite 809. By appointment only. Please book ahead so I can have the right stones ready for you and uninterrupted time to talk them through.

Book a viewing

Phone: 0407 192 564 — best for same-week appointments or to talk through what you would like to see.
Email: joseph@rocksontherocks.com.au — please include the pieces you are interested in and a couple of times that suit you. I will confirm by reply within one business day.

Australian business hours, Monday to Friday. Evening and Saturday viewings can be arranged for clients travelling in from interstate or overseas — just ask when you book.

Or visit the market on the weekend

Joseph at his opal stall at The Rocks Market, George Street, Sydney — Rocks On The Rocks
At the stall, The Rocks Market, George Street — every Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 5pm.

If your interest is in the broader range — silver pieces, loose stones, mineral specimens, gifts under a few hundred dollars — the easiest place to see everything in one go is The Rocks Market, every Saturday and Sunday on George Street, under the main canopy, 10am to 5pm. No appointment needed. Bring an online purchase in to look over together, or come for a proper conversation about Australian opal. I have been at the same stall for more than twenty-five years.

— Joseph Bernecki Rocks On The Rocks · Sydney